How to Build a Website From Scratch: A Free Course for Beginners
This free course shows you how to build a website from scratch, the same way I build the affiliate sites that have earned me over $1.4 million since 2020. Twenty-one short lessons take you from “I don’t even have an idea” to a live site that ranks on Google and earns, without needing to code.
To build a website from scratch: pick a niche with real search demand, choose and buy a domain, get hosting (or use Blogger or Shopify), set up and design the site, publish posts that target low-competition keywords, add affiliate links and build backlinks so Google trusts you. This course walks you through each step in order.
- The course is free: 21 lessons in seven modules, from picking a niche to promoting your site with video.
- You choose one of three build paths: Blogger (free blogs), WordPress (best for SEO and affiliate sites) or Shopify (selling products).
- Your website can cost nothing on Blogger, or under $100 for four years of WordPress hosting with a free first-year domain on Hostinger.
- New industries like AI tools and SaaS are easier to rank in, because few sites have had years to build links.
- You’ll use Claude with Ahrefs or Semrush to research keywords, plan topic clusters and write SEO content.
- Every lesson ends with a short “Do this now” list, so you finish the course with a working site, not just notes.
Get each new lesson in your inbox
Join my email list and I’ll let you know as each lesson goes live. You’ll also get your free copy of The Borrowed Playbook: how to borrow the social media strategies already working for other products and use them to send traffic to your site, with little to no money.
- A heads-up when each new lesson is published
- Real case studies and what’s working right now
- The free Borrowed Playbook guide, sent straight away
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What you’ll have at the end of the course
By the end of the course you’ll have a live website on your own domain, a content plan built from real keyword data, your first SEO-optimised posts, affiliate programs to earn from, and a plan for links and promotion.
Each lesson is a stand-alone guide, so you can jump to the part you need. But if you’re starting from zero, go in order. Every step sets up the next one.
Who this course is for
This course is for complete beginners who want a website that earns, not just a website that exists. You don’t need to code, design or know SEO. You do need a few hours a week and the patience to let Google catch up with you.
- You have a job and want a side income that can grow into something bigger, in dollars, from South Africa or anywhere else.
- You have an idea for a blog and want it to look professional and actually get found on Google.
- You want to sell products and need to know whether Shopify is the right place to start.
- You tried before and gave up, usually because the niche was wrong or the content never ranked. Modules 1 and 4 fix exactly that.
How much does it cost to build a website?
A website can cost nothing on Blogger, under $100 for four years of WordPress hosting on Hostinger, or a few hundred dollars a year on Shopify. The platform you choose decides most of the cost.
| Platform | Best for | What you pay | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blogger | Free blogs and testing an idea | Free. A custom domain is optional and is the only cost. | Hosting by Google and a free blogspot.com address |
| WordPress on Hostinger | SEO and affiliate websites (my pick) | Premium plan from $1.99 a month on a 48-month term ($95.52 upfront), renewing at $10.99 a month | A free domain and free email mailboxes for the first year |
| Shopify | Selling physical or digital products | Basic plan $39 a month, or $29 a month billed yearly. New stores have recently been offered $1 a month for the first three months after a short free trial. | Hosting, checkout and the store builder |
Prices checked on 7 November 2026 from Hostinger’s pricing page and recent Shopify pricing reports. Hosting and trial offers change often, so check the live price before you pay. Lesson 7 compares monthly and annual hosting in full.
The course map: 7 modules, 21 lessons
The course has seven modules. You pick a niche first, because the niche decides your domain name, then set up your site, write content that ranks, earn from it, build authority and promote it.
Pick a niche
Find a topic with search demand, weak competition and a way to earn.
Domain and hosting
Name your site well, buy the domain and choose hosting without overpaying.
Build your site
Choose your platform, follow its two-step path, then rejoin for the launch checklist.
- Path A, Blogger:
- Start a Blogger blog with a custom domain
- Design a Blogger template with Claude
- Path B, WordPress:
- Start a WordPress blog on Hostinger
- Build a WordPress theme with Claude
- Path C, Shopify:
- How to start a Shopify store
- Customise a Shopify theme with Claude
Content that ranks
Find keywords a new site can win, plan clusters and write with Claude.
Monetise
Find affiliate networks and in-house programs that fit your niche.
Authority
Build the backlinks that make Google trust a new site, starting with the links your competitors already have.
Promote
Turn every article into short videos, YouTube videos and posts that send people back to your site.
How the platform fork works
At lesson 8 you choose one platform and follow its two lessons, then everyone rejoins at lesson 9, the launch checklist. You only do the path that fits your goal.
Path A: Blogger
Free and simple. Good for a first blog or testing an idea, with fewer SEO controls and no plugins.
Path B: WordPress
Full SEO control, any design you want and thousands of plugins. It’s what I use for my affiliate sites.
Path C: Shopify
Built to sell. Choose it if you have physical or digital products and want checkout handled for you.
Why I made this course
I made this course because a website is how I went from a student with a fitness blog to earning entirely online. I started that blog in 2012, taught myself SEO from forums, YouTube and case studies, and grew it past 100,000 visitors a month.
That blog led to a tech startup internship, then an SEO agency, in-house SEO roles, a consulting business and finally my own affiliate websites, which have generated over $1.4 million since 2020. I’ve written the full story of how I started an online business in South Africa using SEO, and a case study on three small websites that earn me about $2,000 a month.
Most first websites don’t fail at the build. They fail at the niche and the content. That’s why this course spends as much time on those as on the setup.
New to all of this? My Start Here page explains how affiliate websites make money, and what affiliate marketing is covers the basics.
Frequently asked questions
Is this website course really free?
Yes. All 21 lessons are free to read with no sign-up. Joining the email list is optional and only gets you a notice when new lessons go live, plus a free guide. You’ll only pay for the things your website needs, like a domain or hosting, and Blogger lets you start for nothing.
How long does it take to build a website from scratch?
You can set up a basic website in an afternoon. Choosing a niche, researching keywords and publishing your first 10 to 20 posts usually takes a few weeks, and Google often takes several months to rank a new site, so plan for steady work over three to six months.
Do I need to know how to code to build a website?
No. Blogger, WordPress and Shopify all work without code. When you want a custom design, the course shows you how to have Claude write the template for you, with step-by-step prompts for each platform.
How much does it cost to build a website?
A Blogger website can cost nothing, and adding your own domain is the only optional cost. A WordPress site on Hostinger’s Premium plan starts at $1.99 a month on a 48-month term, with a free domain for the first year. Shopify’s Basic plan is $39 a month, or $29 a month billed yearly.
Should I use Blogger, WordPress or Shopify?
Use Blogger for a free blog, WordPress if you want full SEO control for an affiliate or content site, and Shopify if you’re selling products. Lesson 8 helps you decide in under a minute, then sends you down the right path.
Can I do this course from South Africa?
Yes. I’m based in Cape Town and run my websites from South Africa. Hosting, domains and most affiliate programs accept South African cards and pay out in dollars, and the course flags where South Africans need a different option, such as Shopify payment gateways.
Can a website really make money?
Yes, mainly through affiliate commissions, ads and selling your own products. It takes time: most new sites earn little in their first months. My own affiliate websites have generated over $1.4 million since 2020, and the course shows you the same process.
About Eugene Madondo
Eugene is a Cape Town-based SEO specialist and digital entrepreneur who has been earning online since 2012. He has worked in SEO at a tech startup, an agency and in-house tech roles, ran a consulting business, and has generated over $1.4 million from his own affiliate websites since 2020. He teaches website operators through Rank to Earn.
Ready? Start with lesson 1 and pick a niche worth building on.