Five pages beat fifty

Many new businesses spend a long time deciding how many pages their website needs and very little time on the things that actually decide whether it works.

The five pages that do the work

• Home explains what you do, who it is for and where you work, and it offers one clear next step.
• Services describes what people can buy in plain language, with prices or a starting point wherever you can give one.
• About introduces the people behind the business, since customers like to know who they are dealing with.
• Contact includes a form, an email address, a phone number and your service area.
• A page for your best customer answers the question you are asked most often, or speaks directly to the kind of client you want more of.

You can always add pages later, once you know what visitors actually look for.

What matters more than page count

How the site works on phones

Most visitors arrive on a phone, and Google evaluates the mobile version of a site first. Check every page on your own phone before launch, and make sure that buttons are easy to tap and text is easy to read.

How quickly it loads

Large photos are the most common reason a small-business site loads slowly. Resize images before you upload them, and avoid heavy sliders or background videos on the homepage.

A contact form you can rely on

Test the form every month, check the folder its messages are delivered to, and make sure it blocks automated spam so that genuine enquiries don't get buried.

A security certificate

A security certificate lets your site load over HTTPS. Without one, browsers warn visitors that the site isn't secure, and that warning alone is enough to make many people leave.

Accessibility

In Ontario, private organizations with 50 or more employees must meet the WCAG 2.0 Level AA accessibility standard for their websites. Smaller businesses aren't required to meet it yet, but clear headings, readable colour contrast and descriptive image text help every visitor, and search engines read accessible sites more easily.

Privacy

If your form collects names or email addresses, your site needs a privacy policy. Canada's federal privacy law applies to personal information that businesses collect in the course of commercial activity.

A note on do-it-yourself builders

A website builder can be a reasonable way to start. Before you commit to one, check that you can use your own domain, edit each page's title and description, and export your content if you ever decide to leave.

A worked example

Consider a mobile dog groomer who works across the west end of Toronto. A five-page plan for that business might look like this.

• The home page leads with "Mobile dog grooming in Etobicoke and Mississauga", a booking button and a few real photos.
• The services page lists each service with a starting price and the time it takes.
• The about page introduces the groomer and shows what the van looks like inside.
• The booking page offers a short form, a phone number and the list of areas covered.
• A fifth page explains how the groomer handles anxious dogs, which is the question customers ask most often.

That last page tends to attract people who are searching for exactly that problem, which a generic page would never do.

What belongs at the top of the homepage

• A headline that says what you do and where you do it.
• A single line about who the service is for.
• One clear button that lets people book, call or ask for a quote.
• Something that builds trust, such as genuine reviews or photos of your work.

Page titles and descriptions

Every page has a title and a short description that appear in Google's results. Write them for people rather than for search engines. A title such as "Mobile Dog Grooming in Etobicoke | Brand Name" tells a searcher exactly what to expect, while a title of "Home" tells them nothing at all.

Common mistakes

• Using only stock photos, so that nothing on the site looks like your actual business.
• Placing contact details inside images, where phones and search engines can't read them.
• Leaving out prices entirely, which sends visitors to competitors who do show them.
• Adding large sliders and videos that slow the page down on phones.
• Connecting the contact form to an inbox that nobody checks.

A launch checklist

1. Check every page on your own phone.
2. Submit the form yourself and confirm that the message arrives.
3. Confirm that the padlock appears on every page.
4. Link your privacy policy in the footer.
5. Install analytics and submit your sitemap in Google Search Console.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a blog?

A blog isn't necessary on day one. It becomes valuable once you can publish useful answers regularly, and a site that stays accurate is worth more than a blog that stops after two posts.

How long does a small business website take to build?

With the words and photos ready, a simple five-page site can be built in about two weeks. Gathering that content usually takes longer than the build itself.

Will I be able to edit the site myself?

You should be able to make everyday changes yourself. Before the work starts, ask how text, photos and opening hours are updated, and agree on who will handle anything more involved.

Should I show prices on my website?

Showing prices wherever you can is usually worth it. Even a starting price helps people decide to get in touch, and it filters out enquiries that were never going to fit their budget. If every job is custom, explain what affects the price and give a typical range.

Do I need a separate mobile version of my site?

A separate mobile version isn't necessary, since a modern site adapts to the screen it is viewed on. The important step is testing the site on real phones rather than only on a desktop browser.

Key takeaways

• Five focused pages are enough to launch, and you can add more once you know what visitors look for.
• Design for phones first and keep every page fast.
• Test your contact form regularly and check where its messages go.
• Add a privacy policy as soon as your site collects any personal information.