Starting a side hustle is one thing. Setting up a proper website for it? That’s a whole other kettle of fish.
If you’re like me—worked plenty of hard jobs, juggled a few side gigs, and don’t have time or money to waste—you don’t want to muck around with flashy tech or get stitched up by dodgy website platforms.
This guide is plain, straight-up advice on how to set up your side hustle website the right way. No fluff. Just real tools, hosting options, common traps, and some honest opinions from someone who’s been in the trenches.
What You Actually Need (And What You Don’t)
Before you even think about colors and logos, ask yourself one thing:
What’s this site for?
- To book clients?
- To sell a product?
- To show off your skills?
- To collect emails or build trust?
Your answer shapes everything else.
A dog walking service doesn’t need a full-blown ecommerce store. A bloke flipping furniture might just need a gallery and a contact form. Keep it simple.
Tools You’ll Actually Use (Not Just Pay For)
Here’s the no-BS list of what you’ll need to get your site off the ground:
1. Domain Name
Think of this as your address online. It should be:
- Easy to spell
- Short
- Not full of dashes or weird slang
- Ideally .com or .com.au if you’re Aussie-based
Where to buy:
- Namecheap
- Google Domains (easy if you use Gmail)
- You’ll pay around $10–$20 a year, maybe a bit more for .com.au.
2. Website Platform (Builder or CMS)
You’ve got two main paths here:
- A. Drag-and-drop Builders
- Wix – Super easy, but a bit limited long-term
- Squarespace – Polished look, good for photographers or creatives
- Shopify – Only if you’re selling products
- B. WordPress (self-hosted)
This is what I use for SideHustleQuest.com.
It’s flexible, powerful, and great for blogging, lead magnets, and SEO.
Why I like it:
You own it. No one can pull the rug out from under you. And it scales as you grow.
Web Hosting (AKA The Shed for Your Tools)
This is where most folks get sucked into shiny ads or pay for stuff they don’t need.
If you go with a builder (like Wix), hosting’s included. But if you go WordPress, you’ll need a host.
Good beginner hosts:
- SiteGround – Reliable, decent support
- Hostinger – Cheap and cheerful
- Bluehost – Okay for starters, though I’ve had hit-and-miss experiences
- VentraIP (AU option) – If you want Aussie servers
-
Expect to pay around $3–$10/month, depending on plan and promos.
What to watch for:
- Sneaky renewal pricing (they reel you in cheap, then double it year two)
- Overpriced “security” add-ons you probably don’t need yet
- Poor uptime or slow speeds
- Essential Plugins (if Using WordPress)
If you’re going the WordPress route, these will save your bacon:
- Elementor (free) – Drag-and-drop builder
- RankMath (free) – Helps with SEO
- WPForms (free) – Easy contact forms
- UpdraftPlus – Backup your site so it doesn’t vanish if something breaks
- LiteSpeed Cache or WP Fastest Cache – For faster loading times
- Don’t go nuts with plugins—5 to 10 good ones is more than enough.
Mistakes I’ve Seen Too Many Times
Let’s not sugarcoat it—setting up your site can feel like learning to drive a forklift in reverse. Here are the traps to avoid:
❌ Buying expensive themes you don’t need
Some themes cost $80 and still look clunky. Start with free themes like Astra or Hello Elementor, and customize as you grow.
❌ Ignoring mobile users
Most visitors will be on their phones. If your site looks like a dog’s breakfast on mobile, you’ll lose them.
❌ Not setting up an email capture
Even if you’re just starting out, slap an email signup box somewhere. Future-you will thank you when you’ve got 500 subscribers and a side hustle that’s humming.
❌ Writing like a robot
You’re not a law firm. People want to feel like there’s a real person behind the screen. Talk like you do at the pub, not like you’re giving a TED talk.
A Basic Setup That Works (Example)
Let’s say you’re starting a small cleaning side hustle.
Here’s a quick and cheap website setup that works:
Domain: spotlesscleaningvic.com ($15/year)
- Platform: WordPress
- Host: Hostinger (~$3/month)
- Theme: Astra
- Plugins: Elementor, WPForms, RankMath
- Pages: Home, Services, About, Contact, Book Now
Extras: Google Calendar link for bookings, basic email capture
Whole setup cost: under $100 for the first year.
And from there? You can add a blog, build an email list, or even run some Facebook ads.
What to Focus on First
- A clean home page with your value up top (what you offer, who it’s for)
- A contact form that actually works
- A real photo (not stock) and a bit about yourself
- Mobile speed – test it on your phone
- A Google Business Profile – gets you found in your local area
Everything else can wait.
Final Thoughts
Building a website doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Start with the basics. Keep it tidy. Keep it honest.
Don’t let all the fancy tech and “funnels” distract you from the goal: helping someone solve a problem and making a few bucks doing it.
Got questions or stuck somewhere? I’ve probably made the same mistake at some point. Reach out—Side Hustle Quest is all about giving real people real help without the fluff.
And remember—websites don’t need to be perfect. They just need to work.
Cheers,
Kim
SideHustleQuest.com – Real Talk. Real Ideas. Real Extra Income.
