Having a website matters. It’s your hardest-working member of staff — available around the clock and often the first thing a potential customer sees.
123 Reg Website Builder is built for businesses that want to get online without the technical headaches. No designers or developers required. Just your business, your ideas, and a bit of your time.
This guide walks you through the whole process, step by step.
Key takeaways
- ☑︎ 123 Reg Website Builder lets you create and edit your site visually so you can focus on running your business.
- ☑︎ Start with a professional, mobile-ready template and make it your own as you go.
- ☑︎ Annual plans include a free domain for the first year, ready to go live when you publish.
- ☑︎ Preview your site as you build, checking how it looks on both desktop and mobile before you publish.
- ☑︎ Use built-in SEO tools and connect your social media so customers can find you online and follow your updates.
What is Website Builder?
It’s the simplest way to get your business online
Website Builder is 123 Reg’s own tool for creating a professional website from scratch.
You work directly on screen — clicking into sections, typing your own words, swapping in your own images — and it updates in real time. What you see is what your customers get.
There’s no code to write and no complicated settings to wade through. If you’re comfortable using a smartphone or sending an email, you’ve got everything you need to build a website with this tool.
Built for businesses like yours
Whether you’re:
✓ Running a small local business
✓ Starting a side hustle or freelance career
✓ Building your first website for the very first time
You don’t need technical skills or design experience. Just a clear idea of what you do — the builder gives you everything else.
It includes everything in one place: pages, contact forms, online store options, booking tools, SEO settings, and more.
What you’ll be able to do by the end of this guide
By the time you’ve worked through this guide, you’ll have a live website with your business name on it, a domain address you’re proud of, and the confidence to keep it updated as your business grows.
We’ll take it one step at a time — and we’ve included short explainers on getting your domain and SSL certificates along the way, so nothing catches you off guard.
1. Let’s get you set up
First, choose your domain name and plan
Before you begin building, you’ll need a Website Builder plan and a domain name.
Your domain is your website’s address — like your-big-idea.co.uk — and it’s how people find you online. When you buy an annual Website Builder plan, your domain is included free for the first year.
Simply add your domain and Website Builder plan to your basket together before checkout. Once purchased, your domain will connect to your website automatically when you publish. You can search for your domain below.
Sign in or create your 123 Reg account
Once you’ve got your plan, just sign in and you’re good to go. If you’re new to 123 Reg, signing up is free and takes no time at all — just an email address and a password and you’re in.
Open Website Builder from your products
Find Websites + Marketing in your list of products and click Manage next to your Website Builder plan. It’ll take you straight into the editor where all the building happens. This will take you straight into the editor where all the building happens.
If you’ve just bought a plan and it’s not showing yet, don’t worry — give it a quick refresh and wait a minute or two for everything to appear.
No Website Builder yet? Take a look at the plans…
| Personal | Business | Business Plus | Online Store | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Simple sites, blogs, or personal projects | Building visibility and showcasing your business professionally | Growing businesses that want to engage customers and manage bookings | Selling products online with a complete ecommerce setup |
| Website tools | Ready-made templates and a mobile-ready site to get online fast. | Built-in SEO tools to help you rank on Google | SEO tools, plus social media integration and online booking. | Full ecommerce tools to manage products, stock, and delivery |
| 1 professional email address (1GB storage) | 2 professional emails | 3 professional emails | 5 professional emails | |
| Marketing tools | Blogging tools to share updates and grow your audience | Improved search visibility to attract more visitors | Social sharing tools to stay active and connected | Promote products with SEO, social sharing, and offers |
| Selling & payments | PayPal payments via email | PayPal Buy Now / Donate button | Buy Now / Donate plus booking appointments | Full online store with checkout, stock control, and shipping |
| All plans include | Free domain for the first year, professional email, mobile-ready templates, blogging tools, and an SSL Certificate. | |||
| Get started |
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2. Welcome to the dashboard
When you first open your dashboard, you’ll see a simple checklist to guide you through the setup.
This covers things like adding your about text, contact details, logo, and photos — the essentials that bring your site together.
Click Edit Website to go into Website Builder, where you can start editing your pages.
From here, you can jump straight into editing your website, publish when you’re ready, or set up email connected to your domain — all from the same place.
If you get stuck at any point, don’t worry — you can find step-by-step help in our support guides. You can view the full list of help articles here: Website Builder Help & Support
What you’ll see in the editor
When you open Website Builder, you’ll land in the editor. This is where you build and edit your site.
At a glance, you’ll see:
☐ Main preview area – your site, where you can click and edit content directly
☐ Side panel – where you change things like text, images, styles, pages, and settings
☐ Tools and shortcuts – extra features like blogs, bookings, online store settings, and marketing tools (depending on your plan)
Most changes can be made just by clicking what you want to edit, and your updates save automatically.
3. Choose your starting point
Your starting point is choosing a template. A professionally designed, mobile-ready layout that forms the foundation of your site.
Pick the right one and you’ll have the structure, sections, and style already in place. From there, it’s just a case of making it your own.
Before you choose, it’s worth being clear on two things: what you want your website to do, and how you want it to feel.
Think about what you’re trying to achieve — getting enquiries, selling online, or simply giving people a place to find you? Having clarity makes every decision easier as you build.
Browse templates by industry
The template library is organised by business type, making it easier to find something relevant. Whether you run a trades business, a café, a fitness studio, or a creative practice, there are layouts designed with your kind of site in mind, with the right sections already in place.
Pick a design that fits your brand
You’re looking for something that feels close to the impression you want to make. As you browse, ask yourself a few practical questions:
☐ Does the layout feel clear and easy to navigate?
☐ Does the colour palette feel right for your business?
☐ Does it have the sections you’ll actually need?
You can preview any template before committing, so take a few minutes to look around before you decide.
4. Add essential business details
Start by adding your business name and a short description. This helps visitors understand who you are straight away.
A couple of simple sentences is enough for now — what you do, who you help, and where you’re based.
Next, add your contact details. This can include your email, phone number, and location or service area. Once added, Website Builder can automatically display these across your site, including your header, footer, and contact page.
You can also upload a logo and choose your colours and fonts to match your brand. These will be applied across your site to keep everything consistent.
If you don’t have a logo yet, you can add one later and continue building!
5. Build your pages
Home page — add a simple intro and highlight what you do clearly
Your home page is usually the first thing visitors see. Keep it focused:
✓ A clear headline that tells people what you do
✓ A short description
✓ A call to action — something like “Book a call” or “See our services”
✓ A strong image or banner
Don’t try to cram everything onto the home page. Its job is to give people a reason to stay and explore.
About page — tell your story
People buy from people. Your About page doesn’t need to be long — a few paragraphs about who you are, why you started your business, and what makes you different is plenty. Add a photo if you’re comfortable doing so. It makes your business feel more personal and easier to trust.
Services or products page — list what you offer with clear descriptions
Each service or product should have its own entry with:
✓ A clear name
✓ A short description of what’s included
✓ A price, if you’re happy to share it
✓ A way to take action — book, buy, or get in touch
Clear descriptions reduce back-and-forth and help the right customers find what they’re looking for.
Contact page — add a contact form and ways people can reach you
Your contact page should include a contact form along with your key contact details. Website Builder includes a built-in form that sends messages straight to your email inbox. Add your phone number, email address, and social media links here too.
6. Customise your design
Edit text and images
Click on any text block or image to edit it directly in the builder. All changes happen in real time, so you can see exactly how your site looks as you go. Swap out placeholder images for your own photos — good images make a real difference to how professional your site feels.
Move or adjust sections
You can reorder sections by moving them up or down the page. You can also add new sections — like a testimonials block, a gallery, or a team section — or remove anything you don’t need. The builder is flexible, so there’s no fixed structure you have to stick to.
Add buttons like “Get in touch” or “Book now”
Buttons guide your visitors towards taking action. Place them where it makes sense — near the top of your home page, at the end of a services description, and on your contact page. Keep the language clear and direct: “Get a free quote”, “Book your appointment”, “Give us a call.”
7. Add features that support your business
Once your core pages are in place, think about which additional features your site needs. Not every business will need all of these — add the ones that are relevant to you.
Online store
If you sell products or services online, Website Builder has a built-in eCommerce tool. You can add products, set prices, manage stock, and take payments. Note that the Online Store and other premium features require a paid Website Builder plan.
Booking tools
If you take appointments, Website Builder’s Appointments feature lets customers book directly through your site — no back-and-forth needed.
Social media links
Add social media links to your footer or header to connect your site to your wider online presence.
Basic SEO settings
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) helps people find your website through Google. In Website Builder, you can set a unique page title and meta description for each page.
What is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)?
SEO is how your website gets found on Google. When someone searches for a product or service you offer, the results they see depend on how well your site is set up to be understood by search engines. The better your SEO, the more likely your site is to appear higher in results.
For more, check out: Local SEO in 10: How Do I Get My Business Found Online?
8. Preview your website
Check how it looks on desktop and mobile
Before you publish, use preview mode to see exactly how your site will appear to visitors.
You can switch between desktop and mobile views to check both versions. Most people will visit your site on a phone, so it’s important to make sure everything looks clear, readable, and easy to use on a smaller screen.
Test links, buttons, and forms
Click through your site to make sure everything works as expected. Check that buttons and links go to the right places, and submit a test entry through your contact form to confirm it reaches your inbox.
Make quick edits before publishing
Jot down anything that looks off as you preview, then fix it before you hit publish. Pay attention to spacing, image quality, and whether the text reads well on a phone screen.
9. Publish your website
Connect or choose your domain name
Before you publish, make sure your domain name is connected to your site. If you followed Step 1, this should already be in place — your domain connects automatically when you publish. If you haven’t done this yet, you can connect an existing 123 Reg domain or purchase a new one during the publish flow.
Hit publish when you’re ready
When you’re happy with how everything looks, click Publish. Your site will go live within minutes.
Check everything looks right live
Once published, open your site in a browser — ideally in a private or incognito window to avoid seeing a cached version. Check the live site looks as you expected, then test it on your phone too.
10. What to do after your site is live
You’re live, but your website isn’t a finished project.
The businesses that get the most from their website are the ones that keep it active, keep it visible and keep it connected to everything else they’re doing.
Here’s where to focus next:
Set up your professional email address
If you haven’t already, now is the time to set up your professional email address. Your 123 Reg Website Builder plan includes one, so you can reach customers as hello@your-big-idea.com rather than from a personal Gmail or Hotmail account. It helps build trust from the very first point of contact.
If you need a hand getting it set up, our Professional Email Support articles walk you through everything step by step.
Get found in search — and in AI results
Once your site is live, you need people to actually find it. Website Builder comes with essential SEO tools built in, so you can take care of the basics without any technical knowledge.
Getting your meta titles and descriptions right is a solid first step — they tell Google what each page is about and influence whether people click through to your site. If your business serves a specific area, our guide to local SEO covers the practical steps that help you show up for local searches.
Search is also changing. AI tools are becoming a common way people find answers and discover businesses. Our guide to how to get your business seen in Google AI mode explains what that means for small businesses and what you can do about it.
Tip: Get your business details on Google Business Profile
As well as adding your business details to Website Builder, it’s worth setting up a Google Business Profile too. It helps your business show up in local search results on Google Maps, and gives people a quick way to find your contact details, opening hours, and the website itself! Keep both updated with the same information makes it easier for people to find you.
For more, check out: Local SEO in 10 – How Do I Get My Business Found Online?
Keep your social media and website working together
Your website and your social media channels do different jobs — and both matter. Social media is often where people first hear about your business, while your website is where they go to get the details and decide whether to get in touch. The two work best when they’re pointing in the same direction.
If you’re thinking about how to make the most of both, our guide to social media and your website looks at why businesses need both to grow and how to use them together well.
For more, check out: Social Media and Your Website — Why Small Businesses Need Both to Grow
Drive more traffic with Google Ads and Google Trends
SEO takes time to build, so while you’re working on that, Google Ads can help put your business in front of people who are already searching for what you offer. Our guide to Google Ads walks you through how it works and how to get started.
Our guide to Google Ads walks you through how it works and how to get started.
It’s also worth paying attention to what people are actually searching for. Google Trends shows you how interest in topics changes over time, which can help you shape your content or services around real search behaviour. Take a look at our guide to Google Trends to see how to put it to use.
Wrap up
You’ve built something real. A proper website, live on the internet, representing your business exactly the way you want it to.
The technical side was never the hard part — the decisions were. What to say, how to present yourself, what you want people to do when they arrive. You’ve worked through all of that. Keep it updated as your business grows and it’ll keep working for you.
Now go and share the link!
Build a website FAQ
How easy is it to build a website?
Building a website is much more straightforward than most people expect (and much easier than it used to be!). With a tool like 123 Reg Website Builder, you simply pick a template, add your content, and publish when you’re ready. No coding or technical experience needed. Most people can get a basic site up and running in a few hours.
What’s the easiest way to build a website?
The simplest option is a website builder. You choose a design, edit the text and images, and publish when you’re ready. Everything is handled in one place, so you don’t need separate tools or technical setup.
Can I get a free domain with my website?
Yes. With annual Website Builder plans, you get a free domain for the first year. You just search for your chosen name, add it to your basket with your Website Builder plan, and it’s included when you complete checkout.
Do I need a domain before I build my website?
No — you can build your site first and choose your domain during setup. If you already have one, you can connect it later. If not, you can search and register one as part of getting your website online.
How much does it cost to get a website online?
Website Builder plans start at a low monthly cost, with pricing based on the features you need. Most small business sites are very affordable to run, and annual plans include a free domain for the first year.
Can I build a website for free?
Some tools let you start for free, but free plans usually come with limitations — such as ads on your site or restricted features. A paid Website Builder plan is the better choice if you want a professional site with your own domain name.
Do I need technical skills to build a website?
Not at all. Website Builder is designed for beginners. Adding pages, editing text, and uploading images is all done through simple, intuitive tools — no coding or design experience required.
What do I need before I start building a website?
It helps to have your business name, a short description of what you do, and any images or brand assets ready to go. Having those to hand means you can move through the build much faster.
Will my website work on mobile?
Yes. Websites built with modern website builders are automatically optimised for mobile, so your site will adjust to look good on phones, tablets, and desktops.
For more, check out: Why You Need a Mobile-Friendly Website (and How to Get One)
