What is the best website for a beginner small business?
Start with what customers need
A small business site should answer three questions quickly: what you sell or offer, where you are, and how to contact you or buy. Plan a homepage, a services or products page, an About page and a contact page before you choose a builder.
If your business serves a particular area, add a Google Business Profile so local customers can find your hours and phone number. Keep the name, address and phone number the same on your website and your profile.
- Clear service or product pages
- A click-to-call phone number and contact form
- A map and hours for local businesses
- Online booking, ordering or payments only if you really need them
Choosing a platform
Website builders such as Squarespace and Wix handle hosting and security for you, which helps beginners. Shopify is often used for online stores. WordPress.org is free software, but you need separate hosting and must keep it updated yourself.
Costs depend on the platform, the plan and add-ons such as domain names, booking tools or extra storage. Ask for the total yearly cost before you start so you are not surprised later.
Common mistakes
- Paying for features you will not use during the first year.
- Leaving out your hours, address or phone number on the pages where customers look for them.
