5 Things to Put on Your Small Business Website (and 3 Things to Skip)

Someone is on your website right now asking four basic questions: What do you do, can I trust you, how do I reach you, and what happens next? If your site makes them work to find those answers, you’re losing business.

That’s the big mistake I see. Small businesses spend money polishing the paint while the front door is still hard to open. A website is not a showroom first. It’s a tool. For most local businesses, its job is to help someone decide whether to call, book, visit, or request a quote.

If you want the deeper version of this idea, read what separates a business website that works from one that just sits there. But here’s the practical checklist.

1. A clear headline and one obvious next step

Your homepage should explain what you do in plain English in the first screenful. Not a slogan. Not “solutions for modern businesses.” Say what you sell, who it’s for, and what to do next.

Think of it like a storefront sign. If someone drives by and can’t tell whether you sell tires or tacos, the sign failed. Put one primary action on the page — call, request a quote, book an appointment — and make it hard to miss.

2. Mobile-friendly pages that load fast

A slow mobile site is like a restaurant with a stuck front door. People do not stand there patiently because your interior decorating is nice. Google has reported that 53% of mobile visits get abandoned if a page takes more than 3 seconds to load, and that tracks with what I see in the real world.

This is why I usually tell small businesses to avoid heavy effects, giant videos, and bloated page builders unless there’s a good reason. If your site is dragging, start with image size, hosting, and unnecessary scripts. Also worth reading: why your website is slow and what it is actually costing you.

3. Trust signals that answer “are you real?”

People look for proof before they reach out. That means real photos, reviews, a physical service area, business hours, and a little context about how you work. BrightLocal’s research keeps showing the same pattern: reviews matter, especially for local businesses.

Don’t overthink this. If you serve Northwest Arkansas or nearby areas, say so clearly and link to your service area. If you’re in a specific market like Fayetteville, put that on the site. A plain website with honest proof beats a fancy one with stock photos and vague claims every time.

4. Easy contact options that don’t trap people

Your phone number should be clickable on mobile. Your contact form should be short. Your address, hours, and email should not be hidden in a footer maze like it’s a scavenger hunt.

Also: test your form. I mean actually submit it and confirm where those messages go. Broken forms and silent inboxes are one of the dumbest ways to lose leads, and it happens more than it should.

5. Basic accessibility, security, and upkeep

Accessibility is not extra credit. It’s part of making the site usable. Clear headings, readable contrast, alt text on images, labels on forms, and keyboard-friendly navigation help real people use your site — and according to the WHO, that matters to a lot more people than most businesses realize.

Same goes for HTTPS, spam protection, and keeping information current. Old hours, expired promos, and outdated staff pages make a business look asleep at the wheel. If your website is going to be simple, it at least needs to be correct.

3 Things to Skip

1. Homepage sliders

Don’t do that. Most sliders either get ignored or create clutter, and they usually slow the site down while hiding your main message behind rotating banners.

Pick one strong message and one action. A slider is often just a way to avoid making a decision.

2. Autoplay video and fancy animations

These are the digital version of a hostess talking over you before you’ve sat down. They delay the thing the visitor came for: information.

If video helps explain your service, great — include it where it supports the page. But don’t make movement the main event unless your business actually depends on it.

3. Ten pages of fluff before the contact button

You probably do not need a giant website. The SBA’s advice is still the right baseline: make it easy for people to learn who you are, what you offer, where you are, and how to contact you.

For a lot of small businesses, a handful of solid pages beats a sprawling site full of filler. If you’re wondering whether you need more than a website, read the difference between a website and a web app (and why it matters for your business) and Myth: You Need a Mobile App When a Better Website Will Do.

Here’s my honest recommendation: open your site on your phone right now and try to answer those four questions in under 10 seconds. If you can’t, fix that before you spend money on anything decorative.

If this is you and you just need a simple site that covers the basics well, start with a Main Street Website. They start at $249, and most go live in about 48 hours.