Handbook / Marketing a small business

A small business website that brings in work: what it needs

For a one-person business, a website does not need to be big or clever. It needs to answer a visitor's questions quickly: what do you do, is it right for me, can I trust you, and how do I get in touch? This guide covers the essential pages, the search basics Google itself recommends, accessibility and keeping the site useful over time.

Start with one clear sentence

Before choosing a template, write one sentence that says what you do, for whom, and where. For example: "Bookkeeping for independent restaurants in the Twin Cities." Put it at the top of your home page. Visitors decide in seconds whether they are in the right place.

The essential pages

Home. Your sentence, a short summary of services, a piece of evidence such as a testimonial, and a clear call to action.

Services. One page per main service, explaining what is included, who it suits, how it works and how to start. Separate pages help visitors and give search engines a clear topic for each page.

Work or examples. Case studies or samples, with permission. The guide on freelance portfolios covers what to include.

About. Who you are, your experience and why you do the work. People hire people.

Contact. A phone number or email, your service area, and what happens after someone gets in touch.

Optional pages: frequently asked questions, pricing guidance, and articles that answer common customer questions.

Make contacting you easy

• put a contact button on every page
• make phone numbers tappable on mobile
• say how quickly you reply
• keep any form short, or offer an email address instead

Search basics from Google

Google's SEO starter guide is a sensible reference, and much of it is about clarity:

• Helpful content. Write for people, answering the questions customers actually ask.
• Descriptive titles. Each page's title influences the title link shown in search results. Make it specific: "Commercial cleaning in Tacoma" rather than "Services".
• Meta descriptions. Google says a good meta description is short, unique to the page and includes its most relevant points, though snippets often come from page content.
• Descriptive URLs. Parts of the URL can appear in results, so readable words help.
• Alt text. Descriptive alt text helps search engines understand images.
• No keyword stuffing. Google says excessive repetition is against its spam policies and that it does not use the keywords meta tag.

For local businesses, the guides on local SEO and Google Business Profile cover the rest.

Accessibility

The Department of Justice's guidance explains how businesses open to the public can make their websites accessible to people with disabilities, as required by the ADA. Practical basics:

• alt text for meaningful images
• enough colour contrast for text
• headings in a logical order
• links and buttons that work with a keyboard
• captions for videos
• forms with clear labels

Accessible sites are usually clearer for everyone.

Speed and phones

Many visitors arrive on phones. Keep pages light: compress images, avoid heavy animations, and test on a real device. A slow page loses visitors before they read your opening sentence.

Trust signals

Help visitors trust you:

• real photos rather than generic stock images where possible
• testimonials you have permission to use, attributed honestly
• clear information about licenses or insurance where relevant to your trade
• a privacy notice if you collect personal information

Never invent reviews or results.

Keep it current

An outdated site suggests an inactive business. Review it every few months:

• update services and prices
• add recent work
• remove old offers
• check that every link and contact method still works

Measure what matters

You do not need complex analytics. Track how many enquiries come from the website and which pages they visit first. Improve the pages that bring enquiries, and rewrite pages that attract visits but no contact.

One clear sentence, a page per service, evidence, an easy contact path, helpful content with descriptive titles, and an accessible, fast site kept up to date.