Your first website, minus the overwhelm
Work through a specific one-page site brief, decide what not to build, and record evidence with the launch worksheet.
Read the guideFOR THE INDEPENDENT INTERNET
Small website.
Big possibility.
Plan the cost. Explain your page. Check the result. Free, practical tools and worked guides for publishing a small website.
Start where you are. Build at your own pace.
A LITTLE CORNER OF THE INTERNET. MADE BY YOU.Inputs stay in your browser
Download useful results
Assumptions in plain sight
Useful before monetized.01 / LEAVE WITH SOMETHING USEFUL
Do the next
small thing.
No signup. Clear assumptions.
Results you can download and use.
PLAN THE COST
Website budget planner
Separate launch spending from renewal costs. Change the assumptions and export the line-item budget.
Use the free tool
EXPLAIN THE PAGE
Page metadata workbench
Draft a clear title and description, inspect a snippet approximation, and download safely escaped HTML.
Use the free tool
CHECK THE RESULT
Launch evidence worksheet
Record the results of twelve real checks, keep optional local notes, and export what needs attention.
Use the free toolOur own browser-based utilities, not affiliate destinations. How we build and explain these resources.
02 THE INDEPENDENT INTERNET, ILLUSTRATED
A field guide for
making it your own.
Practical ideas, worked examples,
and a little room for imagination.
What a small website actually costs
Calculate first-year spending, recurring costs, and a renewal reserve with a downloadable budget and transparent example.
Read the guide
Connect a custom domain without breaking your email
Separate deployment from DNS, understand a real Pages connection failure, and use a before/after verification table.
Read the guide02 THE SHORTLIST, NOT THE RABBIT HOLE
Good tools.
Fewer open tabs.
You don’t need every tool.
Just a few that do the job well.
Standard links. No paid placements. Check each provider for current plans and limitations. How we share recommendations
Build
Carrd
A simple first page
A focused option for a one-page business, portfolio, or idea. Check plan requirements for custom domains and forms.
Build
Cloudflare Pages
A home for static sites
Publish a fast, static website without running a server. A useful fit when your site does not need a database.
Publish
WordPress
Room for a growing library
An open-source publishing system for a content-led site. Hosting, updates, and backups are separate responsibilities.
Publish
Kit
Keep the conversation going
Email publishing and audience tools for creators. Start with a clear reason to subscribe, not just another signup box.
Measure
Search Console
Understand search discovery
Google's tool for checking indexing and search performance. Useful data, without a promise of higher rankings.
Measure
Plausible
Keep your analytics focused
A privacy-focused analytics option. Compare its current plans and privacy documentation with what you actually need.
03 A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE
Put a number
on your what if.
Curious what display ads could bring in? Play with the numbers before you build your plans around them.
Understand the ways to earnAn illustration, not a promise.
Real earnings can be lower — or zero.
LESS PLANNING. MORE DOING.
A good idea deserves
a first draft.
Take the 12-point website launch checklist.
A small nudge in the right direction. No inbox required.