I have reviewed a lot of small business websites. The problems I see fall into two categories: sites that are missing the obvious things, and sites that are cluttered with pages nobody visits. Both mistakes hurt you, just differently.
Missing pages mean Google cannot find you, potential customers hit a dead end, or people cannot figure out how to get in touch. Unnecessary pages dilute your content, slow your site down, and make it harder for visitors to know what to do next.
Here is what I have found works, based on building and reviewing sites for small businesses across the GTA.
The 7 pages you need
1. Home
Your homepage has one job: tell a visitor within five seconds what you do and who you do it for. Most small business homepages fail this test. They open with a vague tagline (“Building your future together”), a stock photo of a handshake, and a hero section that could apply to any business in any industry.
A homepage that converts does three things:
- States the offer in plain language (“I build custom websites for small businesses in the GTA”)
- Shows evidence that you are credible (testimonials, portfolio samples, client logos)
- Makes the next step obvious (a button that goes to a contact form, a booking link, a phone number)
That is it. Visitors are not reading your homepage the way you think they are. They are scanning for the answer to one question: “Is this person going to solve my problem?“
2. About
The about page is not a biography. It is a trust builder.
People buy from people they trust. The about page is where you give them a reason to trust you. That means:
- Who you are and why you started this business
- Who you help and what problems you solve
- Something specific and human — not just credentials
“I have 15 years of experience in the industry” is less compelling than “I started this after watching my mum’s florist shop lose half its customers because their website was impossible to find.” Specifics are more believable than claims.
The about page is also often the second page a serious prospect visits after landing on your homepage. Do not waste it on platitudes.
3. Services
This is the page most small business owners under-invest in, and it costs them. Visitors who are ready to buy want to know:
- What do you actually offer?
- What does it cost, or at least what is the range?
- How does the process work?
- Who is it for?
A services page that just lists your offerings with no description is not doing its job. Each service should have enough detail that a prospective client can tell whether it is a fit for them — before they reach out.
I am not saying you need a 3,000-word page for each service. But two or three solid paragraphs, plus a clear CTA to get in touch, is the minimum.
4. Contact
The contact page sounds obvious, but I see it broken regularly. Common mistakes:
- Just an email address (no form, so there is no friction reduction for the visitor)
- A form that does not actually work (I have tested this on real businesses)
- No indication of response time or how you prefer to be contacted
- No location or service area mentioned
A good contact page has a form, your email as a fallback, your general location (city and province), your approximate response time, and a brief note about what to include in the message. That is it.
5. Testimonials or social proof
If you do not have a dedicated testimonials page, at minimum add testimonials throughout the site — on the homepage, on service pages, near contact forms. But if you have enough (five or more), a dedicated page does help with search traffic for “[your service] reviews [your city].”
Social proof is not optional for small businesses. You are asking someone to hand you money or trust you with something important. The barrier is real. Reviews and testimonials lower it.
6. Portfolio or examples of your work
Not every business needs this. A florist, a photographer, a web designer, an interior decorator — yes. An accountant or a consultant — usually not, or it takes a different form (case studies, before/after descriptions).
If your work is visual, show it. A portfolio page is one of the highest-converting pages on a service business site. People want to see what they are going to get.
7. Blog or resources
This is the one most small business owners skip, and I understand why — it takes time. But a blog is one of the most effective long-term investments you can make in your online presence.
Every article you write is a permanent piece of search real estate. A post on “how to choose a wedding photographer in Toronto” can rank and bring you traffic for years with no ongoing effort. An article on “what to expect from a kitchen renovation in Newmarket” reaches people at the exact moment they are making a decision.
You do not need to post every week. Three to five solid articles per year, on topics your customers actually search for, will compound meaningfully over time.
The 3 pages you do not need
1. A standalone mission/vision page
Your mission belongs on your about page. A separate mission and values page almost never gets traffic and is rarely read. If you want to communicate what you stand for, weave it into your homepage and about page — where people actually go.
2. A “coming soon” page
If you are not ready to launch, do not launch. A coming soon page with an email capture is better than nothing, but it is still a half-measure. A real page with real content beats a placeholder every time. Put up something minimal but useful rather than a promise of something better later.
3. A giant FAQ page
FAQs are useful. A standalone page that tries to answer every possible question is not. The problem with a big FAQ page is that it pulls questions and answers away from the pages where they are most useful.
The question “what is your pricing?” is better answered on the services page, next to your actual services. The question “what do I need to bring?” is better answered on the workshop page, near the CTA. Put FAQs where they are relevant, not in one dumping ground.
Frequently asked questions
What pages does a small business website need?
Most small businesses need five to seven pages: Home, About, Services, Contact, and at least one of Testimonials, Portfolio, or a Blog. The first four are non-negotiable. The others depend on your industry.
How many pages should a small business website have?
Five to seven is the sweet spot. Fewer and you’re missing information visitors need to decide. More and you risk diluting your content and making it harder for people to know what to do next.
Does a small business website need a blog?
Not to start — but eventually. Three to five solid articles a year on topics your customers actually search for will compound meaningfully over time. It is one of the best long-term investments you can make in your online presence.
Where to start if your site is missing pages
If you have a site already and want to fill the gaps, start with the contact page — it is the fastest win. Then the services page, because that is what drives conversions. Then the about page.
If you do not have a site yet, the Zero to Live workshop covers all of these — you will build a homepage, about, services, and contact page in a single morning session in Newmarket. Or if you would rather have it done for you, my web design services cover the full build.
Either way, the goal is the same: a site that represents your business properly and gets out of the way.
I am a web designer and consultant based in Newmarket, Ontario. I build custom websites for small businesses across the GTA and run hands-on workshops teaching non-coders how to build their own sites with AI.
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