The most common problem with small business websites isn't design — it's content. Too much background on the founder's journey, not enough on what you actually do. Too many stock photos, not enough specifics. A contact form buried three pages deep, instead of on the homepage.
Here's what actually belongs on a small business website, and what you can safely cut.
What Every Page Needs Above the Fold
"Above the fold" means what visitors see without scrolling. You have roughly 5 seconds to answer the question: "Is this what I'm looking for?"
Every page should immediately communicate:
- What you do (specifically, not generically)
- Who you serve (the customer, not just the service)
- Where you are (critical for local businesses)
- What to do next (one clear action)
Bad example: "We are a full-service provider of comprehensive solutions for your needs."
Good example: "Licensed electrician serving Johnson County. Residential service and panel upgrades. Call for a same-day quote."
The Pages You Actually Need
For most local service businesses, five pages covers it:
Homepage — Who you are, what you do, who you serve, and why choose you. One clear call to action.
Services — What specifically you offer, broken out clearly. This is where you address every service you want to rank for in Google.
About — Who you are, your credentials, your experience. Buyers are choosing a person, not just a service.
Testimonials or reviews — Real quotes with names, specific outcomes, and if possible, photos.
Contact — Simple form, phone number, hours, service area. Ideally an embedded map.
That's it. You don't need a news page, an FAQ page (unless there are genuinely common questions that affect the buying decision), or a resources section with PDFs nobody reads.
What Your Homepage Should Include
The homepage is your best shot at a first impression. It should include:
- 1.A headline that names the service and the location
- 2.A short subheading that names the customer benefit
- 3.A primary CTA button — "Get a Free Quote," "Book an Appointment," or "Call Now"
- 4.A brief overview of your core services (3–5, not 15)
- 5.Social proof — a review quote, number of years in business, or certifications
- 6.A secondary CTA at the bottom for people who scrolled the whole page
Avoid: stock photos of unrelated people shaking hands, generic mission statements, auto-playing video, a paragraph about company history before anything about what you do.
What Your Services Page Should Include
This is the page that actually ranks in Google. It should:
- Name every service explicitly (don't just say "HVAC services" — list "furnace repair," "AC installation," "heat pump maintenance")
- Include 2–3 sentences on each service explaining what's involved
- Address cost or pricing expectations (even a range builds trust)
- Answer the question "why choose you for this specific service?"
- End with a CTA specific to that service
If you have 8+ services, consider separate pages for each major one. "Furnace repair Kansas City" is easier to rank for with a dedicated page than a section on a general services page.
What to Leave Out
Your company history before the value proposition. Nobody reading your homepage at 10pm trying to find an emergency plumber cares that you were founded in 1987. Put credentials and experience in the About page.
Awards and associations nobody recognizes. If it's not something your customers have heard of and trust, it's taking up space.
Long blocks of text with no headers. Visitors scan. If they can't find what they need in 15 seconds of scanning, they leave.
Generic testimonials. "Great service! Would recommend!" says nothing. "Fixed our burst pipe at 11pm on a Sunday in under two hours" says everything.
Pop-ups that fire immediately. A pop-up asking for an email within 3 seconds of arriving on a page for the first time gets dismissed every time.
The One Question That Should Guide Every Decision
For every element on your site, ask: "Does this help a buyer decide to contact me?"
If yes, keep it. If no, cut it.
The goal isn't a beautiful website or a comprehensive one. It's a website that converts the right visitors into real customers.
Want me to take a look at what you have now? Send me your current site and I'll tell you specifically what to change.