start a business website
A simple, actionable plan to design, launch and grow your small business online
This guide breaks the process into easy steps — from picking a domain to publishing pages, setting up local SEO, and promoting your site so it brings real customers.
1. Planning — start with a clear goal
Before building anything, decide what success looks like. Your website should have one primary conversion: phone call, contact form, booking, or online sale.
Define a single primary goal
- Call now (display phone number prominently)
- Request a quote (simple contact form)
- Book a job (online booking)
- Buy a product (clear product pages)
Set measurable targets (e.g., 10 leads/month, 50 website visitors/day) so you can track progress from day one.
2. Choose a domain and platform
Picking a domain
- Keep it short: easy to spell and remember.
- Use keywords: e.g., plumbermelbourne.com.au (helps local SEO).
- Prefer .com.au for Australian businesses — it signals local trust.
- Buy variations: common misspellings or short forms to prevent lost traffic.
Choosing a platform
Options range from DIY builders to managed services. Choose based on time, budget and technical skill.
- Managed subscription (recommended): Fast, affordable, unlimited updates — ideal for busy owners. (Congero: live in 60s, $49/mo)
- WordPress: Highly flexible but needs maintenance and updates.
- Wix/Squarespace: Quick for DIY but may hide features behind paid plans.
- Custom build: Best for complex needs, high upfront cost and maintenance.
3. Effective web design: convert visitors into customers
Great design is about clarity and trust. Follow these rules to convert visitors:
Mobile-first
Over half your visitors are on mobile. Make buttons large, text readable and forms short.
Speed
Aim for <3s page loads on mobile. Compress images and use fast hosting.
Trust signals
Show reviews, credentials, before/after photos and a clear phone number in the header.
Clear hierarchy
Headings, brief copy, and prominent CTAs — tell visitors exactly what to do next.
Use real photos
Real team and job photos outperform stock images for local businesses.
Simplicity beats features
Start with essential pages (Home, Services, About, Contact) and expand later.
4. SEO fundamentals — make sure customers find you
Focus on the SEO basics first. They deliver the best return for small businesses.
Quick SEO checklist
- Title tags: Unique, 50-60 characters, include primary keyword (e.g., "Melbourne Electrician — Emergency & Same-day").
- Meta descriptions: 120-160 characters that describe the page and include a CTA.
- Headings: Use H1 for page title, H2 for sections. Keep structure logical.
- Local signals: NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone) across your website and directories.
- Schema: Add LocalBusiness or Service schema to help Google display rich results.
- Mobile & speed: Both are ranking factors—prioritise them.
- Google tools: Set up Google Search Console and Google Analytics 4.
Keyword basics
Start with 10-20 local keywords: service + suburb (e.g., "roof repair sydney"). Use free tools: Google Autocomplete, Search Console, AnswerThePublic.
Tip: Target service pages to individual keywords rather than stuffing a single page with everything.
Local SEO
- Google Business Profile: Claim and optimise (photos, services, hours).
- Local citations: Add consistent NAP to Yellow Pages, True Local, Hotfrog.
- Reviews: Ask customers for reviews and reply promptly.
- Service pages: Create individual pages for each service + suburb.
5. Content & online marketing strategies
Your website is the hub. Use content and marketing channels to drive targeted traffic.
Content that helps
- Service pages: Clear description, benefits, price ranges, and CTA.
- Local blog posts: Answer common local questions (e.g., "How to stop a leaking tap in Brisbane").
- Before & after galleries: Showcase real work — visuals convert.
- FAQ: Add questions customers ask to capture featured snippets.
Promotion channels
- Google Ads: Use for immediate leads; focus on high-intent keywords and location targeting.
- Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram): Great for awareness and retargeting visitors.
- Email: Collect emails with a simple popup or footer signup and send monthly specials.
- Directory listings & partnerships: Local partner websites, trade directories and community pages.
Conversion tips
- Place phone number in the header: Click-to-call on mobile.
- Use a single prominent CTA per page: Keep choices simple.
- Show estimated price ranges: Filters out low-intent visitors and speeds up decision-making.
- Follow up quickly: Respond to enquiries within 1 hour if possible — fast responses convert better.
6. Launch, measure and iterate
Launch quickly and measure results. Then iterate based on data.
Must-have tracking
- Google Analytics 4: Track users, events and conversions.
- Google Search Console: Monitor search performance and indexing issues.
- Conversion tracking: Track form submissions, calls (via call-tracking) and purchases.
- UTM links: Tag marketing campaigns so you know which ads produce leads.
A/B test & improve
Test headlines, CTA text, images and pricing. Run one change at a time and measure lift in conversion rate.
Maintenance
- Keep software and plugins updated to avoid security issues.
- Replace outdated photos and offers seasonally.
- Review analytics monthly and set small improvement goals.
- Back up your site weekly.
A simple 7-step plan to launch this week
- Decide your goal (call, quote, booking).
- Buy a domain that's short and local.
- Choose platform — use a managed service if you want fast results and no maintenance.
- Create 4 pages: Home, Services, About, Contact.
- Optimize each page: Title tag, meta description, H1, 300–800 words of useful content.
- Set up Google Business Profile and add consistent NAP to the site footer.
- Launch and promote: Share to social, add to directories, and run a small Google Ads test (AU$10–20/day).
Launch checklist — don't forget these
- Title tags and meta descriptions for all pages
- H1 on each page, clear CTAs
- Mobile test and PageSpeed Insights
- Google Analytics + Search Console connected
- Google Business Profile created and verified
- Contact form tested and connects to your email/phone
- Backups scheduled
Common mistakes to avoid
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to launch a basic site?
What pages do I need?
Do I need to write long content?
Should I hire someone?
Ready to start your business website?
Get a professional, mobile-first website built and optimised for local search. Fast setup, predictable pricing, and unlimited updates.
No lock-in contracts — domain, hosting and maintenance included with our managed plans.
