To create a website for a small business, first decide what visitors should do on it, then write down what your customers need to know before they contact you. Only then choose a platform and a design. Most small business websites fail because they start with the design and never answer the questions customers actually have.
Here is the order we follow on client projects, simplified so you can use it yourself.
Step 1: Decide on one main goal
A small business website usually has one job: bring enquiries, bookings or sales. Write down the single action you want visitors to take, for example “book an appointment” or “request a quote”. Every page should lead to that action.
Step 2: Write down what your customers worry about
Before you write a word for the website, list:
- the questions customers ask you on the phone
- what they worry about before they buy (price, quality, time, trust)
- why your best customers chose you over a competitor
- what they thank you for after the job
These answers are your website copy. The advantages you take for granted are often exactly what customers pay for.
Step 3: Look at your competitors
Open the websites of your three to five closest competitors. Note what they all say, what they promise and what they leave out. Your website should answer the questions they leave open. If everyone in your industry says “high quality and fair prices”, that sentence will not win you a single customer.
Step 4: Plan the pages
Most small businesses need fewer pages than they think. A good starting set:
- Home: who you help, what you offer, why you, and the main action
- Services: one section or page per service, with prices or “from” prices
- About: the people behind the business, with real photos
- Reviews or case studies: proof from real customers
- Contact: a short form, phone, WhatsApp, address and opening hours
- Legal pages: Impressum, privacy policy, and terms if you sell online
If you offer several services in different areas, give each service its own page. That helps both customers and Google.
Step 5: Prepare your content
Collect these before anyone starts designing, because missing content is the most common reason website projects are delayed:
- your logo and brand colours, if you have them
- real photos of your team, your work and your place of business
- prices or price ranges
- three to five customer reviews, with permission to publish them
- access to your domain
Real photos beat stock photos every time. Customers can tell the difference.
Step 6: Choose a platform
The right platform depends on who will edit the website after launch:
- Website builders like Wix or Squarespace are fine if you only need to be findable and want to do everything yourself.
- Duda, Webflow or Tilda suit businesses that want a professional, custom design and still edit texts and images themselves.
- A custom-built website suits businesses with special features, like a client portal or complex booking.
We build on all of these. The choice follows how you want to edit and grow the site, not our preference.
Step 7: Design for mobile first
Most visitors to a small business website arrive on a phone. Check every page on a phone first: Can visitors call or message you with one tap? Is the main button visible without scrolling? Do pages load in under three seconds?
Step 8: Launch properly
Before launch, check the basics: domain and SSL, Google Search Console, analytics that load only after cookie consent, an Impressum and privacy policy, and contact forms that actually arrive in your inbox. Then submit the site to Google and create or update your Google Business Profile.
The mistakes we see most often
- Talking about yourself instead of the customer. “We are a team of experts” says nothing. “Your bathroom renovated in 10 days, fixed price” says everything.
- No prices at all. Even a “from €…” price filters out the wrong enquiries and builds trust with the right ones.
- Too many choices on the home page. One main action, clearly visible, beats ten links.
- No proof. Reviews and real results do more selling than any headline.
- Launching and forgetting. A website needs small updates to stay current and rank on Google.
Proof that the order matters
Okiem, a pianist and composer, had a dated website he could not update himself. We started with the interview and the structure, not the design, and built the new site on Duda so he can edit it on his own. Six weeks later the site was live, and it now brings eight times as many enquiries.
Our opinion
Do the thinking yourself, even if someone else builds the website. Nobody knows your customers better than you, and the answers from steps 1 to 3 decide whether the website brings enquiries. If you do not have the time for steps 4 to 8, that is where an agency saves you weeks.
FAQ
How to create a simple website for a small business?
Decide on one main goal, write down your customers’ questions, plan five or six pages (home, services, about, reviews, contact, legal), collect real photos and prices, then build it on a platform you can edit yourself. Check everything on a phone before launch.
What should a small business website include?
A clear statement of who you help and how, your services with prices or price ranges, real reviews, photos of your team and work, an easy way to contact you, and the legal pages required in your country, in Austria an Impressum and a privacy policy.
How long does it take to build a small business website?
With content ready, a landing page takes about 10 days and a multi-page website about 30 days. Missing photos and texts are the most common reason projects take longer.
Can I build a small business website myself?
Yes, with a website builder. It costs time instead of money, and the result depends on how well you answer your customers’ questions. Many owners build the first version themselves and hire an agency when the website needs to bring more enquiries.
Planning a new website? Tell us about your project and get a fixed quote, or see what each package includes on our pricing page.
