Build Your First Website. Own Everything.

This might look harder than it is.

If you've never built a website before, words like GitHub, Vercel and AI website builder can sound intimidating.

That's okay. You don't need to understand how everything works before you begin. We'll take this one step at a time.

Think of it like this:

• Lovable= builds the website
• GitHub= keeps your website code
• Vercel= puts the website online
• Domain= the address people type to find you

What you'll need

• A computer
• A Google account
• About 1–2 hours to get started
• Your business name
• Your services
• Your phone number
• Your service areas/suburbs
• Some good photos of your work
• Your business story/about information
• A few examples of websites you like

Don't worry if you don't have everything ready. You can add and improve things later.

Get your domain

Your domain is your website address. For example: yourbusiness.com.au

You don't need to buy website hosting at this stage. You are simply registering the address. .com.au domains are commonly appropriate for Australian businesses, subject to eligibility requirements.

Buy the domain yourself, using an account that you control. Do not let a web developer or marketing company register your domain in their account unless you fully understand how ownership and transfer will work.

Domain registration has a recurring cost — domains aren't free, but they're usually a small annual expense.

Create your website

Lovable is an AI-powered website and app builder that lets you describe what you want in normal language. You don't need to be a developer.

Create an account using the free option where available. Pricing and free-plan limits can change, so check Lovable's current pricing before signing up.

You are going to give Lovable a detailed first instruction — called a prompt. You don't need to know how to write the prompt. DigitalIQ provides the starting prompt.

Give Lovable the instructions

This is where the website starts taking shape. Copy the DigitalIQ prompt below and paste it into Lovable.

[DigitalIQ's business website starter prompt will be inserted here.]

Replace the information in brackets with your own business details. Don't try to perfect everything in the first attempt. The first version is a starting point.

Improve it

The basic process is simple:

1. Look at the website.
2. Find something you don't like.
3. Tell Lovable what you'd change.
4. Look again.
5. Repeat.

Examples of things you might say:

• “Make the phone number more prominent.”
• “Change the headline so customers immediately understand what we do.”
• “Add Ballina and Lennox Head to the areas we service.”
• “Make the Request a Quote button more obvious.”
• “Use the photos I uploaded.”
• “Make the mobile version easier to read.”

Take your time.

You don't need to finish today. AI website builders have usage limits and plans can change. If you're using a free plan and run out of available build credits, that's okay. Come back when your allowance refreshes.

This is actually part of the DigitalIQ philosophy: you are learning and building this yourself rather than paying someone to make every tiny change.

Don't rush. You can stop at any point and come back later.

Connect GitHub

This is the important bit: own your code. Your website needs somewhere you control to keep its source code. GitHub is one option.

1. Create your own GitHub account.
2. Connect Lovable to GitHub.
3. Create or connect the repository for your website.

Think of GitHub as the filing cabinet containing the underlying code that makes your website work.

The GitHub account should belong to you or the business. Do not create it under somebody else's account.

Connect Vercel

Your code is now stored in GitHub. Vercel can take that code and deploy/host the website so people can visit it on the internet.

1. Create a Vercel account.
2. Connect your GitHub repository.
3. Follow Vercel's deployment instructions.

• GitHub= stores the code
• Vercel= hosts/deploys the website
• Domain= the address people use to visit it

You don't need to understand servers, DNS, frameworks or deployment infrastructure to complete this step. Look for the connect or import options Vercel presents and follow them carefully.

Connect your domain

You now have:

• A website
• Your source code in your GitHub account
• Hosting through Vercel
• Your own domain

Now connect the domain to Vercel. This normally involves changing DNS settings at the domain registrar.

Vercel will tell you exactly which DNS records or settings need to be added or changed. Follow those instructions.

Test everything

Before you call it done, run through this checklist.

• Website loads on your phone
• Website loads on your computer
• Business name is correct
• Phone number works
• Email works
• Contact/quote form works
• Services are correct
• Service areas are correct
• Photos look good
• Links work
• Domain works
• Website uses HTTPS/security correctly

Congratulations. You have a digital asset.

• Domain
• Website source code
• GitHub repository
• Hosting account
• Website content
• Business information

The important idea isn't that every part is free. The important idea is that the important accounts and assets are controlled by you.

• You can change providers.
• You can change developers.
• You can make changes yourself.
• You aren't dependent on one company to keep your website alive.

Your website is only the beginning.

The next DigitalIQ foundations:

• 01Available now

  Set up your Google Business Profile

  Get your local business found on Google — for free.

• 02Coming soon

  Get your first 5 Google reviews

  Start building the reputation your work deserves.

• 03Coming soon

  Build a simple system for asking for reviews

  A workflow that asks happy customers after every completed job.

• 04Coming soon

  Capture your customer information

  Turn your customer list into an asset you actually control.

• 05Coming soon

  Create a simple customer follow-up system

  Keep the relationship after the job is finished.