In this article, you are going to learn how to start a website in South Africa.
Here, you will get everything you need to know to create your own website as fast as possible.
Without wasting your time, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Why start a website in South Africa?
Whether you are creating a website for personal or business use, there is something you need to know.
This is a graph of internet users in South Africa as of 2020 (source: Statista).
This graph includes a projection up to the year 2025.
As you can see, there were over 30 million internet users here in 2020 here in South Africa.
And that number is projected to go over 34 million by the end of 2021.
What does this tell you?
If you are selling something or seeking to make money in South Africa, you need to be where everyone is; online.
Truth is, there is no better way to do that than having a website.
Why?
- A website gives you the freedom to do other things because it operates 24/7
- It is automated, which means you do not need to hire anyone to watch over it.
- Simplifies the money-making process, thanks to set-and-forget systems
- It is cheaper than any other business out there (more on this later.
Requirements to start a website in South Africa
What do you need to create a website?
One, you need a domain.
How To Start A Website In South Africa: Pick A Domain Name
What is a domain?
This is the special web address people type into their browser to access your website.
A website name.
For example;
The domain name for this site is www.truehost.co.za
Whenever you type that into your mobile/desktop browser and hit enter, you end up on our website.
So, you need one like that.
A domain is in two parts;
- The domain name – the first part, like, truehost, Facebook, etc.
- Domain extension – that last part, for example; .com, .africa, .co.za
Here is a tip;
Pick a domain name that reflects the topic/niche of your website.
For example;
OnlineTradingGuides.com tells you outright what it entails; online trading, right?
You can follow the same idea.
Lucky for you, here are some detailed guides we’ve created to guide you through the process.
- Step by step guide on how to register a domain name in South Africa
- What domain extension should you choose? Get ideas here.
How To Start A Website In South Africa: Web hosting account
The next thing you will need is a hosting account.
This is where all of your website files will be stored, things like articles, videos, and images.
It also comes with the resources you will need to run your website.
Think;
- Bandwidth
- CPU (RAM, and Processor)
- cPanel account
There are different types of web hosting in South Africa. This article explains everything you need to know.
Also, this article gives you insights.
How much does it cost to create a website in South Africa?
The cost of hosting a website ranges from R50 to R191 per month.
But depending on your needs and the company you chose, you can get different pricing.
Why?
Because different companies have different pricing plans.
For example:
Truehost allows you to host a website from as low as R50 per month. You get a free SSL certificate if you order a hosting plan.
Also, we have all the tools you need to supercharge your website, ranging from WordPress tools such as SEO resources, online marketing tools, and email resources among others.
We have an article discussing hosting pricing in South Africa.
Now, once you have a domain and a hosting account, you are almost done.
Your next step is to install a CMS system.
This is a software/tool you will use to manage your content.
One of the most popular ones is WordPress.
Here is an article showing you how to install WordPress.
After that, create pages such as;
- About us page
- Contact us page
- Blog section
And then start publishing articles.
And that is how to start a website in South Africa.
How do I create a free website in South Africa?
As you have seen, creating a website comes with a cost;
- You need to buy a domain. See pricing here
- Get hosting account – see costs here.
Question is;
Can you create a free website in South Africa?
Answer; Yes.
And here is how.
To create a website for free in South Africa, go to https://www.olitt.com/
OLITT is a website builder that allows you to create a website for free.
With this tool, you do not need coding skills to start a website in South Africa, thanks to over 200 website templates.
Once on the site, click on the Create A Website button to get started.
Now, pick a website category.
Why?
These categories contain website templates you will use to create your site.
For example;
If you are trying to create a website for your marketing agency, choose the agency category.
Browse through available templates and pick the one you like.
The next step is to create an account.
Here, you can either use;
- Email and password
- Google Account (Gmail)
- Apple account.
Finally, editing.
Everything you need is within reach.
Just drag and drop elements to your site.
And that is how to start a website in South Africa for free.
Wrapping up
As mentioned, you need a domain and hosting, use the following links to get started;