The 5 “Must - Have” Pages for Your First Small Business Website If you’re launching a small business, a website can feel like a big task. You don’t need dozens of pages to start. You need the right five pages. Done well, they answer the main questions your customers have and make it easy for them to act. This post is for small business owners putting together a first site. It’s also for anyone working with an affordable website designer who wants to keep things focused and practical. 1. Home — the one - minute pitch The home page is where most visitors land. Treat it like your elevator pitch. In one clear shot a visitor should understand what you do, who you serve, and what to do next. Open with a short headline that says what you offer. Add one sentence that explains the benefit. Use a prominent call to action — book, call, order, or browse. Show one strong image that reflects your real business, not a cheesy stock photo. Keep content tight. One or two value points are enough. If you have an affordable website designer, ask them to prioritize speed and clarity here. Slow or cluttered home pages lose people fast. 2. About — who you are and why you care People buy from people. The about page is where you build trust. Don’t write a long, formal history unless it matters. Say who you are, what you believe, and how you help customers. Be human. Include a short team note or a photo if possible. A quick line about your experience or a simple mission statement helps. If you’re a solo owner, say so. If you started the business for a reason customers can relate to, tell that story briefly. End with a soft call to action. Invite visitors to explore services, read testimonials, or contact you. A friendly tone goes a long way. 3. Services or Products — clear offerings, clear pricing if possible This page answers the obvious question: what do you sell, and how does it work? Break it down into clear sections for each service or product. Use plain headings so visitors can scan quickly. Describe the outcome more than the process. People care about results. If you can, show starting prices or typical ranges. Even a simple “starting at” line reduces friction and saves time for both you and your customer. If you sell products, include a few good photos, short descriptions, and an obvious buy or inquiry button. For services, list what’s included and how to get started. Your affordable website designer can set this up as editable sections so you can update off erings later without calling them every time. 4. Contact — make contact effortless If a visitor wants to reach you, don’t make them hunt. The contact page should offer at least two ways to reach you: a phone number and a simple form. Add your business hours and a clear response time, like “we reply within 24 hours.” If you have a physical location, include a map and address. If you take bookings, link directly to your calendar or explain how to book. Keep the form short — name, email, reason — and avoid long questionnaires that scare people off. A direct email link or click - to - call button helps mobile visitors. Mobile users are often ready to act. Make it easy for them. 5. Social Proof — testimonials, reviews, or case stories New customers want assurance. A social proof page pulls that assurance together. Showcase real testimonials, short case studies, or before/after photos. One strong story is better than ten vague quotes. If you have reviews on Google, Facebook, or industry sites, pull a few highlights (with permission) and link to the full reviews. If you’re just starting, use short quotes from early customers or pilot clients. Include names and locations when possible. Th at small detail boosts credibility. If you’ve done local work, show photos of completed jobs. If you provide services, show results and short client notes. This page converts curious visitors into confident callers. A few final practical tips Write like you speak. Short sentences work. Break text into bite - sized paragraphs and use headings so people can scan. Photos should be real and sized for the web so pages load fast. If you’re hiring an affordable website designer, be clear about priorities. Ask them to make the five pages editable. Ask for basic SEO setup like page titles and meta descriptions so people can find you. Confirm who will host the site and who owns the dom ain. Get a short training session so you can update content yourself. Mobile matters. Most visitors will see your site on a phone. Test the pages on a small screen and make sure calls to action are obvious and tappable. Finally, don’t aim for perfect. Launch with these five pages, then improve. Add a blog or a pricing page when you have time. Track what visitors click and adjust content to match. A focused first site helps you look professional today and grow easily tomor row. Final thought Your first small business website doesn’t need to be a masterpiece. It needs to answer basic questions fast and make it easy to connect. Home, About, Services, Contact, and Social Proof cover that. Build those well, and you’ll have a useful site that earns customers without wasting time or money. An affordable website designer can help you do this cleanly. Just keep the focus on clarity and on action.