Build a Small Business Website

Decide the site's one main job
Start with five pages

A small business website has a simple job: help the right people decide to contact you, and make that step simple. Everything on the site should serve that job. A page that doesn't help someone understand what you do, trust you or get in touch is a page you can skip.

This guide walks through planning the site, the pages to start with, writing the words, launching, and keeping it current. It doesn't cover choosing a specific website builder or hosting company.

Decide the site's one main job

Before you pick a template, write down the one action you want a visitor to take above all. For a plumber it might be "call now"; for a consultant, "book an intro call"; for a bakery, "place an order". Every page then points to that action.

Also write down who the site is for. "Homeowners within 20 miles who need a kitchen remodeled" gives you something to write for; "everyone" doesn't.

Start with five pages

You can add more later. These cover what a first-time visitor needs:

Home: what you do, who you do it for, where you work, and the main action, all near the start of the page.
Services: one section or page per service, with what's included and how the work runs.
About: who's behind the business, how long you've done this, and why it matters to the client.
Proof: testimonials, photos of finished work or short case studies, with the client's permission.
Contact: a form, a phone number, your email, your service area and your hours.

If you share prices, a pricing page or a "How we price" section can save both sides time. If you don't, say how quotes work instead.

Choose how to build it

A website builder with a template suits a small site you'll update yourself. You may trade some flexibility for speed and lower upkeep.
A designer or developer suits a site that has to do something specific, such as bookings, a shop or a client area, or one where the design itself sells the work.
A mix of both: some businesses pay for an initial setup on a builder, then make the day-to-day edits themselves.

Whichever you choose, register the domain in your own name and keep the login details. If you part ways with a designer, you still hold the address and the logins.

Write for the questions buyers ask

Collect the questions people ask on the phone and by email, then answer them on the site in plain language:

What exactly do you do, and what don't you do?
Where do you work?
How long does it take?
How do you price, and how do I pay?
What happens after I get in touch?

Use the words your clients use. If they say "AC repair", don't call it "climate system servicing". Short paragraphs and clear headings can help people scan.

Make it work on a phone

Check every page on your own phone before launch. Tap each button, fill in the contact form, and call the phone number from the site. Fix anything you have to pinch or zoom to read.

Keep images reasonably sized so pages load quickly on a mobile connection, and give each image a short text description (alt text) that says what it shows.

Make it simple to get in touch

Put the main action on every page, not only on the Contact page.
Keep the form short: name, contact details and a box for the request. Ask for more after the first reply.
Say when you'll reply ("We answer within one business day"), then keep to it.
Send every form to an inbox someone checks daily.

Connect it to your Google Business Profile

For local searches, Google's own help pages describe what it looks at. Google Business Profile Help (checked October 31, 2026) says: "Local results are mainly based on relevance, distance, and popularity." Put the same business name, address and phone number on your site and your profile, and link your site from the profile. The guide to creating a Google Business Profile covers the setup.

Launch checklist

Domain and email set up and in your name.
All five core pages written and checked on a phone.
Contact form tested, with a real message reaching the inbox.
Phone number and email clickable.
Page titles and descriptions written for each page, saying what the page is about.
A way to see visits and form submissions, so you know which pages bring in work.

Worked example: planning the build time

Sample figures for a site you build yourself:

Writing the five core pages: 5 × 2 hours = 10 hours
Photos and layout: 4 hours
Testing on a phone and fixing what you find: 2 hours
Total: 10 + 4 + 2 = 16 hours
Spread over four weeks: 16 ÷ 4 = 4 hours a week

Block those hours in your calendar before you start, so the site launches instead of staying a draft.

Keep it current

Set a reminder once a quarter to review the site: update services and prices, add recent work and testimonials, and remove anything out of date. A site that still lists last year's offer can tell visitors the business might not be active.

Where Billed fits

Once a visitor becomes a client, the quote and the invoice come next. Billed's invoice software page says you can "convert an approved estimate into an invoice". It also says: "Connect your Stripe account and every invoice you send gets a pay button, so clients can pay by card."

Frequently Asked Questions

What pages does a small business website need?

Start with Home, Services, About, a page or section with proof of your work, and Contact. Add a pricing or "how we price" section if it fits your business.

Should I build my website myself or hire someone?

Build it yourself on a website builder if the site is small and you'll update it yourself. Hire a designer or developer if the site needs features such as bookings or a shop, or if the design itself has to sell your work.

How does Google decide which local businesses to show?

Google Business Profile Help (checked October 31, 2026) says: "Local results are mainly based on relevance, distance, and popularity." Keep your name, address and phone number the same on your site and your profile.

How can clients pay me after they find me online?

Send an invoice they can pay online. Billed's invoice software page says: "Connect your Stripe account and every invoice you send gets a pay button, so clients can pay by card."

Quick checklist

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How to Build a Business Website (Small Business Guide)