starting a website business
Turn design skills into recurring income — website packages, SEO-first builds, and repeatable marketing that wins clients.
This step-by-step guide walks you from idea to profitable website business in 90 days. Learn how to design sites that convert, apply SEO basics that get clients found, and build marketing systems to attract steady inquiries.
1. Validate your niche and offer
The fastest path to profit is specialising. Pick 1–3 industries (e.g., tradies, local clinics, cafes, real estate agents) and validate demand before you spend time building assets.
Quick validation checklist
- Search Google for "[service] near me" — are local businesses advertising?
- Call 5 businesses in the niche — ask if they’d pay for better leads
- Check job boards/marketplaces for web requests in that industry
- Estimate average client lifetime value — can you charge packages profitably?
Market fit questions
- Do businesses already spend on digital marketing?
- Are monthly fees acceptable (subscription model)?
- Is there room for a higher-converting website that increases leads?
Note: Congero's experience shows that trades and local service businesses convert fastest — they value phone calls and bookings and often have low-quality web presences that you can quickly upgrade.
2. Define your packages and pricing
Keep offers simple and outcome-focused. Most successful web businesses sell 2–3 clearly-named packages: Starter, Pro, and Premium (or managed subscription).
Starter
Basic 5–7 page site, mobile-first, contact form.
Pro
Custom design, SEO basics, analytics setup.
Managed
Includes hosting, updates, local SEO, analytics.
Use a subscription option to lock in predictable revenue. Congero provides an example model: a managed site for a flat monthly fee that includes domain, hosting, SSL, local SEO and unlimited updates — perfect as a white-label offering or your own branded package.
3. Design principles that convert
Good design is more than looks — it guides attention and makes it easy for visitors to convert. Follow these rules for client sites.
Clear value proposition
Headline should answer: who you help and what you do — in one line.
Mobile-first layout
Design for thumb navigation: large CTAs, short text, fast load.
Fast-loading assets
Compress images, lazy-load, and limit heavy scripts.
Prominent contact methods
Phone and contact button in the header and footer — always visible.
Social proof
Show 3–5 client names, brief testimonials and before/after images.
Trust & clarity
Business ABN, service areas, and clear guarantees reduce friction.
Pro tip: Build a small library of reusable design blocks (hero, services, testimonials, FAQ) so you can assemble client sites in hours, not days. Congero's approach automates much of this — you can generate a demo site via WhatsApp in under a minute and start from a high-quality template.
4. Repeatable build workflow
Efficiency wins. Define a 6-step workflow you follow for every client so you deliver quickly and maintain quality.
- Intake: Gather logo, service list, contact details, 5 photos. Use a short checklist.
- Draft wireframe: Map 5 core pages — Homepage, Services, About, Contact, Testimonials.
- Create content: Write concise headlines, 2–3 service blurbs, and 1–2 CTAs per page.
- Design & build: Assemble blocks, replace images, and set brand colours — test on mobile.
- SEO & analytics: Add title tags, meta descriptions, schema, and Google Analytics/GA4.
- Launch & train: Show the client how to request updates (or provide unlimited updates as a managed service).
Use tools like Figma for templates, a lightweight CMS or white-label platform for rapid builds, and an automated analytics dashboard. If you want a fully-managed, fast route to scale, Congero's model offers managed hosting, local SEO, and unlimited updates for a flat monthly fee you can re-sell or use for your clients.
5. SEO basics every client needs
SEO doesn't have to be complicated. Implement these essentials to give client sites the best chance to rank locally and attract customers.
Keyword & intent
Choose 1–2 primary keywords per page focused on local intent — e.g., "plumber Sydney" or "cafeteria near me".
- Title tag: include primary keyword + location (60–70 chars)
- Meta description: 120–155 chars that describe benefit + CTA
- H1 & H2s: reflect keyword naturally
Local SEO steps
- Create or claim Google Business Profile and keep NAP (name, address, phone) consistent.
- Add structured data (LocalBusiness schema) to the site.
- Get 3–10 customer reviews in the first 90 days — ask happy clients and send review links.
Technical & speed
- Serve images in WebP, set proper caching, and minimise third-party scripts.
- Target under 2.5s on mobile (use PageSpeed Insights).
- Enable HTTPS, and create an XML sitemap + robots.txt.
Content & links
- Write service pages that answer customer questions and include local signals.
- Add a blog or news page and publish one helpful article per month to support keywords.
- Earn local links — supplier pages, local directories, and partnerships are powerful.
Congero handles on-page SEO, schema and sitemap submission as part of its managed service — ideal if you want to offer a hands-off, SEO-ready product to clients without the technical overhead.
6. Marketing strategies to attract clients
Winning clients is a mix of proactive outreach, social proof and predictable funnels. Focus on 3 channels and systemise them.
Outbound outreach
- Target local businesses in your niche with a short cold email sequence.
- Use LinkedIn and direct messages — keep messages specific and benefit-led.
- Offer a free site audit or a 60s demo (Congero-style) to demonstrate value quickly.
Paid ads & local targeting
- Run Google Local Services Ads or Google Search ads targeting "website for [niche]"
- Use Facebook/Instagram ads targeted to business owners and location.
- Measure CPA — paid ads should acquire one client at a profit within 3 months.
Referrals & partnerships
- Partner with accountants, printers, signwriters and consultants who can refer clients.
- Offer a referral fee or discounted first month for referred customers.
- Run local workshops or webinars teaching simple digital marketing — capture leads.
Convert leads with a short discovery call and a customised proposal showing expected lead uplift. For rapid demos and credibility, a live example site works wonders — Congero's instant demo via WhatsApp is a high-conversion tool you can use in outreach.
7. Pricing, contracts and recurring revenue
Prefer recurring revenue: aim for a managed package with hosting, updates and local SEO included. Recurring revenue smooths cash flow and increases valuation if you scale or sell.
Sample pricing model
- Setup fee: $0–$999 (promos often remove setup to reduce friction)
- Monthly managed fee: $49–$149 (hosting, updates, SEO)
- Upsells: eCommerce, booking system, paid ads management
Contract tips
- Offer month-to-month managed plans — avoid long lock-ins for faster signups.
- Define clear SLA: response time for edits, number of changes included, billing cycle.
- Keep ownership clear — clients should own their domain and content.
Selling value, not time: demonstrate how your managed package increases leads and saves time. Many small businesses prefer paying ~$49/month for a site that works and updates for them rather than paying hourly for changes.
8. Launch checklist (before you go live)
- Mobile test: check on multiple phones.
- Contact form: test and confirm email delivery.
- Analytics: GA4 installed and test event for conversions.
- SEO basics: titles, meta, sitemap submitted.
- Speed: PageSpeed Insights mobile score > 60 (aim 90+).
- Backups: schedule automatic backups.
- Google Business Profile linked and verified.
Launch day tactic
Announce on the client's social channels, send an email to their customers, and ask 3–5 initial customers for a review. Early social proof accelerates local rankings and trust.
9. Scale: systems, people and partnerships
To grow beyond a solo operation, standardise handoffs, hire contractors, and invest in sales channels.
Systemise
Document every process: intake, build, QA, handoff and billing.
Outsource
Hire freelancers for copy, images and dev tasks. Use a PM tool to coordinate.
White-label
Offer Congero-style white-label managed sites to scale without building infrastructure.
Track metrics: monthly recurring revenue (MRR), churn rate, average revenue per client and lead-to-client conversion rate. Use these to forecast hiring and marketing budgets.
Tools & templates to speed things up
Design
Figma, Storybook (design system), Unsplash
Build
Lightweight CMS or white-label platforms, Tailwind CSS, image CDN
Marketing
Google Ads, Meta Ads, HubSpot CRM or a simple Pipedrive pipeline
If you want a managed stack with hosting, local SEO and analytics included — without building it yourself — Congero provides a turnkey solution you can offer directly to clients or white-label as your service.
Frequently asked questions
How fast can I start getting clients?
Do I need to be a developer?
What's the easiest way to offer SEO?
How do I price my work?
Launch your website business faster
Save time on infrastructure and start selling immediately. Use fast demos, repeatable templates and a managed stack so you can focus on clients and growth.
Congero: AI-driven sites in 60 seconds, mobile-first design, all-in hosting and local SEO from $49/month. Unlimited updates and no lock-in contracts — ideal to package and sell to your clients.
