A small business website needs to answer four questions fast: what you do, where you do it, why someone can trust you and how to contact you. Everything else is optional. This guide lists the pages and details that matter and ends with a checklist you can go through in fifteen minutes.
The first screen: say what you do and where
Most visitors decide within moments whether they are in the right place. The top of your homepage, before any scrolling, should contain four things:
- What you offer, in plain words. "Plumbing and heating repairs" is better than "Solutions for your home".
- Where you work. City, district or region. If you work online only, say that.
- One main action. A button such as "Request a quote", "Book an appointment" or "Call now".
- A phone number or other direct contact, visible without searching.
A formula that works for most local businesses:
[Service] in [place] for [type of customer]. [One sentence on what makes it easy to work with you.] [Button: main action]
Example: Bicycle repair in Leeds for commuters. Most repairs are done within two working days. Button: Book a repair.
The pages you really need
| Page | What goes on it |
|---|---|
| Home | What you do, where, for whom, main action, short proof of trust |
| Services | Each service with a short description, who it is for and, where possible, a price or a "from" price |
| About | Who is behind the business, real photos, how long you have done this, qualifications |
| Contact | Phone, email, form, address, opening hours, map or service area |
| Legal pages | Privacy policy and, depending on your country, a legal notice and terms |
That is enough for many businesses. Add more only when there is a reason: a separate page per service if people search for each one, a page with common questions if you answer the same things on the phone every day, or a gallery if your work is visual.
Legal requirements differ by country. Check what applies to you or ask a professional. This is general information, not legal advice.
Make contact easy
A website that looks good but hides the contact options loses enquiries. Check these points:
- Phone number at the top of every page, and tappable on a phone so that one touch starts the call.
- A short form. Name, contact detail and message are enough for a first enquiry. Every extra field costs you some senders.
- More than one channel. Some people call, some write. Offer phone, form and email, and a messenger if you really answer there.
- Opening hours and response time. "We reply within one working day" sets a clear expectation. Only write it if it is true.
- A confirmation after sending. The visitor should see that the form worked, and ideally get a short email.
Speed matters after the form is sent. An automatic reply that confirms the enquiry and says what happens next keeps the visitor from writing to three competitors. The guide on website form auto replies shows how to set one up.
Show why people can trust you
A stranger wants proof that you are real and good at your work. Use what you honestly have:
- Real photos of you, your team, your premises and your work. They beat stock photos every time.
- Real reviews with a link to where they were posted. Never write your own and never copy them without permission.
- Qualifications and memberships, such as a trade certificate or a professional association.
- A full address and business name. A site with only a form and no address looks suspicious.
- Clear prices or price examples. Even a "from" price or a sample project helps people judge whether you fit their budget.
- Examples of your work with a short description of the task and the result. Ask the customer before you publish.
If you are new and have no reviews yet, say so through what you can show: your training, your process, a clear guarantee.
Technical basics that visitors notice
- It works on a phone. Many visitors come from a mobile search. Test every page on your own phone: can you read it, tap the buttons and send the form?
- It loads fast. The usual brake is huge images. Reduce photos to the size they are shown at before you upload them.
- It uses HTTPS. The lock in the address bar. Without it, browsers warn visitors away.
- Every page has a clear title and description. These are the lines that appear in search results. Write them as "service in place", not "Home".
- Your Google Business Profile matches. Name, address, phone and hours should be the same there and on your site.
- You can see what happens. Simple visitor statistics and a test of the form once a month are enough to start.
- Someone keeps it updated. Old prices and last year's holiday hours cost trust.
None of this guarantees a place at the top of Google. It removes the common reasons why a site is not found or not used.
A fifteen-minute checklist
Open your site on your phone and go through this list. Better still, ask someone who does not know your business.
- Can you tell within five seconds what the business does and where?
- Is there one clear button for the next step?
- Does a tap on the phone number start a call?
- Does the form work, and do you get a confirmation?
- Are opening hours and address correct?
- Are there real photos and at least one proof of trust?
- Can you find a price or a price example?
- Do all pages load quickly and without errors?
- Are the legal pages there and reachable from every page?
Fix the points where the answer is no, starting from the top. If you would rather have the site built for you, Astranode builds websites and web apps with a fixed quote in writing first.
A good small business website is clear before it is pretty. Say what you do and where, show proof, make contact easy, and test all of it on a phone.