What Should a Small Business Website Actually Include?

One of the most common questions small business owners ask when they start thinking about a website is simple: what actually needs to be on it?

It’s a fair question. When you start researching websites, it can feel like the internet is telling you that you need everything all at once. Blogs. Funnels. Lead magnets. Online stores. Chatbots. Video libraries. Twelve different landing pages.

Meanwhile, you’re sitting there thinking, “I just want people to find my business and understand what I do.”

Good news: a small business website does not need to be complicated to be effective. In fact, the best small business websites are usually simple, clear, and built around helping people quickly understand three things: what you do, who you help, and how to contact you.

Let’s walk through what actually matters.

What Should a Small Business Website Actually Include?

Start with a clear, welcoming home page

The front door of your business is now in people’s pockets, so your homepage is the digital version of that front door. When someone lands there, they should immediately know they’re in the right place.

Remember, people have short attention spans, and you need to grab them within the first few seconds by answering three basic questions: what your business does, who your services are for, and where you’re located or who you serve.

Thankfully, this doesn’t mean writing long, involved paragraphs. In fact, the opposite usually works better. A clear headline that explains what you do, a short supporting sentence, and a photo or visual that reflects your business are often enough to get started. 

Think of your homepage as a guide. It should gently direct visitors to the next step, whether that’s learning more about your services, reading about your business, or contacting you.

If someone lands on your homepage and feels confused about what you offer, they’ll likely leave. If they understand it quickly, they’ll keep exploring.

Create a simple services or products page

After the homepage, the most important section of your website is usually the page that explains what you actually offer.

This is where many small businesses accidentally make things harder than they need to be. They either write too little, leaving visitors unsure about what they provide, or they write long technical descriptions that only industry insiders understand.

A good services page focuses on clarity. Describe what you do in plain language. Explain how it helps your customers. If possible, outline the types of problems you solve. Instead of simply listing a service name, describe the outcome. People searching online are often trying to solve a problem, not memorize industry terminology.

If you want a real-life example, our Website Design page follows this same approach by keeping the copy clear, simple, and focused on the customer.

If you offer several services, it can help to give each one its own short section or page so visitors can quickly find what’s relevant to them.

Include an About page that builds trust

Small businesses sometimes underestimate how important an About page is.

People like to know who they’re working with, especially in local communities. In many cases, someone choosing between two businesses will read the About page to get a sense of the people behind the company.

Keep in mind, this isn’t a place to share your entire life story. It should establish who you are, how and why you started your business and what matters to you when it comes to the work. A few personal details are great, but don’t overshare. Think personality, not confessional.

Photos help here. Seeing the owner, team, or workspace makes your business feel real and approachable.

For service-based businesses, the About page is often one of the most visited pages on the site.

Make it easy for people to contact you

If someone wants to reach out to your business, the how should be obvious and easy.

A good contact page includes your phone number, email address, and a simple contact form. If you have a physical location, your address and a map can also help visitors find you.

Many small business websites also benefit from having contact options visible throughout the site, not just on one page. A “Contact” button in the top menu or a clear call-to-action near the bottom of each page makes it easy for people to take the next step when they’re ready.

When people have to hunt for contact information, they often give up and move on to another business.

Add local information that helps people find you

For businesses serving a specific area, including your location and service area throughout your website, is important.

Search engines use this information to understand where your business operates and ensure it’s being found by the people you’re trying to reach. Customers also use it to quickly decide whether your services apply to them.

Mentioning your city, region, or service area naturally within your content helps both people and search engines understand your business better. This isn’t about stuffing location keywords, but sounding like you actually live and work in the same area as your customers.

For example, a contractor serving Central Alberta might reference the communities they work in rather than speaking only in general terms.

Focus on clarity before complexity

One of the biggest mistakes small businesses make when building a website is trying to do too much all at once.

A strong website does not need dozens of pages. It needs a few well-written ones that clearly explain your business and help people take the next step.

Start with the essentials: a clear homepage, a services page, an About page, and an easy way to contact you. Once those are in place, you can always expand later with things like blogs, FAQs, or additional service pages.

Think of your website as a foundation rather than a finished project. As your business grows, your site can grow with it.

But at the beginning, the goal is simple: make it easy for the right people to find you, understand what you do, and feel confident reaching out.

If your website accomplishes those three things, it’s already doing its job well. And, if it’s not… well, it’s probably a great time to book a coffee chat with Kim and talk about it.