What a small business
website needs
Open your homepage on your phone and give a stranger five seconds. Can they say what you do, who it is for, where you are, and what to do next? Use this checklist on yours.
The first screen
before they scroll- What you do and who for, in the first line
- Where you are or go. An address a tap from a map, or the towns you serve
- How to reach you. A call or text button that stays on screen
- One clear next step: “Book a visit,” “Get a quote,” “Order online.”
The rest of the page
before they call- True hours, with holiday closures. Old hours cost you customers
- Prices, or where they start. Visitors who can’t tell often move on
- Real photos of your work, place, and people. Stock photos say nothing
- Reviews with their source, as written. Never write or edit one
- Answers to first questions near the button: what to expect, bring, and how long
- Notices with an end date. An old banner says nobody is minding the shop
Under the hood
what a screenshot hides- Fast on a phone. Google’s guidance: main content within 2.5 seconds, a response to a tap within 200 milliseconds, and no jumping layout
- Usable by everyone. Readable contrast, image descriptions, video captions, labeled forms, and keyboard use. The Justice Department’s ADA guidance says businesses open to the public must make what they offer online accessible
- Readable by search engines. Titles, descriptions, a sitemap, and your name, place, and hours in structured data
- A privacy page if forms collect anything
- Your own domain, in your name, whoever builds the site
Two more, if they fit
not for everyone- A second language your customers speak
- An online store, if people would buy without visiting
See a real example: the Heritage Jiu Jitsu results.
Sources
checked October 18, 2026What owners ask
What belongs on a small business homepage?
What you do, who it is for, where you are, how to reach you, and one next step, on the first phone screen. Then true hours, a starting price, real photos, and sourced reviews.
How fast should my website load?
Google’s guidance: main content within 2.5 seconds, a response to a tap within 200 milliseconds, and no layout jumping. Test it on a phone.
Must my website be accessible?
The Justice Department says businesses open to the public must make what they offer online accessible, and points to WCAG. This is not legal advice. I check my sites on a schedule.
Can you check my site against this list?
Yes. Send the address, and if it is a fit I will build a free demo to compare. You pay nothing unless you keep it.
Related
Your site, every box ticked?
I build your demo first. If you keep it, it starts at $99 a month, one year minimum.
Get my free demoOr call (919) 792-8333
Got it. Thank you.