How to Build a Free Small Business Website
Never designed a website before? Perfect. By the end of this Mission you'll have a real, working website live on the internet, with a link you can send to any customer. Bring a screenshot of a site you like and we'll help you match that feel. We'll go one calm step at a time, and I'll only point to the things that matter. An hour from now, your business will have a home online.
Before you start create accounts for
Lovable · Vercel · Supabase
Who this is for: Small business owners who have never designed a website before and want something real, live, and theirs by the end of the hour.
By the end, you'll have:
- A website designed on Lovable that matches the look and feel you want
- That website live on the internet with a real link you can send to any customer
- A contact form connected to Supabase so customer messages actually reach you
What you'll learn:
- How to describe a design in plain English and have Lovable build it
- How to deploy a website live to the internet on its own address
- How to connect a contact form to a real backend using Supabase
- How to match an existing site's look and feel using a reference screenshot
- The basic building blocks of a small business website: design, hosting, and contact
The journey
3 objectives. One real outcome.
Objective 1
Design Your Site on Lovable
You're going to describe the website you want, ideally with a reference screenshot of a site whose look you like, and let Lovable write the code for you. No coding required, just describe what you're picturing.
Objective 2
Put Your Website Live on the Internet
Connect Vercel to your GitHub repo and deploy it - your website gets a real, live web address anyone can visit.
Objective 3
Add a Way for Customers to Reach You
We're going to link your site to Supabase so it can actually capture what matters most for a small business, the messages people send you through your contact form.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any design experience?
No. Bring a screenshot of a site you like and Lovable helps match that feel. We'll guide you one step at a time.
Is this really free to build and host?
Yes. Lovable, Vercel, and Supabase all have free tiers that cover a small business website.
Can customers actually contact me through the site?
Yes. You'll connect a contact form to Supabase, so messages people submit reach you directly.
How long does this mission take?
About an hour, broken into three objectives you can pause between.