Your First Website
Choose between starting with a template or building from scratch, then use Kliv's AI to bring your vision to life.
Template vs. From Scratch
Start with a Template
Get a fully functional website faster by customizing an existing design.
Advantages:
- Multiple pages and features already built
- Professional layouts and navigation
- Faster launch time
- Less detailed prompting required
Best for:
- Finding a template that's 70%+ similar to your needs
- Standard websites (portfolio, blog, business, e-commerce)
- Quick launches
Trade-off: You'll be somewhat limited by the template's structure and design patterns.
Start From Scratch
Build a completely custom website tailored to your exact requirements.
Advantages:
- Complete creative control
- Unique design and functionality
- Build only what you need
- No template constraints
Best for:
- Unique concepts that don't fit existing templates
- Specific branding requirements
- Custom functionality needs
Trade-off: Requires more detailed prompting and longer development time. You'll get a skeleton initially and need to flesh out each section.
Quick Decision Guide
- Template: Fast launch, standard site type, found something close to your vision
- From Scratch: Unique concept, specific requirements, want maximum control
- Not sure? Start with a template—you can always create a new custom project later
Writing Effective Prompts
Starting From Scratch
Give a detailed initial prompt so Kliv understands your vision:
Example 1: "I need a website for my wedding photography business called 'Sarah Chen Photography' based in Portland, Oregon. I specialize in outdoor and destination weddings with a romantic, natural style. The site should have a clean, elegant design with lots of white space and soft colors like blush pink and sage green. I need a homepage with my best wedding photos in a large gallery, an about page telling my story of how I got into photography after my own wedding, a services page showing my three packages (elopement, half-day, and full-day coverage with prices ranging from $1,200 to $4,500), a portfolio section organized by wedding type, and a contact form where couples can inquire about their date. I also want to include testimonials from past clients and my Instagram feed integrated somewhere."
Example 2: "I'm launching a meal prep delivery service called 'Fresh Start Kitchen' in Austin, Texas, and need a website that converts visitors into customers. We deliver healthy, portion-controlled meals to busy professionals and fitness enthusiasts. The site should feel fresh and energetic with green and orange colors. I need a homepage that explains our service with photos of our meals, a menu page showing this week's options organized by dietary preferences (keto, vegan, paleo, etc.), pricing for our weekly plans ($89 for 5 meals, $159 for 10 meals, $220 for 15 meals), an about section explaining our chef's background and our local sourcing philosophy, customer reviews, a simple sign-up flow where people can select their plan and delivery day, and a FAQ section covering common questions about ingredients, delivery areas, and how to pause subscriptions."
Making Changes
Be specific about what and where:
- "Change the header background to navy blue"
- "Add a contact form below the hero section"
- "Make the pricing cards responsive on mobile"
Pro Tips
- Reference specific sections: "In the hero section..."
- Be specific with colors, sizes, and positioning
- Ask to see mobile versions: "Show me how this looks on mobile"
Testing Your Site
Use the live preview to test your site as you build:
Essential Checks
- Click all navigation links and buttons
- Test forms by filling them out
- Resize browser window to check mobile layout
- Verify images load and look sharp
Before Publishing
- All links work correctly
- Forms submit properly
- Content is proofread
- Site looks good on mobile
Next Steps: