how to build a small business website
A practical playbook for 2025 — SEO, UX, content and growth tactics you can implement today.
Build a site that finds customers and converts them. This guide walks you through planning, launch and ongoing growth with clear, actionable steps — perfect for trades, local services and small shops.
A simple 10-step plan to build your site
Follow these exact steps. Each item below includes immediate actions you can take today.
Define a single goal
Decide the primary thing your website must achieve: generate leads, take bookings, sell products, or showcase work. Focus=better design and clearer conversions.
Collect the essentials
Gather: short business description, list of services, prices or ranges, contact details, opening hours, and 6–12 photos (team, work, shop, van).
- Logo (or business name)
- Phone, email, service areas
- 3 strong service descriptions (50–120 words each)
- At least 2 customer testimonials
Choose your route: DIY vs managed
If you have 30–60 hours and enjoy tinkering, a DIY builder can work. If you want results fast and prefer to focus on customers, choose a managed subscription (like Congero) that includes hosting, SEO and unlimited updates.
Plan the main pages
Keep it focussed. Standard structure: Home, Services (one page per core service), About, Contact, FAQ. Optional: Pricing, Portfolio/Gallery, Blog.
Write clear, customer-first copy
Use simple language. Lead with benefits, not features. Each service should answer: What, Who is it for, Why choose you, and How to contact.
Design for trust and clarity
Use clear headings, prominent contact details, social proof (reviews, logos), and high-quality photos. On mobile, make the phone number tap-to-call and CTA buttons large.
SEO basics: pages, keywords, and local signals
Assign a primary keyword to each page (e.g., "plumber in Richmond"). Ensure page title, meta description, H1, and first paragraph include that keyword naturally. Add structured data for local business and services.
Install tracking & analytics
Add Google Analytics (or GA4) and Google Search Console. Track phone clicks and form submissions as conversions. This lets you measure what's working and what needs fixing.
Test on real devices
Check mobile, tablet and desktop. Test forms, phone links, maps, and page speed (aim for <2.5s mobile). Ask a friend to complete a goal and give feedback.
Launch and follow a 30-day growth plan
Announce on Google Business Profile, social channels, and to your email list. Run one promotion or offer to generate immediate enquiries and use analytics to iterate.
SEO checklist: make your site findable
Do these on every page. Small, consistent SEO wins compound fast for local businesses.
On-page essentials
- Unique title tag (50–60 chars) with primary keyword
- Compelling meta description (120–155 chars) with CTA
- Single H1, descriptive subheadings (H2/H3)
- At least 300 words per service page — useful, answer customer questions
- Optimised images (ALT text & compressed)
- Internal links between related services/pages
Local & technical SEO
- Google Business Profile: complete profile, categories, photos, and posts
- NAP consistency (name, address, phone) across your website and citations
- Add LocalBusiness structured data (JSON-LD) including opening hours
- Submit sitemap.xml to Search Console
- Enable HTTPS and ensure fast mobile performance
- Monitor Search Console for crawl errors and fix promptly
Quick wins (do these first)
User experience & conversion optimisation
A site that looks good but doesn't convert is a missed opportunity. Focus on these UX priorities.
Clear CTA
Primary CTA above the fold. Use "Call now", "Book a visit", or "Get a quote".
Tap-to-call
Phone numbers should be clickable on mobile and visible in header/footer.
Social proof
Display recent reviews, photos of jobs, and logos of known clients to build trust.
Micro-conversions to track
- Phone call clicks
- Form submissions
- Click-to-directions (map clicks)
- Download of price list or brochure
Content that wins — easy SEO-focused templates
Use these short templates to speed up writing without losing SEO value.
Service page template (300–500 words)
Headline: [Service] in [Suburb] — [Primary Benefit]
Intro (30–50 words): Describe who this service is for and the fastest benefit.
How it works (3 brief steps).
Why choose us (3 bullets with proof).
CTA: Book a quote / Call now.
Home page hero
Headline: One clear value prop (10–12 words). Subheadline: 1 sentence with location + service. CTA: Primary (phone/book) + Secondary (learn more).
FAQ snippet (good for schema)
Q: [Common question]? A: Short, helpful answer (30–60 words). Include keywords naturally and add 6–10 FAQs to boost long-tail search visibility.
Local growth: how to get found nearby
Local searches are the lifeblood for trades and services. Prioritise these items.
Optimize Google Business Profile
- Complete every field, set correct categories
- Upload 10+ photos of your work and team
- Post weekly updates and offers
- Respond to reviews within 48 hours
Local citations & backlinks
List your business in local directories and trade-specific sites (Yellow Pages, TrueLocal, industry bodies). Ask local partners for links.
Getting reviews that convert
- Ask satisfied customers immediately after service
- Send a direct Google review link via SMS or email
- Display best reviews on your homepage
Grow faster: paid and organic strategies
Local search ads (Google Ads)
Start with a small test budget ($10–20/day). Target service keywords + suburb modifiers. Measure cost per lead and optimise by pausing poor-performing keywords.
Social & referrals
Use before/after photos on social, encourage referrals with a small reward, and run a simple boosted post targeting local households.
Measure ROI
Track leads from each channel and calculate cost per lead. Reallocate budget to the highest ROI channel monthly.
Pre-launch & launch checklist
- All pages have title tag and meta description
- Google Analytics + Search Console installed
- Mobile test completed and phone CTA prominent
- GMB verified and initial post published
- Contact form test — submissions received
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to build a basic small business website?
Do I need to write all the content myself?
Will a monthly subscription hurt my SEO?
How do I track phone calls and form leads?
Ready to launch a website that actually brings customers?
If you want a fast, professional site with SEO and unlimited updates included, try a managed service and get a demo in 60s via WhatsApp.
Congero builds mobile-optimised websites, handles local SEO, hosting, domain and unlimited updates for one flat monthly fee — no lock-in.
