How many pages should a small business site have?

One per service you want to be hired for, one about the business, one to make contact, and one for anything you get asked about repeatedly. For most local businesses that lands between five and twelve.

Who looks after the site once it's done?

We do. We host it and keep it running, and a domain you already own stays in your name.

Should I use a template or have one built?

A template is a good answer for some businesses, and we'll tell you when it is. The case for a build is when the site has to do something specific, or when the template is making the business look like every other business in the category.

How long does a small business site take?

It depends on the size of the site, and the timeline goes in the written plan before we start. Deciding what the site says and getting real photographs usually take longest, so having those ready helps.

What does my website need?

A useful small business site has one page for each thing you want to be hired for, and not much else.

A website for a local business has one job: somebody who has just heard your name, or just found you in a search, decides within a minute whether to call. Everything on the site either helps them decide or gets in the way.

What follows is what earns its place, and what usually doesn't.

What the Site Needs, Most Important First

Four things decide whether a visitor gets in touch, and five common extras can be left out.

One page for each thing you want to be hired for Each one says what it is, who it's for, what happens and what to do next.
Proof a visitor can check Photographs of your own work, reviews with a source, and the towns you serve.
A way to get in touch on every page Matched to how your customers reach you. People usually call a trade and email a professional service.
A reply time you actually keep Whatever the site promises about response time has to be true.

What You Can Leave Out

Each of these has to be maintained, and an unmaintained thing on a website is visible.

A blog you won't write
A team page for a team of one
A slider on the homepage
A chat widget nobody is behind
A newsletter signup before you have anything to send

The site should be as small as it can be while still having a page for every question you get asked twice.

One Page per Thing You Want to Be Hired For

Everything else follows from this decision. If you do five things and the site has one page that lists all five, then no page on the site is about any of them, a search engine has nothing specific to place, and the visitor has to do the sorting.

Five pages, each about one thing, each answering what it is, who it's for, what happens, and what to do next. That's a better site than a beautiful one-pager and it's usually less work than people expect.

Show What a Visitor Can Check

Everybody claims to be reliable and thorough. Nobody can check it. What a visitor can check is the specific thing: photographs of your work, the towns you serve, a review with the reviewer's name on it, the year you started.

Photographs of your own work A visitor recognizes stock photography instantly, and it costs more trust than a plain page would.
Reviews with a source A quote with a name and where it came from. An unattributed testimonial reads as something the business wrote about itself.
The towns you serve It answers a real question, and it's the difference between "Metro Detroit" and something the visitor can check against where they live.

Make It Easy to Get in Touch

Every page needs a way to start a conversation without scrolling to find one, and the way needs to match how your customers reach you. A form that goes to an inbox nobody watches is worse than no form.

"We reply within the hour" on a site nobody checks until evening does more damage than saying nothing.

Common Questions

How many pages should a small business site have?: One per service you want to be hired for, one about the business, one to make contact, and one for anything you get asked about repeatedly. For most local businesses that lands between five and twelve.
Who looks after the site once it's done?: We do. We host it and keep it running, and a domain you already own stays in your name.
Should I use a template or have one built?: A template is a good answer for some businesses, and we'll tell you when it is. The case for a build is when the site has to do something specific, or when the template is making the business look like every other business in the category.
How long does a small business site take?: It depends on the size of the site, and the timeline goes in the written plan before we start. Deciding what the site says and getting real photographs usually take longest, so having those ready helps.

Want a read on the one you have?

Send us the address. We'll tell you what is working, what is costing you inquiries, and whether it needs a rebuild or a few afternoons.

Hello@GeekThangs.com Start a Project

Based in St. Clair Shores, working across Metro Detroit.