Key takeaways
- A website is a place you own and control.
- It explains services and answers questions in more depth.
- It helps people who search on Google find you.
- A simple, fast, mobile-friendly site is enough to start.
You control it
Social platforms change their rules and layouts. A website on your own domain stays under your control and can carry your brand, services and contact details in the way you choose.
It builds trust
A clear site with your services, location, contact details and real photos tells customers you are an established business. It also gives you a link to place on signboards, cards and profiles.
It helps search visibility
Search engines can read a well-structured website in detail. Pages for each service, with clear titles and descriptions, give them more to understand than a social page alone. The local SEO guide covers the next steps.
What a small business site needs
- A home page that says what you do and where.
- A page for each main service.
- Contact details and a working contact form.
- Fast loading and a good mobile layout.
Where to start
Choose a domain name close to your business name, decide your main pages and gather photos and text. WordPress suits many small businesses because it is easy to update. Keep it secure with updates, strong logins and backups; the WordPress hardening checklist explains how. You can see how I approach web work on the Projects page.
What to plan for after launch
A website is not a one-time purchase. Plan for renewing the domain name, paying for hosting, keeping software updated and checking your content regularly so hours, services and contact details stay correct. Costs depend on the domain, the host and how much help you need, so ask for a clear written list of what is included before you start.
Frequently asked questions
Is a website better than Facebook?
They do different jobs. Use Facebook to reach and talk with customers and a website to explain and prove what you offer.
How many pages do I need?
Start small: home, services, about and contact. Add more as you grow.