What Should a Small Business Website Include?
Whether you’re starting a new business, launching your first website or replacing an outdated one, one question comes up time and time again: what should a small business website include?
A professional small business website is much more than an online brochure. It should explain who you are, what you do and why customers should choose you. It should also be easy to use, work perfectly on mobile devices and encourage visitors to get in touch.
Whether you’re investing in a website for a small business for the first time or giving an existing site a fresh new look, getting the basics right will give you the best chance of attracting new customers and generating more enquiries.
So, let’s look at the features every successful small business website should include.
A Clear Homepage
Your homepage is usually the first page visitors will see, so it needs to make a great first impression.
Within a few seconds, people should be able to answer three simple questions:
- What do you do?
- Where are you based?
- How do they contact you?
Good business website design focuses on clear headings, simple navigation and obvious calls to action, helping visitors quickly find the information they’re looking for.
An About Page That Builds Trust
People like doing business with real people.
Your About page is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself, explain your experience and tell visitors what makes your business different.
Whether you’re a sole trader, family business or growing company, sharing your story helps build confidence before someone even picks up the phone or completes your enquiry form.
Adding photographs, qualifications, experience and genuine customer reviews all help create trust.
Dedicated Service Pages
One of the most common mistakes we see is businesses trying to fit every service onto one page.
Creating dedicated pages for each service makes your website easier to navigate and gives Google a much better understanding of what your business offers.
For example, a landscaping company could have individual pages for patios, driveways and landscaping, while a beauty clinic might have separate pages for each treatment.
You can see how we structure our websites by looking at our Budget Websites, Custom Websites and Website Refreshes and Rebuilds pages.
Clear Ways to Contact You
If visitors can’t easily contact you, they’ll often leave and look elsewhere.
Every professional business website should include several clear ways to get in touch, such as:
- An enquiry form
- Email address
- Social media links
- Clear enquiry buttons throughout the website
Different customers prefer different methods of communication, so giving people a choice can make a real difference.
Take a look at our Contact Page to see how we make contacting us simple.
Genuine Customer Reviews
Before choosing a business, most people look for reviews.
Displaying genuine testimonials helps reassure potential customers that you’ve successfully helped other people before them.
Where possible, include links to your Google Business Profile and Facebook Page so visitors can read your latest reviews for themselves.
A Portfolio or Gallery
People want to see examples of your work before making an enquiry.
Whether you’re a builder, florist, beauty therapist, electrician or web designer, a portfolio helps demonstrate the quality of your work.
Recently we’ve launched new websites for businesses including SP Paving Solutions and Drizzle and Swirl, both of which use galleries to showcase completed work and inspire confidence in potential customers.
You can browse more examples on our Portfolio page.
Mobile Friendly Design
More than half of all website visits now happen on mobile devices.
If your website isn’t easy to use on a phone or tablet, visitors are likely to leave before they’ve even read about your business.
A responsive website automatically adapts to every screen size, giving customers the best possible experience wherever they’re browsing.
Fast Loading Pages
People expect websites to load quickly.
Slow websites don’t just frustrate visitors, they can also affect your Google rankings.
Quality hosting, optimised images and professional small business web design all contribute to a faster, more enjoyable experience for your visitors.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Even the best website won’t generate enquiries if nobody can find it.
Good SEO helps search engines understand your website and improves your chances of appearing in Google when potential customers are searching for your services.
Every website should include:
- Relevant page titles
- Meta descriptions
- Natural keywords
- Internal links
- Optimised images
- Clear page structure
If you’d like to learn more about improving your online visibility, take a look at our blogs on Google Business Profiles, Business Directory Listings, Location Pages and Simple Website Tips.
Privacy and Security
Every modern business website should also protect both you and your visitors.
At the very least, your website should include:
- An SSL certificate
- A Privacy Policy
- A Cookie Policy where required
- Secure contact forms
These features help build trust and show visitors that your business takes security seriously.
Simple Navigation
Visitors shouldn’t have to search for important information.
A clear menu, sensible page layout and well-placed buttons make it easy for people to find exactly what they’re looking for.
The easier your website is to use, the more likely visitors are to stay and make an enquiry.
Clear Calls to Action
Every page should encourage visitors to take the next step.
Whether that’s requesting a quote, completing an enquiry form or sending a WhatsApp message, don’t leave people wondering what to do next.
Simple, well-placed calls to action can make a significant difference to the number of enquiries your website generates.
Keep Your Website Up to Date
Launching your website is only the beginning.
Regularly adding new projects, updating photographs, publishing helpful blogs and sharing customer reviews keeps your website fresh and shows both visitors and Google that your business is active.
An up-to-date website also gives returning visitors a reason to come back.
Final Thoughts
Now you know what a small business website should include, it’s easy to see that there’s much more to a successful website than simply looking good.
The best small business website combines professional design, useful information, clear navigation, strong SEO and simple ways for customers to get in touch.
If you’re looking for business website design, need a website for a small business or are thinking about refreshing your existing site, we’d love to help.
