A good small business website answers three questions within seconds: what you do, where you are or who you serve, and how to get in touch. Everything on this checklist supports those three. Use it to check your current site or to brief whoever builds your new one.
The basics customers look for
- A clear headline. Say what you do and where, in plain words: "Family dentist in Austin" beats "Smiles that last".
- Tap-to-call on phones. Most visitors are on a phone. Your number should be a button they can tap, near the top.
- Address and directions. Show your address with a link that opens maps. If you visit customers instead, list the areas you serve.
- Opening hours. Keep them correct. A small "Open now" or "Closed" label saves people from guessing.
- Services, menu or prices. Even "from $40" helps. People who see no prices often assume you are expensive and move on.
- Real photos. Your place, your team, your work. Stock photos make you look like everyone else.
What builds trust
- Reviews. Show a few real reviews with first names, or link to your Google reviews.
- A short "about" section. Who you are, how long you have been doing this, and why you care. Faces help.
- Licenses, certifications or awards, if your trade has them. Patients, homeowners and parents look for these.
What Google needs
- A unique title and description for each page. This is the text people see in search results. Include your main service and your city.
- A link to your Google Business Profile, and the same name, address and phone number on both.
- Structured data. A small piece of hidden code that tells search engines your business type, hours and location in a format they read directly. Your designer should add it. It also helps AI assistants recommend you.
- Speed on phones. The page should load in a couple of seconds on mobile data. Large videos and heavy pop-ups are the usual problems.
The practical details
- Your own domain and email. yourbusiness.com and you@yourbusiness.com look established. Make sure the domain is registered in your name.
- A simple contact or booking form, plus a privacy page that says how you use the details people send. Your site should also load over https, shown as a padlock in the browser.
Bonus: things that win more calls
- A sticky "Call" or "Book" button that stays on screen while people scroll.
- A short FAQ answering the questions you hear every week.
- A clear next step at the end of every section.
How did your site score?
If you ticked 12 or more, you are in good shape. If you ticked fewer than 8, a new site will probably bring you more customers than any ad.
Stackmane builds every one of these into each site, and we will make you a free preview first so you can see the difference.