THE INDEPENDENT WEBSITE MANUALEDITION 01 / 2026

Know what to build.
Know how to build it.

Sites.how helps you plan a useful website, choose the right way to make it, and improve what happens after launch.

Independent across platformsNo paid rankingsReviewed, dated guidance
https://your-site.comREADY
BUILD SEQUENCE
01 BriefCURRENT
02 Structure
03 System
04 Content
05 Test
06 Publish
ONE CLEAR PROMISEYour website
has a job.

PAGE SYSTEM / NOT A TEMPLATEFrom idea → useful website
00 / CHOOSE A PATH
/tools/website-brief
SIGNATURE TOOL · DEVICE-LOCAL

Start with a brief,
not a template.

Make three decisions now. The full builder turns them into architecture, content requirements, visual direction, technical instructions, and a launch checklist.

Open all 17 decisions →
Continue in the full builder
FOUNDATION / LIVE2 of 3 decisions
PRIMARY JOB

Help a specific audience use a business website to generate qualified inquiries.

STARTING ARCHITECTURE
  1. Home
  2. Offer
  3. Evidence
  4. About
  5. Contact
01 / THE FIELD GUIDE

Choose a building model,
not just a brand name.

Compare the operating model first: who edits, where it runs, what can change, and what happens when the site outgrows its first version.

MODEL 01

AI-native

Prompt → inspect → refine

Fast managed iteration

MODEL 02

Hosted no-code

Compose → publish

Owner-managed sites

MODEL 03

CMS

Model → author → govern

Large content systems

MODEL 04

Visual development

Design → system → publish

Design-led marketing

MODEL 05

Commerce

Catalog → transact → operate

Selling operations

02 / THE OPERATING MANUAL

Concrete decisions.
Examples. Mistakes. Next steps.

Guides are written to be used during real work, not skimmed for vague best practices.

03 / INSTRUCTION LIBRARY

Prompts that specify
an actual website.

Every prompt defines a different information architecture, visitor path, content model, and set of boundaries.

PROMPT 01 / BUSINESS WEBSITE

Turn trust, services, and proof into qualified inquiries.

Create a complete professional website for [BUSINESS], serving [AUDIENCE] in [LOCATION]. The primary goal is [OBJECTIVE]. Build distinct Home, Services, About, Proof, FAQ, and Contact pages. Lead with the customer problem and concrete outcome, not a company biography. Give each service a useful explanation, who it is for, process, and next step. Use [PROOF] without inventing claims. Visual direction: [STYLE]. Tone: [TONE]. Include responsive navigation, accessible forms, local SEO structure, clear calls to action, useful empty and error states, metadata, and a launch checklist. Avoid generic AI copy, fake testimonials, and repetitive sections.
CHANGE: business, audience, services, location, proof, next stepUse this prompt ↗
PROMPT 02 / SAAS WEBSITE

Explain a product quickly and move qualified visitors toward a trial or demo.

Design a focused SaaS site for [PRODUCT], built for [USER]. The product solves [PROBLEM] through [WORKFLOW]. Create a homepage with a precise value proposition, product-in-use visual, outcome-led benefits, workflow, integrations, security or trust notes, FAQ, and [CTA]. Add Product, Solutions, Resources, and Contact routes. Show the interface through original product diagrams rather than decorative dashboards. Distinguish [DIFFERENTIATOR]. Use [STYLE] with [TONE]. Do not invent customer logos, metrics, pricing, or availability.
CHANGE: product, user, problem, workflow, differentiator, CTAUse this prompt ↗
PROMPT 03 / PORTFOLIO

Present work as evidence, not decoration.

Build an editorial portfolio for [NAME], a [DISCIPLINE] seeking [IDEAL CLIENT]. Make selected work the first-class content. Create Home, Work, individual Case Study, About, Services, and Contact routes. Each case study covers context, constraint, role, decisions, result, and reflection using supplied facts. Use [PROJECTS]. Create a restrained [STYLE] visual system. Voice: [VOICE]. Include filters, keyboard-friendly galleries, captions, and a clear inquiry path. Never fabricate outcomes or awards.
CHANGE: name, discipline, ideal client, projects, services, voiceUse this prompt ↗
04 / OWN THE ADDRESS

The builder can change.
The domain can stay.

Learn the difference between registration, DNS, and hosting, then connect a custom domain without breaking email or ownership.

Read the domain manual
sites.howDNS
REGISTRARWEBSITE HOSTEMAIL
ONE NAME / MULTIPLE SERVICES