diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..51e49c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# Personal Website
+
+[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/2martens/2martens.github.io.png?branch=2.0)](https://travis-ci.org/2martens/2martens.github.io)
+
+This repository hosts my personal website. It is jekyll powered with all required
+dependencies described in the Gemfile. If you wanted, you could create the very same
+website with this repository that you can find under the official URL.
+
+You can use it as a starting point for your own website. In the following I will describe
+what you need to change to make it your own (minimal changes).
+
+## Customization
+
+- _config.yml: this contains the site configuration, update it to meet your needs
+- _data/: this directory contains data files that allow for easy website changes
+- _data/author.yml: this file describes the key values for the author (website owner),
+  the values are also used to populate the CV page and the author sidebar box
+- _data/footer-menu.yml: defines the footer menu
+- _data/header-menu.yml: defines the header menu
+- _data/notification.yml: defines the global configuration and if it is visible
+- _data/promotion.yml: defines the promotion and if it is visible
+- assets/: required static files
+- assets/images/uberspace-badge-*.png: must be changed to accomodate your promotional image
+- assets/images/brand.svg: must be changed to your brand image
+- assets/pdf/cv.pdf: change for your CV in PDF format
+- _posts/: delete and write your own posts
+
+Beyond this no changes are absolutely necessary. No links are hard-coded in the pages,
+layouts or include files beyond the technical dependencies.
diff --git a/_config.yml b/_config.yml
index 28a78a4..7845de6 100644
--- a/_config.yml
+++ b/_config.yml
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ defaults:
 markdown: kramdown
 exclude:
   - scripts
+  - README.md
   - Gemfile
   - Gemfile.lock
   - deploy_ed25519.enc