Getting a website for your business is easier than it looks, as long as you take the steps in the right order. This guide walks through each step, from choosing a domain name to launching and getting found on Google.
We are Dutch Ink, a Durban-based web design agency that builds custom WordPress websites for South African businesses, so we have included what we see working in practice. All Dutch Ink prices exclude VAT.
The 8 steps at a glance
- Decide what your website must do.
- Choose and register your domain name.
- Decide who will build it.
- Set a realistic budget.
- Plan your pages and content.
- Design and build the website.
- Check everything before launch.
- Launch, get found and look after it.
Step 1: Decide what your website must do
Start with the job the website has to do for your business. Most business websites do one main thing well:
- Bring in enquiries from people looking for your service.
- Sell products online.
- Take bookings or appointments.
- Show your work and build trust before someone calls.
Pick one main goal. The pages you need, the features and the price all follow from it.
Step 2: Choose and register your domain name
Your domain name is your web address, such as yourbusiness.co.za. For a South African business, a .co.za domain is a sensible choice.
- Keep it short, easy to spell and close to your business name.
- Check that it is available with a domain registrar.
- Register it in your own business’s name and keep the login details yourself, not only with whoever builds the website.
- Expect to pay about R100 to R200 a year (ProCompare, 2025). One registrar listed .co.za registration at R97 when its guide was published in 2024.
Step 3: Decide who will build it
There are three common routes, and each suits a different business.
- Do it yourself with a website builder: the lowest cost, but you do the design, writing and search setup yourself, and it takes your time.
- A freelancer: often good value for a simple website. Ask what happens after launch, because support depends on one person.
- A web design agency: more of the work is done for you, including design, search engine setup, hosting and support. The price is higher.
Dutch Ink is an agency. Every website we build is custom designed around your brand, and we do not use templates.
Step 4: Set a realistic budget
Published guides put professional business websites in South Africa at roughly R5,000 to R60,000, depending on the number of pages and features (ProCompare, 2025; SO Websites, April 2026). Our website cost guide for South Africa explains what drives the price.
Dutch Ink websites start from R9,500 once-off or R740 a month, and our Business and Premium packages are R19,500 and R35,500 once-off, or R1,499 and R2,499 a month. Online stores start from R19,500 once-off or R1,490 a month. Not sure whether to pay once or monthly? Read about paying once-off or monthly.
Ready to get your business online?
See our packages and get a clear, fixed price. Websites from R9,500 once-off, or pay monthly. Prices exclude VAT.
Step 5: Plan your pages and content
Good content is what makes a website useful. Plan it before the design starts.
- Core pages: Home, About, Services (or Products) and Contact.
- One page per main service, so people searching for that service can find it.
- A location page if you serve a specific area, for example website design in Durban or Umhlanga.
- Brand material: your logo, brand colours, photos and customer testimonials.
- Clear text: write it yourself or have it written for you. Dutch Ink offers website content writing.
Step 6: Design and build the website
A good business website is designed around your brand and your customers, works well on a phone, loads quickly and makes it easy to contact you.
At Dutch Ink we build custom WordPress websites that are mobile friendly and built with search engine best practice from the start. See our website design South Africa page for what each package includes.
Step 7: Check everything before launch
Before the website goes live, check:
- It looks right on a phone, a tablet and a computer.
- Every link and button works.
- Your contact forms reach the right email address.
- Your phone number, email address and physical address are correct.
- Each page has a clear title and description for Google.
If your website collects personal information, South Africa’s POPIA law applies, so add a privacy policy and handle submitted details responsibly. Ask a legal adviser if you are unsure what your business needs.
Step 8: Launch, get found and look after it
A website is not finished on launch day.
- Tell Google about it: set up Google Search Console and submit your website.
- Claim your Google Business Profile if you serve local customers.
- Plan your SEO: search engine optimisation is what brings visitors who are searching for what you sell. See our website maintenance and SEO services.
- Keep it updated, secure and backed up. Dutch Ink website maintenance starts from R849 a month.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing only on price. Compare what is included, not just the number.
- Not having the login details for your own domain.
- Launching before the content is ready.
- Forgetting to check the website on a phone.
- Not budgeting for hosting, maintenance and updates.
- Expecting visitors without any SEO.
Frequently asked questions about getting a website
It depends on the size, functionality and complexity of the project, and on how quickly content and feedback come in. Ask for a timeline in your quote.
Published guides put professional business websites at roughly R5,000 to R60,000. Dutch Ink websites start from R9,500 once-off or R740 a month, excluding VAT. Read our website cost guide for South Africa for the full breakdown.
Your domain is your web address and hosting keeps your website online. Ask any provider what is included in the price. With Dutch Ink monthly plans, hosting and maintenance are included.
Yes, with a website builder. It can save money, but it takes your time and the result depends on your design, writing and search engine skills. Many businesses use a web designer when the website needs to bring in enquiries.
You know your business best, so your input matters, but you do not have to write everything yourself. Dutch Ink offers website content writing as part of its SEO and content services.
Ready to get started?
Tell us about your business and what you need, and we will recommend a package with a clear price. Visit our website design page to see the packages and send an enquiry.
Sources: ProCompare, Website Cost South Africa (2025 prices), SO Websites, Website Cost South Africa 2026 (8 April 2026) and 1-grid, How to Buy a Domain in South Africa (October 2024). Dutch Ink prices are as shown on our package pages.
