What should a small business website include?
A small business website does not need to be complicated. It needs to make it obvious what you do, build enough trust to be believed, and make getting in touch effortless. Everything else is a bonus. Here is the checklist I work from.
The essentials every site needs
- A clear statement of what you do and who you do it for, visible the moment someone lands.
- An obvious way to get in touch: a phone number, an enquiry form, or both, never more than a tap away.
- A design that works on a phone, because that is where most of your visitors are.
- Pages that load fast, because people leave slow sites before they read a word.
- Trust signals: reviews, real photos, and anything that shows you are the genuine article.
- The on-page SEO groundwork so you can actually be found on Google.
Worth adding as you grow
- Online booking, if customers schedule time with you.
- Payments or an online shop, if you sell products or take deposits.
- A blog, which is one of the best long-term ways to be found on search.
- A client portal, if you share documents or updates with regulars.
What you can usually skip
You rarely need every page under the sun, a complex menu, sliders nobody clicks, or features added because a competitor has them. A focused five-page site that does the basics brilliantly beats a sprawling one that does everything poorly.
A simple rule
Every page should move someone one step closer to getting in touch. If a feature does not do that, it can probably wait. Start with the essentials, launch, and add the rest when there is a real reason to.
Thinking about a website for your business?
Book a free 30-minute call and I will give you a clear price on the call, with no commitment.