Build your Website for just $50

That’s right, get your website set up and running for less than $50. In this write-up, we will outline the steps you need to take to get your website up and running for just $50, all on your own, in no time.

That said, we know it can quickly get overwhelming, and E2E Partners has a no-fuss one-day up-and-running one-page website service for just USD 349.99. (T&Cs apply)

Overview of the steps:

    1. Set up your personal Gmail (if you do not have one already).
    2. Register a Cloudflare account.
    3. Buy your domain from either Name.co.zw or Cloudflare
      • If you choose to buy from Name.co.zw – configure your DNS settings to Cloudflare 
    4. Set up your domain email address on your Gmail account
    5. Sign up for a Bluehost annual account (skip the extra add-ons).
    6. Install Plugins for Astra themes and Elementor on your WordPress Site
    7. Design and edit the Site 
    8. Publish and Launch  

1. Set up your Gmail

  • This will be familiar to most readers, and you go to Gmail’s Business Email Account Sign Up page and select the free option. 
  • Follow the prompts to create your new account, similar to a new Gmail account.
  • Once logged in and secured, we will use this email address for the next steps.

2. Register a Cloudflare account

  • If you do not have a Cloudflare account, sign up for a new one.
  • Use either your “personal” email address or the new address we created in Step 1  when you set up your new account (more accessible if you need to give access to someone else later – the recommended way is more involved).

3. Buy your domain

  • You can buy your domain at Name.co.zw if you want a “.co.zw” Top Level Domain, or you can buy one straight from Cloudflare within your account by navigating to  Domain Registration >> Register Domains in the left side panel menu.
  • If you choose to use Name.co.zw, then you will have to register an account there first before following the next steps:
    • Search for and pay for your domain.
    • Once you have confirmation of your registration, go to your Cloudflare account and add a new website.
    • Use the domain name you purchase at Name.co.zw and select the free plan
    • On the overview page, it will give you the notification to change your nameservers and the names of the new name servers (e.g. tafadzwa.ns.clouflare and thandiwe.ns.clouflare)
    • Back in the Name.co.zw panel, replace the name servers in the NS section of your domain config with the ones in Cloudflare.
    • Wait for propagation (settings to take effect take time, anywhere from instant to 48hrs)

4. Configure your custom email.

  • Enable 2FA on your Gmail account we created earlier. For this method to work, you must enable two-factor authentication for your Google account. If not, follow the link below and set it up → Enable 2FA in your Google account.
  • In your Google account, create an App Password for Mail → Create an App Password (You will copy and use this password later along with your Gmail address in the Google SMTP server settings “Add another email address” form)
  • Select “Mail” for the app. Select your computer as the device. Hit “Generate”. Copy and keep the generated password for later in this process.
  • Then, back in Gmail, add your Cloudflare-routed email address.
  • In Gmail, go to Settings → Accounts → Send mail as. Under that section, click Add another email address and fill in the first form with your Name and Cloudflare-routed email address. Untick “Treat as an alias” and click Next Step >>
  • Then fill in the next form: SMTP Server: smtp.gmail.com 238 Port: 587; Username: your Gmail address (incl. @gmail.com); Password is the App Password you generated earlier; Leave TLS enabled; Click Add Account >>
  • You will receive an email from Gmail asking you to confirm ownership with a code. Enter the code in the dialogue (or click the link in the confirmation email), and you are all set!
  • Now, you can select your new email address in the list when composing a new Gmail message. And, when replying to an email you received at your new address, the new address should be pre-filled in the “From” field.

5. Sign up for a Bluehost

  • Go to Bluehost.com and sign up for the WordPress hosting BASIC option for one Site. (We recommend Bluehost because of the service quality and customer support you get for the price. That was important, mainly if this is new to you or you need more time. If you are patient, it’s worth considering WordPress on AWS or Alibaba Cloud services.)
  • Along the way, you will be prompted to sign up for many add-on options at discounts. Ignore these and skip them.
  • Enter your domain purchased earlier when prompted during set-up and follow the prompts.
  • Enter your details and select your package service term. (For this guide, we use the 35.40 USD option for 12 months at 2.95 USD.)
  • Uncheck all the add-ons at the bottom. (including the SSL as you get a free shared one)
  • Once you have paid and set up your password, you are redirected to your panel to set up and install your WordPress site.
  • Navigate to websites and click edit site

6. Install Plugins

  • Once logged into the WordPress site, navigate to the plugin side menu and the “add new” submenu.
  • Search for and install, then activate Elementor and Starter Templates
  • Once installed, go to the new side menu option Astra
  • In the dashboard, go to starter kit and import your template for Elementor (there are quite a few optional substeps that can be taken here)
  • Then go to your Site by clicking the Home Icon with the Name of your Site next to it

7. Design and edit the Site

  • This is one of the most time-consuming steps and is best done if you have your content ideas mapped out. We recommend using a wireframe framework to get this done effectively.
  • Using the Elementor page builder, re-design your Site as much as possible and pay attention to navigation elements. 
  • Use the customise/appearance sections in the menu header to edit the other parts of the Site where necessary. These include the footer, menus and site identity.

8. Publish and Launch!

Your hard work has paid off, and nothing is left to do but launch your Site. You can do this from your Bluehost panel or from within WordPress at the Bluehost side panel menu option. Once live, the Site Status at the top will say “Live” in green text and your public URL will be open to the public.

NB: This is a quick guide to getting a site up and running. We have skipped numerous aspects to get you from start to finish quickly and with as little confusion as possible. That said, for a high-quality site, you should reach out and talk to one of our Web Product consultants to cover all the other aspects of your website we did not touch on, that would make your Site World-Class. Alternatively, you can contact us to learn more about our hands-on services to do it hassle-free, from a one-day, one-page site or a fully customised version with multiple pages and purpose-built functionality.

Picture of Tawana Muchatuta

Tawana Muchatuta

E2E Partners