diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..70dcfbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# SIGSEP website
+
+All the content is in markdown and can be edited on github right away. For convenience, the site can be run locally using the following procedure:
+
+## Usage
+
+```sh
+# installation
+npm install
+
+# start local editing
+npm run dev
+
+# build static website
+npm run build
+
+# deploy site
+sh deploy.sh
+```