# Build a website with an independent developer > A good website has one goal, such as a booking, a call or a sign up, and every page supports it. To build one, you choose how you want to edit it later, then split design, build and launch into short milestones. ErdiBuilds is an open marketplace where clients post app, SaaS, website and game projects, see which independent developers from the EU fit best based on what they have already built, and pay per milestone. Canonical: https://erdibuilds.app/build/website Last updated: 2026-11-06 (November 6, 2026) ## What a website project covers A website presents a business, a product, a person or a publication. It may have a handful of pages or hundreds, a contact form, a blog, a shop or a booking widget. Unlike an app, most visitors do not sign in. The work usually has four parts: structure and texts, visual design, the build itself and the launch with domain, email and search basics. If visitors need to log in and work with data, you are looking at a [web app](https://erdibuilds.app/build/web-app) instead. ## Two ways to build it ### A site builder or content system Tools like Webflow (A visual website builder where you design pages and publish them without writing code by hand, with a built-in content editor.), Framer (A design tool that publishes websites directly from the design.) and WordPress (A widely used open source content system with thousands of themes and plugins.) let you edit texts and images yourself after launch. This suits sites that change often and have no unusual features. ### Custom code A custom site with Next.js (A React framework that renders pages on the server and in the browser, with routing and API routes built in.) gives full control over speed, layout and features. It often pairs with a headless CMS (A separate editing tool for content that sends the content to your website through an API.) so you can still edit texts. [Find My Stack](https://findmystack.app/?project_type=website) helps compare the paths for your case. Whatever you choose, ask about Core Web Vitals (Google measurements of how fast a page loads, reacts and stays stable while loading.), SEO basics (Page titles, descriptions, clean addresses and a sitemap that help search engines understand your pages.) and how images are sized, because they affect how the site feels and how it is found. ## An example plan in milestones A focused site often needs fewer milestones than an app. Each milestone is funded before work starts and runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks. Milestones are from 50 to 2,000 each in your project currency. **Example phases for a small business website** | | Example timing | What happens | Your part | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Phase 1: Structure and design | For example, weeks 1 to 2 | Page list, wireframes, style choice, home page design | Send texts, logo and photos, give feedback | | Phase 2: Build | For example, weeks 3 to 4 | All pages, forms, mobile layouts, content editing | Review on your phone and laptop | | Phase 3: Launch | For example, week 5 | Domain, email forms, redirects, analytics, search basics, speed checks | Final approval and content check | The weeks are for illustration. Developers set the length of each milestone in their proposal, and each real milestone runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks. Texts and photos are the usual cause of delays, so prepare them early. ## What belongs in the project description - The goal of the site and the one action visitors should take. - Pages you expect, even as a rough list. - Who writes the texts and who provides photos. - Whether you want to edit content yourself, and how often. - Examples of sites you like and the look you want. - Languages, a blog, a shop, bookings or a newsletter. - Your domain, hosting, and anything that must move from an old site, such as pages with good search results. ## How to recognise a suitable developer Look for live sites that load quickly on a phone, read well and have clear structure. Ask who handled the design, since some developers work with a separate designer or use your own design. See [design only](https://erdibuilds.app/help/design-only) if you need that part first. A match score (A number from 0 to 100 that shows how well a developer fits your project, with plain reasons such as shared technologies, similar past work, budget fit and availability.) appears on each proposal. A developer needs at least 40 to apply, and 80 or more gets a Top match badge. Developers are independent professionals, not our employees. Before you decide, run through [questions to ask before hiring a developer](https://erdibuilds.app/guides/questions-to-ask-before-hiring-a-developer). ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I edit the texts myself after launch? Yes, if you say so in the brief. A site builder or a content editor on a custom site makes that possible. Ask for a short walkthrough in the last milestone. ### Will the website be found on Google? A fast, clear site with good titles, descriptions and a sitemap gives a solid base. Ranking also depends on your content and competition, so nobody can promise a position. ### Who should own the domain and hosting? You. Register the domain yourself and give the developer access. Unless both sides agree otherwise in writing on the platform, the rights to the result of a milestone pass to the client once that milestone is paid in full. ### How long does a website take? A small site can take a few weeks when texts and images are ready. Larger sites, shops and several languages take longer. Milestones keep each step visible. ### Should I build a website or an app? If visitors mainly read or contact you, a website is enough. If they sign in and work with data, see [web app projects](https://erdibuilds.app/build/web-app). ## Related - [Build a web app with an independent developer](https://erdibuilds.app/build/web-app): How to plan a browser-based web app: common technologies, an example milestone plan, what to write in the brief and how to judge a developer. - [Hire a Next.js developer for your project](https://erdibuilds.app/hire/nextjs): What a Next.js developer does, which projects it suits, what to ask before you hire and how milestones and matching work on ErdiBuilds. - [Hire a Designer or Developer for Design Only](https://erdibuilds.app/help/design-only): Get screens and a look people love, ready for a developer to build. See what to prepare, what you receive and how milestones work. - [How to Write a Project Brief for a Developer](https://erdibuilds.app/guides/how-to-write-a-project-brief): A good project brief fits on one page: goal, users, must-have features, examples and limits. Here is what to include and a free tool to draft it. - [How Long Does It Take to Build an App?](https://erdibuilds.app/guides/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-an-app): What decides how long an app, SaaS, website or game takes to build, with an example plan in weeks and tips for planning realistic milestones. - [Free project brief generator](https://erdibuilds.app/tools/project-brief): Answer a few guided questions and get a clean project description to copy or download. Runs in your browser and stores nothing.