Build a Website for Your Side Hustle

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Most side hustles don’t start with spreadsheets and business plans. They begin with passion. Maybe it’s a skill you can’t stop practicing, a craft you love sharing, or simply the drive to earn more money. Whatever the spark, side gigs are fueled by entrepreneurial energy and the hope they can become something bigger.

If the growing gig economy is any indicator, that hope isn’t misplaced. From 2018 to 2023, the five nonemployer industries with the highest gig activity added nearly 1.4 million sole proprietorships, while their combined receipts jumped 55%, from $77 billion to $119 billion (Census.gov, 2025). With millions turning side projects into serious income, competition — and opportunity — have never been greater.

Still, excitement about a new side gig often faces a reality check: enthusiasm alone won’t get you noticed or grow your business. Social media can extend your reach, but it limits your ability to earn trust, own your audience, or scale beyond one-off gigs. A website changes that. It gives your hustle a permanent place where customers can find you, connect with you, and keep coming back.

And with today’s hosting tools and web builders, creating that home base has never been more user-friendly. Here’s why every side hustle needs a website, and how to get yours up and running.

 

Why your side hustle needs a website

Turning a side hustle into something bigger takes more than pithy social media posts or a simple Etsy shop. To grow, you need a central hub that shows you’re serious and gives your hustle room to scale. That’s exactly what a website delivers. Here’s how even the simplest solopreneur project can benefit from a dedicated digital space.

 

Credibility and professionalism

Your website is like a “digital storefront” — an online window into your brand and a chance to show customers you’re more than a hobbyist. While social profiles may offer this on some level, they don’t always inspire confidence on their own. Nearly nine in 10 (84%) consumers consider a business’s website more credible than its social media accounts (BusinessDasher, 2024). 

Whether you’re a freelancer showing off your portfolio or a coach setting up online bookings, a polished site shows professionalism and reassures visitors that you’re running a real business.

 

Ownership and control

When you build your side hustle on a third-party app or marketplace, you’re often trading convenience for control. These platforms may take a percentage of your earnings, limit how you interact with customers, or change their rules without warning, leaving your business vulnerable to decisions you don’t control.

The same risk applies to social media. Algorithms shift frequently, and 40% of marketers cite unpredictable recommendation engines as a reason their campaigns fall short (SQ Magazine, 2025). Building your own side hustle website avoids those trade-offs, giving you full ownership of your content, direct access to your audience, and the freedom to grow on your own terms.

 

Discoverability and SEO

Social media helps you connect with followers, but its reach only extends as far as your existing network. A website, on the other hand, makes your side hustle searchable on Google and even AI-driven search engines like ChatGPT. 

The impact is far greater with organic search driving 14.5 times more website traffic than organic social (AIOSEO, 2025). And by adding blogs or other helpful resources, your site can turn that search demand into steady lead generation.

 

Monetization opportunities

A solopreneur website opens revenue channels that side hustlers can’t access on third-party platforms. You can invoice clients directly, sell products or downloads, establish subscriptions, or use affiliate offers — all forms of direct revenue that scale more predictably than one-off gigs. Plus, by owning client relationships, you can retain more profit, set your own terms, and build a base of repeat customers rather than always hunting for the next job.

 

Steps to build a website for your side hustle

As a busy solopreneur, the idea of building your own website may feel like one task too many. But you don’t need endless time, a massive budget, or technical skills to get started. All it takes is a focused approach. The following eight steps will help you launch a professional site that supports growth without sapping your time.

 

1. Choose and register a domain name

A domain name is a digital address for your side hustle. It’s the URL users type in to find you. Keep it short and relevant to what you offer. If you serve a local market, consider adding a geographic keyword (like “denverdesign” or “nycfitness”).

Pay special attention to the top-level domain (TLD), or the last part of the URL. While .com is the most common, industry-specific TLDs such as .pro, .shop, or .studio can signal what you do at a glance. For more ideas, explore additional domains for side hustles.

 

2. Pick a website builder or platform

Platform choice comes down to your business model. Website builders like Wix, Weebly, or Squarespace offer simple drag-and-drop tools that make it quick to get online — a plus for solopreneurs without technical skills. WordPress gives you more flexibility and plugins but requires more hands-on setup.

Our take: Most side hustlers will appreciate the ease and features in a builder like Wix, which keeps you focused on your business instead of troubleshooting code.

 

3. Set up hosting (if not included)

If a domain is a digital address, then the host is like the plot of land where it sits. With standalone providers, you’ll see options for hosting like shared (cheapest, but slower), managed (more support), or cloud (scalable, pay-as-you-grow). Wix and other website builders bundle hosting into your plan, so you don’t have to worry about this step.

Whichever option you go with, prioritize reliability. Most top-end website hosting providers guarantee between 99.5% and 99.9% uptime to ensure your side hustle stays open for business.

 

4. Design and build your website

The best websites for side hustles aren’t elaborate. A clean, straightforward design works far better than one that overwhelms visitors with visuals and information. 

Look for a template that matches your style, then add the essentials: a home page, an About page, Product or Service pages, and a Contact page. Keep the layout uncluttered and mobile-friendly, since most visitors will browse on their phones. A fast-loading site with simple navigation invites them to explore and take the next step.

 

5. Add business essentials

Once your solopreneur website is live, you can add details to signal you’re running a real business. Keep your branding cohesive with a professional logo, coordinated colors, and high-quality images. For a professional polish, use an email tied to your domain (like [email protected]) instead of a free address. 

 

6. Optimize for discoverability

If you want people to discover that your coaching business is online or you’ve moved beyond your Etsy store, you’ll need to put some time into search engine optimization (SEO). Although you can learn advanced SEO techniques, the basics are fairly simple:

• Add keywords to your page titles, headers, meta descriptions, and image alt text to match what people search for.
• Create helpful blog posts or resources to build authority and grow your audience. 
• Submit your sitemap via Google Search Console so your pages get indexed. 
• If you serve a local area, set up a profile on Google Maps and Bing Maps. 

 

7. Connect marketing tools

A website works best when it’s tied into the tools that help your side hustle grow. Connect email marketing to capture visitor addresses because even a simple list can land you repeat work through regular newsletters. Connect your social profiles so people can follow you across channels, and add Google Analytics to see which pages attract the most attention.

Beyond that, consider other elements that would enhance your specific side gig. Service-based hustles can integrate booking tools, for instance, while product sellers should connect payment systems. A few simple add-ons transform your site from a static advertisement into a growth engine.

 

8. Launch and maintain your side hustle website

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! But launch is only the beginning of your journey — now you must keep your site in shape so it continues performing. A full 88% of online consumers say they won’t return after hitting broken pages or errors, so ongoing website maintenance is critical for protecting your reputation and your revenue (Sweor, 2023).

Test your mobile view, loading speed, forms, and links before you go live. But, even more importantly, schedule regular updates, backup your site often, and perform consistent security checks. Treat your website like a living asset, and it will keep working to grow your side hustle long after launch.

 

How much does it cost to build a side hustle website?

When you’re running a side hustle, you’re used to tackling a lot of the work yourself. That approach can save you a lot of money when building your website. A domain typically runs $10–$30 per year, hosting is $5–$20 per month, and website builder plans range from $10–$30 per month. Premium themes, plugins, or add-ons can raise the budget, but a DIY site can still come together for around $50 a month..

You’ll pay a lot more if you hire help. Freelance developers usually fall in the middle range, while a professional design firm can charge $30,000 or more for an enterprise-grade site. For most side hustlers, the DIY route offers the ideal mix of affordability and control.

 

From side gig to long-lasting business

Building a website is one of the best ways to take control of your side hustle and set it up for long-term growth. A well-designed site lets you own your brand, get discovered outside social feeds, and establish a dependable online presence. And thanks to the latest website builders and hosting platforms, creating a professional site is easier and more affordable than ever. 

Ready to give your side hustle a home? Start by exploring side hustle domains and choosing a platform you can trust. It’s the first step toward turning your passion project into a business that lasts.

 

 

Sources: 

Census.gov. Nonemployer Statistics Show Continued Growth in “Gig Economy” Activities. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2025/07/nes-gig-economy.html 

BusinessDasher. 42+ Statistics About Websites Business Must Know For 2024. https://www.businessdasher.com/statistics-about-website/ 

SQ Magazine. Social Media Algorithm Impact Statistics 2025: How Engagement Just Changed Forever. https://sqmagazine.co.uk/social-media-algorithm-impact-statistics/ 

AIESEO. 83 SEO Statistics for 2025 (Current & Verified). https://aioseo.com/seo-statistics/