How to Create a Great Website for Your Small Business
Your website is often your business’s opportunity to make a first impression. It tells potential customers and clients who you are, what you stand for, and what you offer. It’s a big deal!
But chances are, you probably aren’t an expert in web design, development or copywriting—on top of balancing everything else that comes with running your own business.
While you’ll definitely want to consider hiring these experts as you grow your business, when you’re just starting out and working with a limited budget, you’ll likely need to figure out how to create a great website for your small business on your own.
Keep reading to see how you can find a hosting platform that meets your needs, design a website that aligns with your goals, and create clear and compelling copy that motivates your target audience to take action. As you read, look out for advice from Ruha Ratnam of The Designist Studio, a seasoned web design, development, and branding expert who’s also one of our wonderful E-Series faculty members!
Pick a Domain
First things first, secure a domain name (web address) for your business!
Try to:
Keep it simple and easy to spell
Use your business name if possible
Stick with .com when you can
Avoid hyphens and numbers
You can check domain availability and purchase through sites like DreamHost or directly through website builders like Wix or Squarespace.
Find Inspiration
One of the best ways to find inspiration for your own website is to look at other websites within your industry.
Take a scroll through them and ask yourself: What do I like? What would I change? And how might I translate this for my business?
Pay close attention to how quickly you’re able to understand what this business does, what its unique value proposition is, and how easy it is to navigate the website and find what you need. While a beautiful design can reel you in, an unclear and confusing homepage can leave you with more questions than you started with. Consider all of these elements as you take notes, and don’t forget to save the websites you love so you can come back to them for further inspiration.
Aside from looking at the websites of your competitors, you can find inspiration by looking at these directories:
Land-book: Features high-quality landing pages and stand-out sections.
SiteInspire: Showcases beautiful websites that can be filtered by style, type, and subject.
One Page Love: A curation of great one-page websites that can be filtered by category and hosting platform.
“One of the first things you should absolutely do when creating a website is to identify the purpose of your website and set a goal.
What do you want your website to do for your business, and how will you measure its success? For example, your primary goal might be to sell a product. Or, your audience might take a longer time to become paying customers, and your main website goal may be to get them on your email list so you can nurture their interest and invite them to purchase later on.
When you know what goal you’re working towards, you can design and optimize your website to improve your results over time.
When designing for my clients, I spend time looking at websites, packaging and other printed materials, products, and even physical spaces that are related to their business and industry.
I want a good idea of how other businesses are already showing up in the world and online, so that I can create a design that is exciting and stands out, and is appropriate for the customers you want to attract. I collect colour palettes, photos, and graphics that give me a good sense of the brand I’m designing for.”
- Ruha Ratnam, Web Operations & Brand Experience Strategist, The Designist Studio
Find Your Platform
Finding the right website builder and hosting platform for your business will help ensure you’re able to accomplish everything you need while avoiding the features and capabilities that you don’t.
Consider what goals you have for your business, how much time you’d like to dedicate to creating and updating your website, and how customizable you’d like your website to be.
WordPress websites can be excellent for web-savvy entrepreneurs who appreciate the customization capabilities that come with its impressive ecosystem of plugins and themes. That said, it might not be the best choice for entrepreneurs who aren’t familiar with technical maintenance tasks, server configurations, or implementing essential security measures on their own.
On the other hand, Wix and Squarespace can be much more accessible and easier to manage —especially when you need to get your site up and running quickly without investing significant time or effort into learning the technical aspects of web development.
If you’re selling products through your website, Shopify can streamline the e-commerce experience by offering built-in payment gateways, inventory management tools, and customer support features—giving you more time to focus on growing your business rather than dealing with technical complexities.
Here’s a breakdown of the most popular platforms to help guide you:
WordPress
Pros
Highly flexible platform that can scale well with your business growth and changing needs
Extensive marketplace with thousands of plugins and themes for any functionality
Complete control over hosting choices, security measures, and custom development
Versatile platform that’s suitable for blogs, online stores, membership sites, and complex web applications
Cons
More complex learning curve than website builders like Wix or Squarespace
Can require self-management of hosting, regular maintenance, and security updates
Can be very overwhelming for beginners due to numerous options and technical requirements
Best For:
Users who want complete control over their website, plan for significant growth, and are comfortable with some technical management.
Wix
Pros
User-friendly drag-and-drop builder that requires no coding experience
Comprehensive template library with professional designs
Built-in marketing tools including email campaigns and SEO features
All-in-one platform with hosting and security included
Cons
Limited customization options compared to WordPress
Can be difficult to transfer your website to another platform
Has premium features and add-ons that can become expensive
Best For:
Users who prioritize ease of use and quick setup over extensive customization.
Squarespace
Pros
Premium, design-focused templates with modern aesthetics
Integrated hosting, domain management, and security features
Robust built-in tools for e-commerce, blogging, and basic SEO
Professional-looking results with minimal effort
Cons
Limited third-party integrations compared to WordPress
Restricted ability to implement complex custom features
Higher starting price point than some competitors
Best For:
Users who prioritize design and want a polished website without technical complexity.
Shopify
Pros
Specialized e-commerce platform with powerful inventory and order management
Extensive payment gateway options and shipping integrations
Built-in marketing tools and analytics for online stores
Excellent security and reliability for transactions
Cons
Additional transaction fees unless using Shopify Payments
Monthly costs increase significantly with advanced features
Limited functionality for non-commerce content and blogs
Best For:
E-commerce businesses focused on online sales and need a reliable, dedicated shopping platform.
“If you’re just starting out and need a simple website, service providers can get going with an out-of-the-box template on Squarespace or Wix.
Both platforms also offer marketing tools to support your business as you get it off the ground. However, keep in mind that moving to a new platform requires some time and effort!
If you sell products, Shopify is a fantastic platform to start and grow with.”
- Ruha Ratnam, Web Operations & Brand Experience Strategist, The Designist Studio
Start with a Template
Starting with a template can make it faster and easier to create a great website for your small business.
This allows you to start with a solid framework that’s already been designed by a professional, which helps ensure your website looks polished and functions as it should.
When looking for templates, consider what elements they have that could be translated for your needs. While stunning photography that overtakes a homepage might make a template stand out and be perfect for a photographer’s portfolio site, it might not be the best candidate for your business.
Keep this in mind while you browse, and look for templates that align with the functionality you require. Most platforms will allow you to filter by category, so start there!
Once you’ve chosen your template, you can adjust the colours and typography, and then move, add, delete, or customize different sections.
If it’s just not hitting the mark, don’t be afraid to restart with another template. Creating a great website comes with trial and error, so take your time and don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t like your first version. It’s all part of the process!
Plan Your Pages
If your goal is to inspire your audience to take a single action, like booking a consultation or joining a waitlist, a one-page website could be all you need.
However, most small businesses will likely need a multi-page website to effectively showcase their offerings and build trust with potential customers or clients.
Some key pages to consider are:
Homepage:
This is someone’s first introduction to your business, and should answer questions like "What do you do?" and "Who do you help?" Spotlight your unique value proposition, highlight key services or products, and include a clear call-to-action. Think of it as your elevator pitch in website form.
About:
This is where you build connection and trust. Share your story while focusing on how it benefits your customers or clients. Include your mission, values, and what makes your approach unique.
Services/Products:
Showcase your offerings with images and share how they benefit your target audience.
Contact:
Make it easy for people to reach you. Include multiple contact options (phone, email, contact form) and set clear expectations about response times. If you serve specific areas, list them here, and if relevant, add your business hours and location.
“Once I have an idea of how I want the website to look and feel, I start with a quick pencil-on-paper sketch to map out the pages. Then, I take the new website copy and lay it out visually in sections to get a clear sense of how information will flow on the page and through the website. (I encourage clients to do this for themselves using a tool like Canva!)
In addition to your homepage, about, services/products, and contact pages, you might also want to consider including a portfolio or case studies so potential customers can see your past work and feel more confident choosing to work with you. Including a blog or resources can also keep visitors coming back before or between purchasing, and—as a bonus—also boost your SEO and help your business get found in search results.
Standalone pages aren’t always necessary and testimonials, social proof, and FAQs can be included throughout your website and help potential customers make a decision to work with you.
If I get stuck with a particular layout or section, I’ll go back to my inspirational materials to find possible solutions. From there, I start applying brand colours, patterns, and images to fill out the design.”
- Ruha Ratnam, Web Operations & Brand Experience Strategist, The Designist Studio
Put Words to It
Structure Your Content Effectively
The way you structure your website content is just as important as what you say.
Think of your website like a newspaper, and put the most important information "above the fold," where it’s visible without scrolling.
Use clear headlines to break up and categorize information, and try to keep them focused on the benefits you provide. For example, a headline that says “Grow Your Business with Expert Bookkeeping" will likely inspire more engagement than “Services.”
Aim to keep your paragraphs short and to the point. Large blocks of text can overwhelm people and prevent them from reading—espeically when they’re viewing your website on their phone.
Every page should include a clear call-to-action (CTA) that tells visitors exactly what to do next, such as:
Book Your Free Consultation
Get Your Custom Quote
Shop the Collection
Subscribe and Save 20%
Remember, people tend to skim websites rather than read them word-for-word. Make every word count and make it easy for visitors to find what they're looking for.
Write For Your Audience
Your website visitors are real people looking for solutions, so write as if you're talking to them directly!
Use words like “you” and “your,” and focus on how your products or services make their lives better rather than just listing features. For example, instead of saying "We provide our customers with 24/7 support,” try "Get help whenever you need it, day or night."
While writing, remember to use language your target audience actually uses and understands. If they’d call you a “business coach,” don’t call yourself a "strategic growth acceleration consultant.”
Before finalizing your copy, ask yourself: "So what?" If you can't immediately explain why a piece of information matters to your target audience, it probably doesn't belong on your website.
Help People Find Your Website
When writing your website content, include words and phrases your customers might use to search for your business. For example, if you're a local bakery, you might want to naturally include phrases like "custom birthday cakes in [your city]" or "wedding cake baker near me."
You can find popular search terms using free tools like:
Design for Mobile
Did you know that almost 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices? Now more than ever, people are browsing on their phones, so make sure your website is ready for them!
Here are a few ways you can ensure your website is mobile-friendly:
Choose the Right Foundation
Start with a mobile-responsive theme that automatically adjusts your layout for different screen sizes. Picking the right theme means you won't need separate designs for mobile and desktop, but if you need to, you can always go back and tweak the mobile version as you make changes to your template.
If you customize your design extensively, consider starting with your mobile layout first and then adjusting for desktop.
Design for Thumbs and Small Screens
Keep your layout clean and clutter-free
Use large, readable text (minimum 16px)
Make buttons and links large enough to tap easily
Use expandable "hamburger" menus for easy navigation
Design forms with minimal fields so that people can quickly fill them in on their phones
Make Action Steps Clear
Your call-to-action buttons ("Book Now," "Shop Here," "Contact Us") should:
Stand out visually on the page
Be large enough to tap without zooming
Appear near the top of key pages
Work smoothly on touchscreens
Optimize Your Images
Large images can slow down your website. Before uploading photos:
Resize them to the size you'll actually use on your website
Compress them using free tools like TinyPNG.com or TinyJPG.com
Make it Accessible
Some visitors might use screen readers or keyboard navigation.
Help them access your website by:
Using text that's easy to read (good contrast between text and background)
Giving each image a simple description in the "alt text" field
Making sure all your forms have clear labels
Testing your site's accessibility with a free tool like WAVE
Happy Building!
We hope this guide proves helpful in creating a great website for your small business.
If you hit a snag along the way, remember that creating a great website is an iterative process. Don't be afraid to make adjustments as you learn what works best for your business and audience.
Start with the basics, test different approaches, and most importantly, keep your visitors' needs at the centre of every decision.