The pages every small business website needs, and what to write on them

Visitors do not arrive wanting to read your website. They arrive with a question: can you do this, where are you, how much, can I trust you, how do I book. Each page should answer one of those questions clearly enough that someone skimming on a phone gets it in a few seconds, and someone reading carefully finds the detail below.

Filler is the enemy. Phrases such as "we are passionate about excellence" or "tailored solutions for all your needs" take up space and say nothing, so cut them. Replace each vague claim with a fact: how long you have traded, what you have done, who you have worked for, what happens at each stage, and what it costs or how it is priced.

Before writing, collect your raw material: a list of services, three real customer stories, your qualifications and memberships, photos of your work, your prices or typical ranges, and your service area. Writing is far easier when you are choosing from facts than when you are inventing sentences.

If you offer several distinct services, give each its own page. A page called "Boiler servicing" can answer boiler servicing questions fully, and it can match what people search for. A single page that lists everything in bullets cannot do either job.

Each service page should answer the same set of questions: what it is, who it is for, what is included, how it works step by step, how long it takes, what it costs or how you price it, and what to do next. If you cannot show an exact price, give a typical range or the factors that decide it. Visitors trust honesty about cost far more than evasion.

Mention where you work, using real place names. For a local business that is useful to visitors and to search engines. Avoid stuffing a list of fifty towns into the footer, though. Describe the areas you really cover.

The Contact page is where the website earns its keep, so make it effortless. Show your phone number as a tappable link, your email address, opening hours and, if people visit you, a clear address and how to park or arrive. Add a short form for people who prefer it. Our guide on adding a contact form shows how to make it reliable.

Say what happens after someone gets in touch: "We reply within one working day" or "We will call you back to arrange a free quote". That removes the anxiety of sending a message into the unknown. Repeat the phone number in the site header or footer so it is a tap away from every page.