The Small Business Website Checklist: 25 Things Your Site Needs
Key takeaways
- A strong website covers the basics customers need to trust and contact you.
- Every site needs clear services, contact details and a mobile-friendly layout.
- Trust signals like reviews and real photos make a big difference.
- Technical basics like SSL and backups protect your business.
- Use this checklist before launch and review it every few months.
Whether you're building a new website or reviewing the one you have, it's easy to miss something important. A missing phone number, an outdated price or a broken form can cost you customers.
Use this small business website checklist to make sure your site covers the essentials. Work through each section and check off what you have.
Why Use a Small Business Website Checklist?
A checklist helps you:
- Catch gaps before customers notice them
- Compare your site with competitors
- Plan a new site or redesign
- Keep your site accurate over time
Small Business Website Checklist: Essential Pages
- Home page that says what you do and who you serve
- About page with your story and what makes you different
- Services page (or a page for each main service)
- Contact page with a form, phone, email and location
- Gallery or portfolio showing real work, products or your space
- FAQ section answering common questions
Contact and Conversion Essentials
- Phone number visible at the top of every page
- Click-to-call on mobile
- A short, working contact or quote form
- Clear calls to action like "Call Now" or "Get a Quote"
- Business hours
- Address and map (if customers visit you)
- Service area (if you travel to customers)
Trust Builders
- Real photos of your work, team or location
- Customer reviews or testimonials
- Clear pricing or starting prices where possible
- Professional logo and consistent branding
- Up-to-date information everywhere
Design and Usability
- Mobile-friendly layout
- Easy-to-read text
- Simple navigation menu
- Fast-loading pages and images
Technical and Search Basics
- SSL security (the padlock in the browser bar)
- Clear page titles and headings that describe each page
- Reliable hosting, backups and regular updates
Quick Self-Audit Table
| Area | Questions to Ask |
|---|---|
| Clarity | Can a visitor tell what you do in 5 seconds? |
| Contact | Can they reach you in one tap on a phone? |
| Trust | Do real photos and reviews back up your claims? |
| Accuracy | Are hours, prices and services current? |
| Mobile | Does every page work well on a phone? |
| Upkeep | Who updates the site when something changes? |
How Often to Review Your Website
Review this small business website checklist:
- Before launching a new site
- Whenever you add or change services
- When prices or hours change
- Every few months as a routine check
How The Website Haus Covers the Checklist
When we build your site, we design around your services, photos and brand, with mobile-friendly layouts and managed hosting. After launch, monthly hosting and maintenance includes up to 2 minor edits, so keeping your checklist items current is easy.
- $100 one-time design and setup
- Required hosting and maintenance from $25/month (12-month agreement) or $30/month month-to-month
See what's included and our website design pricing.
Check Off Your Way to a Better Website
A great small business website doesn't need to be complicated. It needs to be clear, trustworthy, easy to use on a phone and kept up to date. Use this checklist to find the gaps, then fix them one by one.
Missing more than a few items? Start your website project and we'll build a site that checks every box. Want to know what it'll cost? Read small business website cost: what to budget.
Frequently asked questions
What should every small business website have?
Every small business website should have a clear home page, services information, an about page, contact details with a working form, real photos, reviews or testimonials, a mobile-friendly layout and SSL security. Accurate hours, prices and service areas matter too.
How many pages does a small business website need?
Many small businesses do well with a core set: Home, About, Services and Contact, plus a gallery or FAQ section. Businesses with several distinct services often benefit from a separate page for each one.
How often should I review my website?
Review it whenever your services, prices or hours change, and do a routine check every few months. Regular reviews catch outdated information and broken features before customers notice.
What's the most commonly missed website item?
Outdated information is one of the most common problems, such as old hours, prices or services. A hard-to-find phone number and a site that doesn't work well on phones are also frequent issues.
Can The Website Haus help me update my site to match this checklist?
Yes. Minor edits like updating text, photos, hours and prices are covered by the up to 2 minor edits of edits included each month. Larger additions, like new pages, are quoted separately and only done with your approval.