A small business website does not need many pages. It needs to answer the questions a visitor is silently asking, in the order they ask them. Start from those questions and you will know what to include.
The questions visitors are asking
- What do you do, and is it for me? Say so in plain words at the top of the first page.
- Can I trust you? Show real evidence: examples of your work, how you work, who is behind the business.
- What would happen next, and roughly what would it involve? Describe your process, and prices or price ranges if you can share them.
- Where are you, and do you serve my area?
- How do I get in touch? One obvious way, plus alternatives.
Must-have first
- A first screen that says what you do, who it is for and what to do next.
- A page or section for each main service, in the words customers use.
- Real proof: your own photos, examples or a plain description of how you work. Only include testimonials or numbers that are genuine and that you have permission to use.
- Contact details that are easy to find, and a form or booking option that works. Test it.
- Where you work or who you serve.
- A layout that reads well on a phone, with buttons large enough to tap.
- A title and short description on each page that say what that page is about.
- A privacy statement and, if relevant, your terms.
Useful later
- More examples or short case descriptions, once you have permission to share them.
- A frequently-asked-questions page based on questions you actually get.
- Articles that answer questions your customers ask before they buy.
- Online booking or quoting, once your process is clear.
- More detailed pages for services that you want to grow.
A must-have versus later table
| Item | Now or later | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Clear statement of what you do | Now | Visitors decide quickly whether they are in the right place. |
| Contact route that works | Now | A broken route means lost enquiries. |
| Proof of your work | Now, with what you have | It reduces the risk a stranger feels. Use only what is true and permitted. |
| Mobile-friendly layout | Now | Many visitors will arrive on a phone. |
| Unique page titles and descriptions | Now | They help people and search engines understand each page. |
| Blog or articles | Later | Useful only if you will keep it accurate and up to date. |
| Online booking | Later | Worth adding once the manual process is clear. |
| Animation, video, extras | Later | They add weight and effort without answering a question. |
The basics of being found
Google's own starter guide is plain about this: write unique, accurate titles and descriptions for each page, link your pages to each other so they can be discovered, and create useful content for people. It also says no trick guarantees a top ranking. If your site is not appearing in search at all, the guide on why a site might not show up on Google walks through the checks.
If you serve a local area, check whether a Google Business Profile exists for your business and whether the details are correct. That is separate from your website and is managed in your own Google account.
What you can do this week
- Write the first-screen sentence: "We help [who] with [what] so that [result]."
- Check every page on your phone.
- Send yourself a test enquiry.
- Replace any stock claim with something true and specific about your work.
- Ask a customer what they wondered before contacting you, and answer it on the site.
When the site needs to do more than inform
Ask for help when the site has to do more than inform, such as taking bookings, connecting to other systems or managing logins. Ask also when you have the content but cannot tell why it is not producing enquiries. The self-audit for missing enquiries is a good first step, and a comparison of builders and custom work helps you pick an approach.
Sources and further reading
- Google Search Central: SEO Starter Guide Checked 3 October 2026.