Setting up a website for your small business can feel like a maze, especially when you’re juggling a dozen other things. Maybe you’ve typed “how to create a website for my small business” into Google and fallen into a black hole of conflicting advice. The good news? You don’t need to be tech-savvy to make a business website that brings in results. You just need the right plan.

Why every small business needs a performance-focused website

A good website works behind the scenes around the clock. It helps customers find you, understand what you do, and feel confident enough to take the next step, whether that’s sending a message, making a purchase or booking an appointment. Done right, it’s one of your most powerful business tools.

What this guide will cover

This guide gives you a clear step-by-step process for building a small business website that actually helps you grow. You’ll get practical advice with some insider web design tips to help you avoid mistakes and focus on what really matters.

Want to skip the setup? We build websites for businesses like yours!

Top 10 Easy Steps to Create a Small Business Website

Creating a website can be a straightforward process when you follow the right steps and following best practices. Whether you’re building one for the first time or improving an existing site, this guide will walk you through each stage in plain language. From choosing a domain to launching your site, these ten easy steps will help you build something that actually works for your business.

Step 1: Define What Your Website Needs to Do

Before anything else, think about what you want your website to help you with. Every business is different, so your website should reflect the way you work and how you connect with customers.

Ask yourself:

• Do I want more enquiries or phone calls?
• Should customers be able to book appointments online?
• Am I selling products that need a secure checkout?
• Do I need a place to share important information or updates?

Once you know what the website needs to do, you can focus on the right features and

• For service-based businesses, include easy-to-find contact forms
• For product-based businesses, prioritise clear listings and a smooth checkout
• For appointment-led businesses, use a booking calendar that links to your availability

Being clear on your goals gives your website a real purpose from day one – let’s map your website goals together

Step 2: Choose a Business-Friendly Domain Name

Your domain name is what people type in to find you, so it should be concise, simple to remember, and relevant to your business. If it’s too long or too complex, filled with unusual spellings or numbers, people are going to struggle to find you, end up on the wrong site, or be worried it’s a fraudulent website. A good domain tells visitors they’re in the right place, so aim for something that looks clean, sounds clear when you say it aloud, and works well for search visibility too.

Tips for choosing the right domain:

• Use your business name if possible or add your location or something closely related to what you do
• Keep it short and avoid odd spellings or unnecessary words where possible
• Choose a .co.uk or .com ending, especially if you’re based in the UK
• Consider adding a location if it helps people find you (e.g. surreylawncare.co.uk)

We recommend UK-based providers like 123 Reg, GoDaddy or Names.co.uk for finding your domain name. Many website platforms also let you purchase your domain during setup.

Step 3: Pick the Right Platform or Website Builder

Choosing the right place to build your website depends on what your business needs and how hands-on you want to be.

Some platforms are designed for speed and simplicity, so you can get something live quickly and with the least amount of effort. Other platforms offer much more advanced features you’ll need if you want your visitors to be able to make online bookings for your hotel or events, or buy products from your ecommerce store.

Your platform, whether it’s WordPress or Laravel, needs to support not just how your website looks to visitors, but how it functions and integrates with your business operations.

Here’s a simple breakdown:

• Wix: Easy to use with drag-and-drop features. Great for beginners
• Squarespace: Clean, modern design with stylish templates. You can compare Wix to Squarespace here.
• WordPress: Highly flexible, great for blogs or feature-rich sites
• WooCommerce: Ideal for online stores with built-in tools for managing products
• Custom-built: Best for full control, better performance and tailored design

Things to think about:

• Do you want to manage it yourself or hire someone?
• Will your business change in the next year or two?
• Do you need things like online payments, bookings or advanced SEO?

If you’re looking at how to build a business website that stands out, think beyond templates. A custom site gives you more freedom to shape the user journey. Our best tip is to choose the platform that fits your business now, but can grow with you.

Step 4: How Much Does It Cost to Create a Website for a Small Business?

The cost of building a website is a bit like the cost of a house – it really all depends how large, functional and well-designed you need the result to be.

You could get something online for free using a basic builder, or you could invest a few thousand pounds into a professionally designed site with all the bells and whistles. Most small businesses fall somewhere in between.

That’s why it’s helpful to start with a clear budget. Knowing what you can afford helps you avoid costs running out of your control and keeps your project focused on your site’s most essential features and functions, as well as the ongoing maintenance services that will keep it up and running.

Basic breakdown:

• Free options: Good for testing, but come with ads and fewer features
• DIY builders: Around £8 to £20 per month for tools and templates
•  WordPress with paid themes/plugins: £100 to £500 per year
• Custom-built websites: From £1,000 for a professionally designed site

Ongoing costs to consider:

• Domain name (usually £10–£20 per year)
• Website hosting (often included with builders or £5–£20 per month)
• Regular maintenance like plugin updates and backups

Step 5: Plan Your Sitemap and Content Structure

A sitemap is a map of your website where you see what pages you need and how each page connects to the other in a visual hierarchy. For example, a sitemap would have the home page at the top, then a connection down to each section of your website, and then further connections to the pages that relate to each section.

A sitemap helps you stay organised and makes sure each page has a clear purpose within the user journey. It also helps search engines better understand your content and structure, . Whether your site has five pages or five hundred, having a clear map keeps everything focused and easy to manage.

Start with the essential pages:

• Homepage: Introduces your business and leads visitors further in
• About: Share your story, your team or what makes you different
• Services or Products: Explain what you offer clearly
• Contact: Include a form, phone number and address if relevant
• FAQs: These provide practical answers to common questions and reduce enquiries, and can be used for things like shipping, returns, services, products, and troubleshooting
• Blog or updates (optional): Useful for SEO and ongoing communication

Keep it simple:

• Limit top menu items to five or six
• Make sure each page links naturally to the next step
• Always think about what the visitor wants to do next

A well-structured website is easier to navigate and feels more professional right from the start.

We’ll map this for you in your free strategy session.

Step 6: Add Written and Visual Content That Converts

Your contentshould feel like a real conversation between you and your customer. Speak their language, answer their questions, and show them you understand what they’re looking for. Instead of just listing features or services, explain how you can help and why you’re the right choice.

Clear, helpful content builds trust, and when people feel understood, they’re much more likely to take that next step.

Write content that:

• Clearly explains what you offer and who it’s for
• Uses headlines that highlight the benefit or result
• Breaks text into short paragraphs for easier reading
• Sounds like you—not overly formal or filled with buzzwords
•  Includes calls to action like “Book a call” or “Get a quote”

Visual content builds trust:

• Use real photos of your team, products or work
• Include testimonials, reviews or client logos where possible
• Avoid generic stock images that don’t reflect your brand

The goal is to help people feel confident and informed enough to take the next step.

Step 7: Optimise for SEO and Mobile Experience

Chances are, your customers are checking out your website on their phones, whether they’re on the couch or out and about. That means your site needs to load quickly, look good, and work properly on any screen.

But mobile-friendly web design is not just about looks. Google also needs to make sense of your content so it can match your site with the people searching for what you offer. A great website does both: impresses humans and makes sense to search engines.

Mobile experience checklist:

• Use a mobile-responsive theme or template
• Make sure buttons are large enough to tap easily
• Avoid long blocks of text, break it up for smaller screens
• Test how it looks on different devices

Basic SEO tips:

• Include your main keywords in headings and page titles
• Add meta descriptions to describe what each page is about
• Use image alt text to help with accessibility and search
• Improve load speed by compressing images and avoiding bulky plugins

Both humans and search engines should find your site easy to use!

Step 8: Connect Your Website with Social Media Channels

Your website and social media should be part of the same conversation, working together with your website to build trust, bring people in, and keep them interested. You don’t need to show up everywhere online. Just focus on the platforms where your customers actually hang out. That way, you’re not spreading yourself thin and you’re more likely to connect with the right people in the right places.

Here’s what to include:

• Add icons in your website footer or header that link to your profiles
• Embed your Instagram feed, Facebook reviews or LinkedIn posts if relevant
• Add share buttons so visitors can easily share your content
• Include a Messenger or WhatsApp link for quick contact
• Use a consistent tone and branding across all platforms

If someone finds you on social media, your website should help them take the next step. And if they land on your website first, it should be easy to explore your online presence further.

Step 9: Should You Create a Free Website or Hire a Pro?

A free website builder can be a good starting point if you’re testing an idea or need something live quickly. But free sites often come with downsides that can hold your business back as you grow, and in no time at all you’re likely to find yourself having to completely redo it. So, it’s essential to choose between DIY and professional web design.

Limitations of free platforms:

• Basic design and limited templates
• Ads or watermarks from the provider
• No access to advanced features like online bookings or SEO tools
• A generic web address that doesn’t reflect your brand

Hiring a professional means your site is custom-built for your goals.

• You get support with copywriting, design, performance and SEO
• Your brand looks more polished and trustworthy
• You’re not stuck trying to figure out technical issues alone

Think about how much time and energy you want to spend on your site, and what kind of impression you want to make.

Explore YOP’s affordable website packages

Step 10: Test, Launch and Maintain Your Website

Before you share your new website with the world, take the time to test everything properly. A smooth user experience helps build trust and reduces frustration for your visitors.

Pre-launch checks:

• Make sure your site works well on phones, tablets and desktops
• Test every form, button and link to be sure they work
• Check spelling, grammar and layout on every page
• Look at load speed and image quality across devices

After launch, keep your site fresh:

• Update your contact info, hours or services whenever things change
• Add new reviews, case studies or blog posts
• Check for broken links or outdated content every month or so
• Keep software or plugins up to date for security

Routine maintenance keeps your website secure, your content accurate, and your customers happy. Fortunately, many web agencies also offer web maintenance packages, taking this job off your plate and putting it in professional hands.