How Long Does It Take to Build a Website? (2024 Guide)
Whether you're an artist or a business owner, building a website for your brand is one of the best business decisions you can make. It lets you showcase your work, connect with your audience, and expand your online presence. While it can seem overwhelming, especially for first-timers, platforms like Squarespace have made website creation much more accessible, even for those with limited tech skills.
If you’re considering taking the leap and building a site for the first time—or simply updating your website—you likely have questions like:
How long does it take to build a website?
How much will it cost?
Will I need to become a coding expert to get it done?
Rest assured, I’ve got you covered. I offer several website design services for artists, and I’m here to guide you through the process, ensuring you can launch your site smoothly and stress-free.
Creating a simple yet stunning website has always been challenging, whether you want to do it yourself or hire an expert. With just a bit of assistance, you'll proudly showcase your masterpieces to the world in next to no time. So, go ahead, take a deep breath, and join me on this journey – your brand-new website is waiting for you!
In This Post:
Building Your Website With Care
As an artist, having a professional website showcasing your work is a must in today’s digital landscape. I know from experience that designing a website from scratch can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be if you have a professional guiding you.
Why Work With a Web Design Expert?
There are many benefits to hiring a web design professional versus trying to build a site yourself.
An expert web designer like me has the expertise and experience to:
Craft a visually captivating and user-friendly website that authentically reflects your distinctive style.
Offer expert advice on critical decisions, such as picking the perfect domain name, curating compelling imagery, and crafting engaging content.
Manage all the intricate technical details, freeing you to channel your energy into your art.
Does that look like something your art business needs?
Complete this short quiz to access a personalized blueprint that helps you market your art online.
How Long Does It Take to Build a Website From Scratch?
The timeline for crafting a customized website can vary, contingent on the intricacy of your requirements. Typically, the entire process may span from less than a week to a few months.
The initial planning and design phase usually encompasses less than a week to 4 weeks, where we collaborate to define your website's visual style, layout, and content. Subsequently, the development and testing phase, involving the construction and refinement of your site, often takes around 2 weeks or potentially more.
While building a professional website demands time and dedication, partnering with a seasoned web design professional like me ensures the creation of an exceptional platform to showcase your artistic talents to the world. Additionally, once your site is launched, you have the option to entrust me with ongoing maintenance and updates, enabling you to focus on your true passion for art creation.
4 Factors That Influence Website Build Time
As an artist, building a website is one of the best ways to establish your brand and share your work with the world.
But how long does it take to build a website on Squarespace?
As someone who has built a few sites from scratch, I can tell you it varies depending on several factors, including these four:
1. Planning and Design
This phase involves outlining your website's purpose, layout, and flow. It may take a few days to weeks to brainstorm and sketch ideas, as explained in my comprehensive guide on Setting up Your Artist Website on Squarespace. Deciding whether to hire a professional web designer or take a DIY approach is a critical decision, and I strongly recommend the former. And if you do choose to do the design yourself, here are some artist website design inspirations.
2. Content Creation
The next step involves generating content for your site, such as an about page, blog posts, product descriptions, photos, videos, and more.
Content creation is often the most time-intensive part and can span 1 to 3 weeks or longer, including tasks like writing, editing, and optimization. It's essential to create valuable and engaging content that establishes your expertise.
However, understand that content creation is an ongoing process, so it’s always a great idea to have a content upload calendar to follow once your website is launched.
3. Building the Site
If you’re building the site yourself using a website builder, expect it to take a few weeks to organize all your content, choose a template, set up e-commerce if needed, and ensure everything works properly. A custom design can take web developers a few weeks to several months to code, test, and launch the site. But the case is different with no-code websites like Squarespace — I can work with you to achieve your build your site in a week.
In addition, I have different templates, such as my limited edition Squarespace template for artists, to simplify the website creation process for you.
4. Reviews and Edits
Even after launching, you’ll want to make ongoing changes by fixing bugs, optimizing content, improving the layout, and adding new features. Most website owners dedicate at least a few hours to reviewing and updating their site every week.
Creating a basic Squarespace portfolio website can typically be achieved within a few weeks. However, crafting an effective site to grow your artistic business often requires several additional months of dedicated work for comprehensive planning, design, development, and optimization. It's important to recognize that a website is never truly "finished," but the rewards of connecting with your audience make every effort worthwhile. Starting and continually improving your site is the key to success.
Average Time frames for 3 Common Website Types
Given the various website development stages, creating a site for your creative business can span from a few weeks to several months, influenced by its complexity. As an artist myself, I appreciate the eagerness to share your work with the world right away. However, it's crucial not to rush the website-building journey to ensure that your site truly reflects your artistic abilities and resonates with your desired clientele.
Basic Portfolio Site
If your goal is to create a simple online gallery to display your artwork, a basic portfolio site can typically be designed and built in a matter of days to 1 week. This involves tasks like template selection, design customization, content and image integration, and thorough site testing. Check out my open edition portfolio template for artists, The Joan.
E-Commerce Store
Building an e-commerce store to sell your artwork and products will take anywhere from a few weeks to months. This allows time to choose an e-commerce platform, design the storefront, set up your payment gateway, add products and marketing content, develop a Squarespace e-commerce SEO framework, and launch. You’ll want to thoroughly test the checkout flow and payment processing before going live.
Custom Portfolio
For a completely custom-designed portfolio site with additional functionality like a blog, contact form, and mailing list sign-up, expect the process to take 1–2 weeks in either the Website in a Week or Liberated Artist Blueprint, depending on which service you opt for. A custom site requires wire-framing, design, development, content creation, testing, and optimization. While more time-consuming, a custom site gives you full creative control and flexibility to build what you want.
The most important thing is not to cut corners in your rush to get online. Taking the necessary time to craft a high-quality website is worth the effort. Your visitors and customers will appreciate the attention to detail, and you'll have a powerful platform to exhibit your artistic skills for years to come. And if you seek a bespoke Squarespace website for your art, contact me to discuss your project details.
Hiring Professionals to Fast-Track Your Website Build Timeline
I know firsthand how frustrating designing a website from scratch can be if you choose to do it yourself. That’s why I always recommend finding an expert to handle it for you. On the other hand, a professional website designer will make the entire experience smoother and help you get your site up and running as quickly as possible.
When you entrust me with building your website, you can dedicate your time and energy to creating more aesthetic artwork while I concentrate on crafting an exceptional platform to showcase your work. I stay up-to-date with the latest trends, tools, and techniques to ensure the development of a high-quality website that boasts fast loading times, stunning aesthetics, mobile-friendliness, and optimization for search engine rankings, including Google.
Save Time and Money
While the prospect of designing your own website might initially seem appealing and budget-friendly, it often results in more significant costs down the road. Wrestling with technical issues can lead to weeks or months of precious time wasted on struggling to construct a site.
On the other hand, professionals work much faster and can build a custom site for you in a fraction of the time. And that’s not all; working with experts can also help you slash costs. For example, I save my clients 20% on their first year on Squarespace.
Get Tips and Guidance
Collaborating with a web design expert ensures you have access to the expertise and guidance necessary throughout the entire process. When you choose to partner with me, I provide personalized professional advice on how to effectively communicate the essence of your art, making it more appealing to potential collectors.
Allowing a professional to handle your website development stages—planning, design, testing, launch, etc.—is truly the most efficient, cost-effective way for you as an artist to get your work in front of a much larger audience online. Concentrate on your craft, and let me take care of the rest! You can view my extensive artist website portfolio here.
Frequently Asked Questions.
How long does it take to build a 5-page website?
For a simple 5-page website with minimal styling, I would estimate a few hours for someone with basic web design skills to build. This includes tasks such as planning content and layout, designing the homepage, and creating additional pages. The exact timeframe can vary depending on your level of technical expertise and the complexity of the site's requirements.
How many hours does it take to build a one-page website?
A one-page website, often called a “landing page,” usually takes between an hour and a week to build, depending on your web design experience. The benefit of a one-page site is that you only have to design one page, and there’s no navigation to set up. However, the page tends to be longer and more complex/demanding since it needs to contain all the information about your business/brand.
How many pages is a good website?
For most small businesses and personal websites, about 5–10 pages is a good start. This allows you to provide detailed information about your business, products, services, contact details, and blog posts without overwhelming your visitors. Fewer than five pages might seem lacking in information, while more than 15 pages could make navigation tedious. However, the ideal number of pages can vary depending on your website's purpose.
How hard is it to build a web page?
Creating a generic web page is relatively easy. However, if you’re striving for a unique and professionally designed Squarespace artist website tailored to your brand, then you should consider working with me. I can help you create a unique Squarespace website with a professional touch.
Ultimately, the time and difficulty in building your website comes down to how simple or complex you want to make it. But with a well-designed Squarespace template, creating a small website is an achievable goal for most.
What is the easiest way to build an artist’s website in 2024?
The easiest way to build a website is by designing one on a no-code website like Squarespace. Squarespace offers a range of templates that allow you to create a functional site quickly, even if you have no prior web development knowledge. You can use a fully customizable template such as my Joan template. To achieve a fully customized website that truly represents your art brand and resonates with your audience, working with a Squarespace website designer is highly recommended, and that's where I can assist you.
Are websites relevant in 2024?
Yes, websites are more than relevant in this digital age, especially if you run a business. Currently, 81.8% of people search the Internet when seeking products or services to buy, with 78.6% proceeding to purchase. Think of your website as your online shop and the first means of contact between your customers and your brand.
Conclusion
So, how long does it take to build a website?
It takes as long as you need it to — from a few days to several months. The crucial factor is taking the initial step and making consistent progress, even if it's gradual.
Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of advanced websites or the perceived timeframes from experts, it's essential to have a knowledgeable partner like myself to navigate the process. Feel free to reach out to me today, and we can discuss how I can assist you in crafting a stunning portfolio website that effectively showcases your artwork. With my support, you can focus on your artistic vision, commence the website creation journey, and continue refining and enhancing it over time.
