If you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably asked yourself: “Do I really need a website?”
The real answer is this: You don’t need just a website—you need a site that brings customers.
I see this all the time: business owners spend weeks building a site themselves, or they hire the cheapest option they can find, and the end result looks fine… but doesn’t do anything.
A website should act like your best salesperson—clear, confident, and always working.
Step 1: Decide what your website needs to do
Before design, before platforms, before anything technical—you need to answer one question:
What do you want a visitor to do?
- Call you?
- Fill out a form?
- Book an appointment?
- Buy something?
Most DIY sites fail because they try to do everything at once. Professional sites focus on one clear action and guide visitors toward it.
Step 2: Choose the right platform (this matters)
This is where a lot of business owners get stuck. WordPress? Squarespace? Static HTML?
Here’s the honest truth: the platform matters less than how it’s built.
- A slow WordPress site won’t convert
- A beautiful Squarespace site won’t rank if it’s bloated
- A fast static site can outperform both if done right
The best choice depends on your goals, budget, and how hands-off you want to be. This is one of the biggest reasons business owners hire a professional—to avoid picking the wrong tool.
Step 3: Design for mobile first (non-negotiable)
Most of your visitors are on their phone. That’s not a trend—that’s reality.
If your site is hard to read, slow to load, or annoying to use on mobile, people leave. Google sees that—and so do your potential customers.
A professional build prioritizes:
- Readable text without zooming
- Fast load times
- Clear buttons and calls-to-action
Step 4: Speed isn’t optional anymore
Speed affects everything: rankings, conversions, trust.
I’ve worked on sites where simply improving load time increased calls without changing any wording or design.
If you missed it, I explain this in detail here: How to make your website load faster.
Step 5: Build trust immediately
When someone lands on your site, they’re subconsciously asking:
- Is this business real?
- Can I trust them?
- Are they professional?
This is why things like clear messaging, testimonials, real photos, and a clean layout matter. These details separate a “hobby site” from a business website.
Step 6: Make it easy to contact you
You’d be surprised how many sites make it hard to get in touch.
A good small business website makes contacting you effortless:
- Clear contact section
- Simple form
- Fast response expectations
If a visitor has to think about how to contact you, they won’t.
So… should you build it yourself?
You can. Many people do.
But most business owners eventually reach the same conclusion: their time is better spent running the business.
A professionally built website isn’t about code—it’s about results, speed, and not having to think about it anymore.