Beginner’s Guide to Structuring Your First Website Without Overwhelm

You Don’t Need Fancy to Get Started

You can build on Squarespace, WordPress, Wix, Kajabi — whatever you’ve got.
It doesn’t matter.

The point isn’t to win design awards. The point is to make a site that works. A site people can use without getting lost.

Sure, the buttons might be in different spots depending on your platform. Squarespace might make it easy with drag-and-drop blocks. WordPress might send you hunting for a plugin. But the principles? They’re the same across the board.

Start With the Essentials

Forget about animations, parallax scrolling, or “Which shade of blue makes people trust me more?”
Instead, lock in these three things:

• Clear Layout → Every page should feel obvious to navigate.

• Simple Navigation → Keep your menu short. If it’s more than 5 items, it’s too long.

• Focused Priorities → Decide what you actually want people to do when they land on your site — and make that impossible to miss.

Your First Layout Could Be This Simple

• Homepage → A quick snapshot of who you are, what you offer, and your main call-to-action (join, book, buy).

• About Page → Not your life story — just enough to show you get them and you can help.

• Offer Page → Details on what you’re selling and how it works.

• Contact Page → A way to get in touch without hunting.

That’s it. You don’t need 12 pages before you launch.

Navigation That Doesn’t Confuse People

Think of your menu as a grocery store sign. People should know exactly where to go without guessing.
If you sell something, make sure there’s a big, obvious button for it in your menu. If you want people to join your email list, give that spot prime real estate.

On Squarespace, that might be your header navigation with one or two “call-to-action” buttons that stand out from the rest.

Don’t Get Stuck in Decision Hell

Yes, you’ll have to choose fonts, colors, and maybe a template. But don’t turn it into a month-long research project.

Pick something clean. Make sure the text is easy to read. Then move on. You can always tweak later.

Squarespace makes it simple to switch styles or layouts without rebuilding your entire site — so don’t let perfectionism keep you from publishing.

The Bottom Line

The best beginner website is the one that’s live, simple, and usable. Start with structure. Get your priorities in place. Skip the fluff. Your first version is a foundation — not your final masterpiece.