What Kind of Website Does Your Local Business Need?
Photo: Celena Brown · Cairo, Egypt, 2022
What Kind of Website Does Your Business Actually Need? Let’s Find the Right Fit.
There’s no question that every business needs an online presence. The question is: what kind of website makes sense for your business, your customers, and your budget?
A local service contractor like NGA Gravel Repair has a very different conversation with customers than a multi-location restaurant like the LaCabaña family of Mexican restaurants. A company like McGovern Municipal with several service levels and different audiences needs something different again.
That’s why it’s not practical to start every website conversation with a predetermined package. You won’t find a website price list at C7. I listen, learn how your business works, and help make a plan that fits your needs and budget.
I’ve been doing this long enough to know that bigger isn’t always better. Sometimes a business needs a website that simply does its job and stays out of the way.
Take Stan at Sunny Farms North in Cumming, Georgia. His family has offered horseback riding through beautiful pastures, woods, mountains and along the river since 1973. Stan took over after his father passed, and now his boys and family are part of carrying the business forward. They don’t need a lot of website. They need the basics, and they need someone to keep it working.
SunnyFarmsNorth.com was one of the first websites I built. Nearly 20 years later, it’s still online, and I’m still here when Stan needs a change. He doesn’t pay for ongoing SEO services. Some years we even trade a horseback ride for the $300 annual hosting fee. It’s a good relationship. I can read the room. Stan doesn’t need to be sold a marketing program. He needs his business information accessible so people can come ride.
Then there’s Captain Josh Metcalf, a yacht delivery captain whose reputation and referrals keep him booked. His website is a simple, one-page presentation of an impressive list of deliveries. When visitors scroll through his work, they have what they need to understand his experience and make the call. That’s the point. His website doesn’t need to be complicated to work for his business.
A restaurant like Javi’s Mexican Grill in Cleveland, GA , on the other hand, needs different functionality and support than Captain Josh’s online brag book, Customers want menus, hours, locations, online ordering and we even solved some of his frequent communication challenges with custom giving forms for the local organizations seeking donations in the White County GA area.
A business like Jensen Reserve in Loganville, GA is selling meats or Hansel and Gretel Candy Kitchen in Helen, GA is selling treats online they need purchasing and shipping functions. A company asking customers to search inventory like AgraMed in Cleveland, GA needed to make critical safety documents available, while LT Transfers, a timeshare transfer business, needed a custom document prep form to get their processes rolling smoothly and increase the number of serviceable clients. As you can see, no two website is alike because – for the most part – no two businesses are alike.
The website has to fit the people running the business, too. Not every business has someone in the office watching online forms. A form-heavy website makes sense for C&C Metal Recycling. They have someone in the office to talk to people who are looking schedule pick up for selling junk cars in SC but still helps to have a form people can fill out online to get that junk car sold. Sometimes a phone call or a simple email inquiry is better. We can still collect the information needed to start the conversation without making the customer jump through hoops or posting your email address for every spammer online.
So before I recommend anything, I want to know how you do business, how customers find you, and what would make things easier for both of you.
Tell me about your business.
- What do you do?
- How do customers find you now?
- What do they need to know before calling?
- Are you trying to grow? Do you want to sell something online? Is there a process that could be easier for your customers?
- What makes sense for your budget?
Once we understand those things, choosing the right website becomes much easier.
Why Does Your Business Need a Website at All?
You might be surprised how often I hear, “Most of my business comes from word of mouth. I don’t really need a website. But recently an old customer was looking for me and couldn’t find my number and couldn’t find me online”. That just the comment and problem we solved for Precision Seal Coat and Striping in Tiger, GA. We made Daniel Wilson discoverable by his name, his services, and his busineses with a simple one page website and temporary listing services.
Most of the time, when I hear what Daniel said, I understand exactly what the business owner means. They’re busy. Their customers refer friends. They’ve built a great reputation without spending much on advertising. That’s wonderful.
But think about what happens after someone recommends your business.
A friend says, “You need to call this guy. He does excellent work.” What’s the first thing many people do?
They look you up.
They want to see whether you’re a real business, what kind of work you do, where you’re located, and how to contact you.They may want to see pictures or read a little about your experience. Your website doesn’t necessarily need to generate thousands of visitors to be valuable. Sometimes it simply needs to reassure the people who are already looking for you. That’s an important job.
Let’s look at the different types of websites we build and why one might make more sense than another.
Level One: The Simple Placeholder Website
When You Just Need to Exist Online
Let’s start with the simplest kind of website. I call this a placeholder website, although there’s nothing wrong with it being a polished, professional representation of your business. It’s usually one page, sometimes with a few clearly defined sections.
It tells visitors who you are, what you do, where you work, and how to contact you.
That’s it.
And for some businesses, that’s exactly enough.
Think about an experienced service provider who already has a steady customer base.
Maybe he’s a captain, a contractor, or a specialist who works primarily through referrals.
He doesn’t need a complicated online marketing strategy right now. But when someone hears his name and looks him up, he wants them to find something professional.
That’s where a simple website makes sense.
Captain Josh’s one-page site is a good example: his work speaks for itself, and visitors can easily contact him.
Example: Precision Asphalt Sealcoat & Striping
PrecisionAsphaltSealcoatStriping.com
A straightforward service-business website can also serve this purpose. Customers need to understand the services offered and know how to make contact.
A clean presentation, clear descriptions, and an easy way to reach the business can accomplish a lot without requiring a complicated website.
What Should a Simple Website Include?
At minimum, I’d want visitors to find:
- Your business name and a clear description of what you do.
- The services or products you offer.
- Your location or service area.
- A phone number, email address, or contact form.
- A few authentic photographs, when appropriate.
- Enough information to establish confidence in your business.
Depending on the company, we might also include a short introduction, credentials, service highlights, or links to social media.
The important thing is that the website works well on a phone and makes it easy to reach you.
Will a One-Page Website Rank on Google?
It can appear in search results, especially for your business name and some relevant searches. But a one-page website generally gives us less room to explain multiple services, answer questions, and develop detailed information for different searches.
That doesn’t mean a one-page website is bad. It means we should be realistic about its purpose. If your goal is to give referral customers a professional place to find you, it may be exactly the right investment. If your goal is to compete for many different services across multiple communities, we’ll probably need to think bigger.
Level Two: The Thoughtful Multi-Page Business Website
When You’re Building a Foundation for Future Visibility This is where a website begins to tell more of your story. Maybe you’re not ready to invest in ongoing SEO or advertising.
Maybe you’re still growing, and your marketing budget needs to stay manageable.
But you know you want your website to do more than simply confirm that your business exists. You want people to understand what you offer. You want your services explained.
And you want to give search engines a reasonable opportunity to understand your business as your online presence develops. This is where a thoughtful multi-page website can make a lot of sense.
At C7, we often look at a structure of at least five pages for this type of project, depending on the business. That might include a homepage, about page, services page, project or portfolio page, and contact page. Or it might include separate pages for important services. The exact structure depends on what people are looking for.
Why More Pages Can Be Helpful
Let’s imagine a company that builds commercial steel buildings. It serves different industries, and its customers have different needs. One customer may be looking for a self-storage building. Another may need a warehouse. Someone else may need a building for an industrial operation. A single page mentioning all those things may provide a general overview. But individual pages give us an opportunity to explain each service in greater detail.
That’s helpful to the customer.
And it helps search engines understand the different subjects covered by the website.
The goal isn’t to create pages simply to increase the page count.
It’s to organize useful information in a way that makes sense.
Example: Summit Structural
Summit Structural is a good example of a business that benefits from clearly explaining its capabilities and the types of projects it handles. Commercial and industrial customers often research suppliers and contractors before making contact. They want to understand the company’s experience, the kinds of buildings it works with, and whether it’s a good fit for their project. A thoughtful website provides room to communicate those things.
It can also establish a foundation for additional service-specific content as the company grows.
Example: Cutler Structures
Custom home building is another industry where customers need more than a phone number. They’re making a major investment. They want to understand the builder’s approach, experience, style, and capabilities. A multi-page website allows a builder to introduce the company, explain the building process, show projects, and help prospective clients determine whether the builder is a good match. That doesn’t necessarily mean the company needs a large monthly marketing investment from day one.
It means the website should be built thoughtfully enough to support the business now and provide room to grow later.
Building With Search Visibility in Mind
Even when a client isn’t investing in ongoing SEO, we still think about how customers search.
- What would someone type into Google when looking for this business?
- Which services deserve their own pages?
- Which geographic areas matter?
- What information would help a visitor understand the company’s experience?
We consider page titles, headings, descriptions, navigation, and the language used throughout the website. These are foundational SEO considerations.
But I want to make an important distinction.Building a website with good SEO foundations is not the same thing as providing an ongoing SEO campaign. A well-planned website can create opportunities for discoverability. It doesn’t guarantee prominent rankings, particularly in competitive markets. Ongoing search marketing may involve additional content, technical improvements, reputation management, advertising, and performance analysis. Still, beginning with a thoughtful website is much better than building something you’ll need to completely rethink later.
3) Level Three: The Website Built to Help Grow Your Business
When You’re Ready to Compete for New Customers
Now let’s talk about the business owner who says, “I want people who have never heard of us to find us online.” That’s a different goal. Maybe you’re opening a new location. Maybe you’ve added services. Perhaps your company has grown through referrals, but you’re ready to reach a larger audience. Or maybe your competitors are showing up everywhere online, and you know you’re missing opportunities. This is where website development and ongoing marketing begin to work more closely together.
We need to understand the customers you’re trying to reach.
- What are they searching for?
- Where are they located?
- Which services do you most want to promote?
- What questions do they ask before contacting a company?
- What would make them choose you?
A Website Designed for Discoverability, a growth-focused website may include more detailed service pages, location information, customer resources, project examples, and educational content. We also need to think about how visitors move through the site.
Someone who finds an article about a plumbing problem should have an easy way to learn about the related service.
Someone researching a Generator in Rabun County GA should be able to find examples of relevant projects.
A customer looking for a specific OME automotive part should understand where to find it, how much it costs, rules for access, and where its located.
This is where good website planning becomes especially valuable. It’s not just about making the site look nice. It’s about helping people find the information they’re looking for and take the next step.
Search Visibility Doesn’t Happen All at Once
I think it’s important to be realistic about this. You can launch a beautiful website today and still need time to develop strong search visibility. Search engines have to discover and evaluate the website. You’re competing with other businesses, some of which may have established websites and reputations. And your industry and geographic market affect how difficult particular searches may be. That’s why I encourage business owners to think of online visibility as something we build over time.
Start with a good foundation.
Make sure the website explains the business properly. Then identify the areas where additional work can create the most value. For some businesses, that might involve SEO.
For others, in highly competitive industries like Clay’s Motorsports, who does Window Tint and Paint Protection, paid advertising may make sense alongside organic search work. And sometimes improving the online discoverability on the website is the most important next step.
4) Level Four: The Website That Actually Does Something
When Your Website Needs Special Functionality This is one of my favorite types of projects. Sometimes a business doesn’t simply need a place to share information.
It needs a website that performs a particular task. And maybe like the Pick up Portal website is the whole business. Maybe customers need to complete paperwork online. Perhaps they need to search an inventory system like customers of C & C Pick A Part in Greenwood, SC.
Maybe they need to configure a product like Global Public Safety Upfitter customers, select options, or submit detailed information before receiving a quote. This is where custom website functionality becomes valuable.
And the possibilities are much broader than most business owners realize.
Your website can be more than an online brochure. It can become part of how your business operates.
Example: LTTransfers
LTTransfers provides timeshare transfer services, a process that involves gathering specific information and preparing documents. For this type of business, a website needs to do more than explain the service. It can help customers provide the information needed to begin the process. A thoughtfully designed document-preparation form helps organize information and creates a more convenient experience.
Customers don’t have to wonder which details are needed. The business receives information in a more consistent format. That’s the kind of functionality that can make a website useful to both sides of the transaction.
Example: C&C Pick-A-Part
Think about a customer looking for a used automotive part. They may want to know whether a particular vehicle or part is available before making a trip. An inventory and parts lookup system can make that experience considerably easier. Instead of simply advertising that the business sells used auto parts, the website helps customers search for what they need. That’s an important distinction. The website is actively helping the business serve its customers. And when customers can find useful information online, it can also reduce unnecessary phone calls and repetitive questions.
Example: Global Public Safety
Global Public Safety is another example of a business with specialized website needs.
Its public service vehicle upfitting configurator is designed around a process that goes beyond ordinary website navigation.
Customers need a way to work through equipment or configuration choices as part of their inquiry.
This type of functionality requires thoughtful planning.
- What choices should customers see?
- What information does the company need to collect?
- How should those selections be organized?
- What happens after a customer submits the information?
- How do we make the process understandable without overwhelming the user?
These are business questions as much as technology questions. A successful custom website starts by understanding how the business works and how customers want to interact with it.
Other Things a Custom Website Can Do
Depending on the business, custom functionality might include online payments, appointment scheduling, customer portals, inventory searches, estimate requests, document uploads, or product configuration.
It might connect with another system the company already uses. Or it might replace a manual process that’s taking too much time. But just because a website can do something doesn’t mean every business needs it.
We always want to consider the cost, complexity, maintenance, and value of a feature before adding it.
Sometimes a simple form solves the problem.
Sometimes an existing software integration makes more sense.
Sometimes a custom-built solution is the right investment.
How Do You Decide Which Website Is Right for You?
Here’s where I’d start. Ask yourself what job the website needs to perform.
If you mostly receive referrals: A simple, professional website may be enough.
If you want to explain your business and prepare for future growth: A thoughtfully organized multi-page website may be the right fit.
If you’re actively trying to attract new customers online: You’ll want a website designed to support ongoing search visibility and marketing.
If your customers need to complete tasks online: You’ll want to explore the functionality required to make that process work. You may also need a combination.
A company can have a growth-focused website with custom forms, online payments, and specialized tools. These aren’t rigid categories. They’re simply a helpful way to think about what you’re buying.
What About the Cost of a Website?
Website pricing varies because the work varies. A one-page website requires a different investment from a multi-page website with original content, custom design, and detailed service information. A custom inventory search or configuration system adds another level of planning, development, and testing. That’s why I prefer to understand the project before suggesting a price.
I also encourage business owners to consider the ongoing costs.
- Who will maintain the website?
- Will it need security updates?
- Are there third-party software subscriptions?
- What happens when you need to change information?
- Will you want someone available to make improvements?
A website should be something your business can comfortably maintain.
Don’t Overlook the Way Customers Want to Communicate
This is one of the most important parts of website planning. Not every customer wants to make a phone call. Some prefer to complete a form. Others want to send a quick message.
Some need to upload photographs or documents. A restaurant customer may want to order online. A service customer may want to request an appointment.
And a customer considering a complicated purchase may need to speak with someone before making a decision.
Your website should make the right next step easy.
Sometimes that’s a big, obvious phone number. Sometimes it’s a form that asks a few helpful questions. And sometimes it’s a carefully planned online process.
The best solution depends on the customer and the business.
Frequently Asked Questions About Business Websites
Is a one-page website enough for a small business?
It can be, especially for businesses that rely primarily on referrals and need a professional online presence.
How many pages should a business website have?
There is no universal requirement. A small multi-page website often starts around five pages, but the right number depends on your services and goals.
Can a website rank without monthly SEO?
Yes. A website can appear in search results without an ongoing SEO contract, although competitive visibility may require additional work.
Do I need a custom website?
Only if your business requires functionality or an experience that isn’t adequately supported by simpler solutions.
Can my website accept payments?
Yes. Many websites can integrate payment processing, although the right approach depends on what you’re selling and the transaction requirements.
Can I start small and expand later?
Often, yes. Planning for future growth from the beginning can make expansion easier and more cost-effective.
Build What You Need, Not What Someone Wants to Sell You
I’ve worked with businesses that needed nothing more than a clean, professional website.
And I’ve worked with businesses that needed complex functionality designed around their operations. Both can be great projects. The goal isn’t to sell every business the biggest website possible. I want to build what makes sense for the people running it and the customers using it. It’s to create something that serves the business and its customers.
At C7, I start by understanding what you’re trying to accomplish.
Sometimes the right answer is simple. Sometimes it’s a much bigger idea.
Either way, your website should work for you, communicate what makes your business valuable, and give customers an easy way to connect.
That’s what a good website is supposed to do.
Tell me about your business. You won’t be handed off to an account representative. You’ll talk to the woman who founded C7, leads the projects, and still enjoys finding the right solution for a business. Contact Celena today.
