What Should a Business Website Include?

A business website is often the first place potential customers go to learn about a company.

Whether someone discovers your business through Google, social media, advertising, or a recommendation, they usually want answers to a few simple questions:

What does this business do?

Can it help me?

Why should I choose it?

How can I get in touch?

A good business website should answer these questions quickly and make it easy for visitors to take the next step.

The exact pages and features you need depend on your business, but most professional business websites should include several essential elements.

1. A Clear Homepage

Your homepage is usually the most important page on your website.

It should immediately communicate what your business does and who it serves.

A visitor shouldn't have to read several paragraphs before understanding what you're offering.

A good business homepage typically includes:

• Business name or logo
• Clear headline
• Short introduction
• Main products or services
• Key benefits
• High-quality images
• Call to action
• Contact information or a link to contact

For example, instead of simply saying:

Welcome to Our Website

you could say:

Professional Landscaping Services for Homes and Businesses

The second headline immediately tells visitors what the company does.

2. A Clear Description of Your Business

Visitors should quickly understand what your business offers.

Explain:

• What you do
• Who you serve
• Where you operate
• What makes your business different

Don't assume visitors already know your industry.

Use straightforward language and focus on the information that matters to potential customers.

Google similarly recommends that business descriptions provide useful information about the products or services offered, as well as relevant information about the business.

3. Products or Services

One of the most important parts of a business website is a clear explanation of what you sell.

Depending on your business, this might be a:

• Services page
• Product catalog
• Menu
• Pricing page
• Portfolio
• List of packages
• Individual service pages

Don't simply list the names of your services.

Explain what each service includes and, where appropriate, who it's for and what problem it solves.

If you offer several services, consider giving each important service its own page.

4. An About Page

People often want to know who they're dealing with before contacting a business.

An About page can introduce:

• The company
• Founder or team
• Experience
• Background
• Values
• Mission
• Qualifications
• Approach to customers

You don't need to write a long corporate history.

The goal is to make the business feel more real and trustworthy.

For a small business, a photograph and a short introduction from the owner can sometimes be more effective than several paragraphs of corporate language.

5. Contact Information

Make it easy for visitors to contact you.

Depending on your business, this could include:

• Email address
• Phone number
• Contact form
• Physical address
• Opening hours
• Social media profiles
• Booking link

Google specifically recommends providing a contact or support page that visitors can easily find and listing the available support methods.

Don't hide your contact information.

If someone is ready to ask a question or request a quote, you want the process to be as easy as possible.

6. A Contact Page

A dedicated Contact page is particularly useful for business websites.

It can contain:

• Phone number
• Email
• Contact form
• Address
• Opening hours
• Map
• Directions
• Social media links

For local businesses, accurate location and contact information are especially important. Google recommends keeping business details such as address or service area accurate and consistent.

A simple contact page can be one of the most valuable pages on a business website.

7. Clear Calls to Action

A business website should tell visitors what they can do next.

Examples include:

• Get a Quote
• Contact Us
• Book an Appointment
• Call Now
• Request a Consultation
• Shop Now
• Make a Reservation
• Learn More

The appropriate CTA depends on your business model.

A consultant might use:

Book a Consultation

A plumber might use:

Request a Quote

A restaurant might use:

Book a Table

An online store might use:

Shop Now

Your CTA should match the action you actually want visitors to take.

8. Testimonials and Reviews

Social proof can help potential customers feel more confident about choosing your business.

Depending on your business, you might include:

• Customer testimonials
• Reviews
• Ratings
• Case studies
• Client logos
• Before-and-after examples

Use genuine customer feedback.

A few detailed and authentic testimonials can be more useful than a large collection of vague statements.

9. Portfolio or Examples of Your Work

If your business provides a creative or professional service, visitors often want to see examples before contacting you.

A portfolio can be particularly useful for:

• Photographers
• Designers
• Artists
• Architects
• Web designers
• Builders
• Landscapers
• Marketing agencies
• Consultants

Show your strongest work rather than trying to include everything you've ever done.

High-quality examples can help visitors understand what they can expect from your business.

10. Pricing Information

Whether you should publish prices depends on your business.

For some businesses, transparent pricing is extremely useful.

For example:

• Restaurants can publish menu prices.
• Consultants can publish packages.
• Online services can publish subscription plans.
• Freelancers can publish starting prices.

Other businesses may need to provide individual quotes.

If you don't publish exact prices, explain how customers can get a quote.

The important thing is to avoid leaving visitors wondering whether your service is within their budget.

11. Business Location and Opening Hours

Local businesses should make their location and opening hours easy to find.

This is particularly important for:

• Restaurants
• Shops
• Salons
• Gyms
• Clinics
• Hotels
• Repair businesses
• Other businesses with physical locations

Include:

• Address
• Opening hours
• Phone number
• Map or directions

Make sure these details remain accurate.

Google's guidelines emphasize accurate addresses, service areas, phone numbers, and customer-facing business hours for eligible businesses.

12. Information About Your Service Area

Not every business has a traditional storefront.

Some businesses travel to customers or operate entirely online.

If you serve customers in specific locations, make this clear on your website.

For example:

Plumbing Services in Manchester and Surrounding Areas

or:

Web Design for Businesses Across the United States

This helps visitors understand whether your services are available to them.

For local service businesses, Google also distinguishes between storefront businesses and service-area businesses, so your website and business information should accurately reflect how your company actually operates.

13. Frequently Asked Questions

An FAQ section can answer common questions before someone contacts you.

Possible questions include:

• How much does the service cost?
• How long does it take?
• Where do you operate?
• Do you offer consultations?
• What payment methods do you accept?
• Do you provide refunds?
• How can I book an appointment?

FAQs can reduce repetitive enquiries and help visitors make decisions more quickly.

Don't add questions simply to make the page longer.

Focus on questions customers actually ask.

14. A Mobile-Friendly Design

Your business website needs to work well on smartphones.

Visitors should be able to:

• Read your content
• Navigate the menu
• Call you
• Complete forms
• View images
• Find your location
• Use important buttons

without struggling with the layout.

A responsive website automatically adapts to different screen sizes.

If you're building a new website, see How to Make a Website Mobile-Friendly.

15. Fast and Easy-to-Use Pages

A professional business website shouldn't make visitors wait unnecessarily.

Keep pages reasonably lightweight and avoid unnecessary design elements that slow everything down.

Pay particular attention to:

• Large images
• Video
• Animations
• Unnecessary scripts
• Complicated page layouts

The website doesn't need to be technically perfect.

It simply needs to feel fast and easy to use.

16. Professional Branding

Your website should look like it belongs to your business.

Use consistent:

• Logo
• Colors
• Fonts
• Photography
• Visual style
• Tone of voice

The same branding should ideally appear across your website and other business materials.

This makes the company easier to recognize and creates a more professional impression.

17. Social Media Links

If your business actively uses social media, you can link to your official profiles from your website.

This gives visitors another way to:

• Follow your business
• See recent updates
• View additional photos
• Ask questions
• Learn more about your brand

Don't add links to social networks you don't actually maintain.

A few active profiles are better than a long list of abandoned accounts.

18. Privacy and Legal Information

Depending on your location and the nature of your business, your website may need additional legal information.

This can include:

• Privacy policy
• Cookie information
• Terms and conditions
• Refund policy
• Business identification details
• Other legally required notices

The exact requirements depend on the country, industry, and type of website.

If you're operating a business website, make sure you understand the legal requirements that apply to your particular situation.

19. Secure Website Connection

Your website should use HTTPS.

A secure connection helps protect information exchanged between visitors and your website.

Most modern website builders and hosting providers support HTTPS, often automatically.

This is particularly important if visitors submit:

• Contact forms
• Personal information
• Login credentials
• Payment information

For an online store, security is especially important throughout the checkout process.

20. Search-Friendly Structure

A business website should also be easy for search engines to understand.

Basic SEO practices include:

• Descriptive page titles
• Clear headings
• Useful content
• Logical navigation
• Internal links
• Descriptive URLs
• Mobile-friendly pages

If you're a local business, accurate business information can also help establish your official presence in Google Search and Maps. Google recommends claiming a Business Profile and keeping business information accurate.

You can learn more in How to Improve Website SEO.

21. A Google Business Profile for Local Businesses

If your business has a physical location or serves customers in a defined area, a Google Business Profile can complement your website.

It can help customers find information such as:

• Business name
• Address
• Phone number
• Opening hours
• Website
• Photos
• Business category

Google describes Business Profiles as a way for businesses to manage how they appear in Google Search and Maps.

Your Google Business Profile and website should provide consistent and accurate information about your business.

22. Analytics and Search Monitoring

Once your website is live, you should understand how people use it.

Tools such as Google Analytics can help you learn about visitors and their behavior.

Google Search Console can help you monitor how your website appears in Google Search and identify search-related issues.

You don't need to become a data analyst.

Even basic information can be useful:

• Which pages get the most traffic?
• Where do visitors come from?
• Which pages generate enquiries?
• What search queries bring visitors to your website?

This information can help you improve the website over time.

What Should a Small Business Website Include?

A small business usually doesn't need dozens of pages.

A simple structure might be:

Home

About

Services

Individual Service Pages

Testimonials

Contact

FAQ

You can add other pages when they become useful.

For example, a local business may need a dedicated Location page, while a consultant may benefit from a Portfolio or Case Studies section.

The goal isn't to create as many pages as possible.

The goal is to provide the information potential customers actually need.

What Should a Local Business Website Include?

A local business should make its location and contact information particularly easy to find.

Consider including:

• Address
• Opening hours
• Phone number
• Map
• Directions
• Service area
• Local services
• Reviews
• Photos
• Booking or reservation options

A restaurant, for example, should make its menu and opening hours easy to find.

A local plumber might focus more on services, service areas, emergency contact information, and quote requests.

See Best Website Builders for Local Businesses for more information.

What Should a Service Business Website Include?

Service businesses need to explain what they do and make it easy for potential customers to get in touch.

Important elements include:

• Clear service descriptions
• Individual service pages
• Benefits
• Pricing or quote information
• Testimonials
• Portfolio or case studies
• About page
• Contact form
• Phone number
• Clear CTA

For many service businesses, the main goal isn't to sell something directly online.

It's to turn website visitors into enquiries or appointments.

See Best Website Builders for Service Businesses for more ideas.

What Should a Professional Business Website Look Like?

A professional website doesn't need to be complicated.

It should simply look trustworthy, organized, and consistent.

Focus on:

• Clean design
• High-quality images
• Readable typography
• Consistent branding
• Clear navigation
• Useful content
• Professional photography
• Clear calls to action

Avoid adding design elements just because they look impressive.

Every element should have a purpose.

A simple website that clearly communicates what a company does can be much more effective than an elaborate website that makes visitors work to find information.

Business Website Checklist

Before publishing your business website, check that you have:

• A clear homepage
• A description of your business
• Products or services
• About page
• Contact page
• Phone or email
• Clear calls to action
• Customer reviews or testimonials where appropriate
• Portfolio or examples of work where appropriate
• Pricing or information about getting a quote
• Location and opening hours if applicable
• Service area if applicable
• FAQ section if useful
• Mobile-friendly design
• Fast-loading pages
• Consistent branding
• Privacy and legal information where required
• HTTPS
• Basic SEO
• Google Business Profile if applicable
• Analytics and search monitoring

You don't necessarily need every item on this list.

The right structure depends on your business.

The important thing is that your website provides the information your customers need to make a decision.

Final Thoughts

A good business website should do more than simply tell people that your company exists.

It should explain what you offer, build trust, answer common questions, and make it easy for potential customers to take the next step.

For most businesses, the essential foundation is relatively simple:

Clear homepage + services or products + about information + contact details + strong calls to action.

From there, you can add testimonials, portfolios, FAQs, pricing, location information, booking systems, and other features that make sense for your business.

You don't need to build everything at once.

Start with the information your customers need most, create a clean and mobile-friendly website, and improve it as your business grows.

If you're ready to create your business website, start by comparing Best Website Builders for Small Business and find a platform that fits your needs.

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