What should a small business website include?
Most people decide whether to call you within a few seconds of landing on your website, usually on a phone. This checklist covers what needs to be there for them to pick up the phone instead of going back to Google.
1. A headline that says what you do and where
Someone should know within five seconds what you do, who it’s for and where you work. “Painter and decorator in Wolverhampton” beats “Quality you can trust” every time, for visitors and for Google.
2. One obvious next step
Decide what you want a visitor to do (call, ask for a quote, book) and make that button the most visible thing on every page. Too many competing buttons means people choose none.
3. Click-to-call and a quick contact form
On a phone, your number should be one tap away. Keep forms short: name, contact details and a message is usually enough. Every extra field loses people.
4. Your services, clearly listed
List what you actually do, in the words your customers use. If you cover several services, give the main ones their own section or page so each can be found in search.
5. Prices, or at least a starting point
You don’t have to publish a full price list, but a “from” price or typical range saves time on both sides and filters out people who were never going to buy.
6. Real proof
Real photos of your work, reviews from real customers and the names of businesses you’ve worked with do more than any amount of clever copy. Stock photos and anonymous testimonials do the opposite.
7. Where you work
Say which towns and areas you cover. It reassures local customers and helps you appear in “near me” searches, especially alongside a Google Business Profile.
8. Fast and built for phones
Most visitors will see your site on a phone, often on mobile data. Pages should load quickly, text should be readable without zooming and buttons should be easy to tap.
9. The basics done properly
- A page title and description for every page, so you look good in search results
- A favicon and a preview image for when your link is shared
- A secure (https) address
- A privacy notice that explains what you do with people’s details, as UK GDPR requires
- A way to update it yourself, or someone who will do it quickly
Want a second opinion on yours?
If you’re not sure how your current site measures up, send us the link and we’ll tell you honestly what we’d change. You can also see how we approach this in our recent work.
