What a small-business website needs
A small-business site has one job: help a stranger decide to call, book, or walk in. This is the checklist we use when we look at real local sites, including the 100 Kansas City businesses we audited.
Most owners do not need another theory of design. They need to know what is missing. Across 100 small-business sites, the usual holes were not exotic: no real faces, no clear ask, a phone number you cannot tap, and a homepage that talks about “excellence” instead of what you do and how to start.
Work the list in order. If an item is already true, skip it. If you build with Frontpage, you can ask for each piece in a sentence. The items themselves do not change.
The short list
Say what you do, show proof, make the next step obvious, put hours and a tappable phone on every page, and make sure the site works on a phone. Everything else is extra.
1. A homepage that answers three questions
In the first screen a visitor should know: what you do, who it is for, and what to do next. A photo of the shop or the work helps. A vague slogan does not.
- A specific headline (“Emergency plumber in Midtown,” not “Your partner in excellence”).
- One primary button that names the outcome: Call now, Book a consult, Get a quote.
- Hours, service area, or a review line near that button.
Conversion was the second-weakest area we measured. About 98% of those sites failed three or more conversion checks. See Conversion: lessons from 100 sites.
2. The four pages people actually use
| Page | Must include |
|---|---|
| Home | Offer, proof, and a next step above the fold. |
| Services or menu | What you sell, for whom, and a way to start. One page can list several services. |
| About | A real person, a short story, and why someone should trust you. |
| Contact | Tappable phone, short form, address or service area, hours, and a map if you have a door. |
Navigation was one of the stronger areas in the audit, but broken links and empty footers still showed up. Keep labels plain. Put phone and address in the footer on every page. See Navigation.
3. Proof that you are a real business
Trust was the weakest area we measured. Anonymous reviews, stock photos, and no guarantee were common. Visitors look for:
- A face or the actual shop, not only a logo on a white field.
- Named reviews, ideally from Google, with a way to read more.
- A license, association, or years-in-business line if it is true.
- A simple promise: response time, satisfaction, or “we show up when we say.”
Details: Trust and credibility and Google Reviews on your website.
4. A way to act that works on a phone
- A tappable phone number. Many local visitors will call if they can.
- A short form (name, contact, one optional detail) with a one-line privacy note.
- Booking if you sell time, not just a “we will call you” form.
- Buttons large enough to tap. Tiny tap targets failed on three of four sites we checked.
See Mobile. A sticky tap-to-call bar is one of the highest-value adds for a service business.
5. Hours, place, and how to find you
- Hours that match the door and your Google listing.
- Address or a clear service area. “Greater Kansas City” is better than nothing; a pin is better.
- The same name, phone, and address you use on Google Business Profile.
Local search still starts on Maps. The site and the listing should agree. The SEO basics guide covers titles, pages Google can read, and the mistakes we saw on those 100 sites.
6. Fast, readable, and findable
- Pages that load on a phone without a long wait.
- Text you can read on a bright sidewalk. Faint gray failed often in the accessibility audit.
- A unique title and description on each important page.
- HTTPS. The padlock is table stakes.
Technical checks were a relative strength in our set, but heavy images and missing titles still leaked. See Performance and technical and design.
7. What you can skip at first
- A blog you will not update.
- A pop-up on the first visit.
- A members area or a store if you do not sell that way yet.
- A sixth menu item that restates Home.
Depth comes later. A complete, short site beats an unfinished one with a News link to a blank page.
Checklist you can print
- Homepage says what you do and how to start.
- Services, About, and Contact exist and are in the menu.
- Phone is tappable. Form is short. Hours and address are in the footer.
- A real photo and at least a few named reviews.
- Google Business Profile matches the site.
- The site is usable on a phone and loads without a long wait.
- Each key page has its own title. The address is https.
If you want the site drafted for you, start with Getting started with Frontpage. For a scored look at your current site, use the free website audit.
Frequently asked questions
What pages does a small-business website need?
Start with Home, Services (or Menu), About, and Contact. Add a location or gallery page if customers need it. Extra pages that say nothing new dilute the site. One clear next step on every page matters more than a long menu.
What did you find on 100 real small-business sites?
Trust was the weakest area we measured. Conversion (turning a visit into a call or form) was second. Navigation and technical basics were stronger, but missing phone numbers in the footer, tiny tap targets, and weak calls to action still cost owners customers. The guides linked below unpack each area.
Do I still need a website if I have Instagram and Google?
Yes. Social apps change the rules and bury your offer. Google Business Profile gets you found on Maps. The website is the page you own: hours, proof, services, and a way to act that still works when an ad or a friend sends someone over.
What is the fastest way to cover this checklist?
Describe the business, add a tap-to-call bar, a short form, hours and address, and real reviews. Then test the site on a phone. Frontpage can draft the pages by chat and add those modules by asking. The checklist is the same whether you build by hand or by conversation.