Small business website checklist: what every site needs

A small business website doesn't need to be big or clever. It needs to do a few simple things well: tell a visitor what you do, build a little trust, and make the next step easy. Here's the checklist I run through for every site I build — the essentials, the findability basics, and the bloat worth leaving off.

The essentials (the non-negotiables)

If your site is missing any of these, fix them first:

• A clear headline — within a second, a visitor should know what you do and who it's for. No clever slogans that leave people guessing.
• Obvious contact, with click-to-call — your phone number tappable on mobile, plus a simple form. Don't make anyone hunt.
• Mobile-first design — most of your visitors are on a phone, so the phone view isn't an afterthought, it's the main event.
• Fast loading — a slow site loses people before it appears, and speed is a confirmed Google ranking factor.
• Your services or products — clearly listed in plain words customers actually use.
• Location or service area — your suburb and the areas you cover, with a map if you have premises.
• Opening hours — so nobody has to call to find out if you're open.
• Trust signals — real photos of your work or team, and a few genuine reviews. These do more selling than any amount of copy.
• One clear call to action — call, book or get a quote. Tell people exactly what to do next.
• Simple navigation — a handful of clear links, not a sprawling menu.

The findability basics

A great site nobody can find is a poster in a locked room. Cover these so Google can do its job:

• A proper page title and description for each page, written for what people search.
• Your location in the actual content — naturally, not stuffed — so Google connects you to your area.
• A link to your Google Business Profile, and consistent name, address and phone everywhere.
• HTTPS / an SSL certificate so the site is secure and doesn't show a "not secure" warning.

For the full picture on this, see our guide to getting your business found on Google.

The nice-to-haves

Useful for some businesses, but not essential to launch — add them when they earn their place:

• Online booking or appointment scheduling.
• A gallery or portfolio of past work.
• A blog or guides section (great for SEO over time, like this one).
• Online payments or a simple shop.
• A frequently-asked-questions section.

What to leave off

More isn't better. These add weight and distraction and usually hurt:

• Autoplaying video or music — slows the page and annoys people.
• Giant image sliders — most visitors never see past the first slide, and they drag load times down.
• Aggressive pop-ups the moment someone arrives.
• Walls of text nobody reads — say it in fewer, clearer words.
• Stock-photo overload — obviously fake images quietly erode trust. Real beats polished.

The 5-second test: show your homepage to someone who's never heard of you. If, in five seconds, they can tell what you do, where, and how to get in touch — it's working. If not, simplify.

How many pages do you actually need?

Fewer than you think. Most local businesses do beautifully with a home page, a services page, an about page and a contact page — and a simple trade or shop can run on a single well-built page. Clarity beats page count every time. If you're still deciding whether to build at all, start with do I need a website?, and for budgets see what a website should cost.

Written by

Marcus B. Cho

Founder of FISAL Studio. A former high school teacher (VCE & QCE) and founder of the EdTech venture FISAL Education, Marcus now designs, builds and looks after websites for small businesses across Melbourne and Australia.