What a small business website should include.
Most small business sites fail for the same handful of reasons. This is the list we build from, and the one we check a site against in a free audit.
Updated October 2026 · by the Good Work team, Bentonville, AR
The short answer.
A small business website should include a clear one-sentence statement of what you do and where, one page per service written for the search a customer types, proof (reviews, photos, credentials), a phone number and one obvious call to action on every page, fast mobile pages, local SEO basics (title tags, schema, a Google Business Profile that matches the site), analytics with conversion tracking, and a way for the owner to edit it without a developer.
Get a free quote- Core pages
- Home, services, about, contact
- Service pages
- One per service
- Trust
- Reviews, photos, credentials
- Speed
- 90+ on mobile
- Local SEO
- Schema, GBP, titles
- Ownership
- Domain, code, accounts
The twelve things
- One sentence that says what you do and where. Above the fold, on the home page.
- One page per service. Not one long list. Each page written for the search it should win.
- Proof. Google reviews on the page, real photos, licenses, years in business.
- A phone number on every screen size. Click-to-call on mobile.
- One call to action per page. Call, book, quote, or buy — not all four.
- Hours, location, and service area. Plainly stated and matching your Google Business Profile.
- Fast mobile pages. Under two seconds; 90+ Lighthouse.
- Local SEO basics. Title tags with the service and city, LocalBusiness schema, a sitemap, Search Console verified.
- An about page written like a person. Who, why, and how you work.
- Analytics with conversion events. So you know which pages produce calls and forms.
- Accessibility basics. Contrast, labels, keyboard navigation, alt text.
- A way to edit it yourself. Named sections, plain settings, a short guide.
Pages most businesses need
| Page | Job | Ranks for |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Say what you do, build trust, route to services | Brand name, '[service] [city]' |
| Service pages | Answer the search, show proof, convert | '[service] near me', '[service] [city]' |
| About | Confirm the referral | Brand name |
| Reviews | Proof in one place | '[brand] reviews' |
| Service area | Cover the towns you serve | '[service] [nearby town]' |
| Contact / quote | Convert | — |
| FAQ | Answer engines and AI Overviews | Question searches |
What to leave out
Sliders. Stock photos of handshakes. A 'welcome to our website' paragraph. Pop-ups on first visit. Autoplaying video. A blog you won't write. Anything that makes the phone number harder to find.
Questions people ask.
Short answers, no hedging.
How many pages does a small business website need?
Five to eight for most: home, one page per main service, about, contact, and reviews or FAQ. More pages only if each one has a job.
Do I need a blog?
Only if you'll write it. Two good guides a year beat a dead blog. Answer-engine optimization works better through FAQ sections and service pages anyway.
How much should a small business website cost?
Our launch site is $4,500 fixed for seven pages with copy, local SEO, and analytics included. See the pricing page, or get a free quote in a day.
Can you check my current site against this list?
Yes — that's exactly what the free site audit does, in plain English, within two business days.
Two free ways to start.
Either one costs nothing and comes with no sales call.
Free quote — within 24 hours
Tell us what you need and get a fixed price back within one business day. Shopify, WordPress, Webflow, or custom.
Get a free quoteFree site audit — within 2 days
Send us your current site. We'll email back what's slowing it down, why it isn't ranking, and the three fixes that matter most.
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