Let’s cut through the noise: if you run a small business and don’t have a proper website, you’re missing out on customers, credibility, and cash. A solid website is your digital shopfront—it works while you sleep, answers customer questions, and earns trust before you even pick up the phone.

This guide gives you everything you need to build a website that works for you—not just something that looks pretty and collects digital dust.

Why the Hell Should You Care?

Everyone and their dog Googles before they buy. Your business might have the best service in town, but if your website is clunky, outdated, or non-existent, you’re losing out to competitors who figured this out before you. This isn’t about “keeping up with the times”—it’s about showing up where your customers already are.


What Makes a Good Small Business Website?


TL;DR:

  • Say what you do—fast.
  • Make it dead simple to contact you.
  • Mobile and speed matter.
  • Build trust through reviews, photos, and clean design.

Your website isn’t a digital brochure—it’s a salesperson, front desk agent, and shop assistant all rolled into one. If it doesn’t clearly tell people what you do, why you’re worth their time, and how to reach you… it’s failing at its job.

The top 6 things your website must have:


Simple navigation: Stick to 3–5 top-level menu items. People don’t want to dig for info like it’s buried treasure.


A clear purpose: Visitors should understand what you do within five seconds. No scrolling. No guesswork.


A strong Call to Action (CTA): Whether it’s “Book Now,” “Get a Free Quote,” or “Call Us Today”—give people a next step.


Contact details: Phone number, email, address (if relevant), and business hours. Bonus points if you add a Google Map embed. Make sure these are the same as what’s on your Google Business Profile.


Mobile responsiveness: Over 50% of your traffic will come from phones. If your site doesn’t work on mobile, you’re bleeding leads.


Fast loading times: Every extra second it takes to load costs you visitors. Keep it lean.


Trust elements: Reviews, testimonials, “featured in” badges, and real photos of you/your team—not stock photos of people high-fiving.


How to Build a website Without Losing Your Mind


TL;DR:

  • DIY with tools like WordPress, Squarespace, or Shopify.
  • Hire a pro if tech gives you hives.
  • Choose tools based on your business needs—not trends.
  • Watch out for red flags if outsourcing.

You’ve got two routes here: do it yourself or pay someone to do it. The right choice depends on your budget, your skills, and how much time you have to muck about.

Option A: DIY

Perfect if you like learning tech stuff or just want full control.

  • WordPress is the top dog if you want full customization and scalability. Loads of plugins, themes, and tutorials.
  • Wix or Squarespace are brilliant for beginners. Drag and drop, clean templates, and you don’t need to know code.
  • Shopify is hands-down the best if you’re selling physical products online.

The DIY path means:

  1. Picking a domain name that matches your brand (yourbiz.ca).
  2. Choosing a website builder or buying hosting if you go with WordPress.
  3. Installing a theme/template that actually fits your brand.
  4. Setting up your core pages (Home, About, Services/Products, Contact).
  5. Connecting Google tools so you can track visitors and get found on search.
  6. Testing it all before launch—on desktop, mobile, and your aunt’s iPad.

Option B: Hire a Pro

If you’d rather focus on running your business—or you break out in hives at the thought of “DNS settings”—hire someone.

Here’s how to do it without getting burned:

  • Look at their portfolio. Do the sites look clean, professional, and easy to use?
  • Ask about their process and pricing. You want clarity, not vague “it depends” answers.
  • Ask for a timeline. Three to six weeks is normal. If it’s three months, run.
  • Make sure they talk to you like a human, not a Silicon Valley pitch deck.
  • Demand a written agreement or proposal. Protects both of you.

Red Flags to Watch Out For:

  • Anyone who says “we’ll worry about SEO later.”
  • No clear scope, no contract, or they ghost you mid-project.
  • Builders who use platforms like Joomla or some custom CMS you can’t manage later.

What Should Your Website Include?

TL;DR:

  • Include the basics: Home, About, Services, Contact.
  • Add booking tools, forms, or a blog if it makes sense.
  • Use real photos and answer common questions.
  • Keep it scannable and human.

Your site needs more than a homepage and a nice colour palette. The content and structure matter more than flashy animations.

The Essential WEB Pages:

  • Home Page: Your 10-second elevator pitch. Who you are, what you do, who you help, and what they should do next.
  • About Page: This is your chance to build trust. Tell your story. Show your face. Explain why you give a damn. But remember your about page is still a sales/marketing page. No pics of your cute pets!
  • Services or Products: Don’t just list what you offer—explain the value. Include pricing unless you really can’t. One service or product per page, it helps with SEO
  • Contact Page: Include every way someone can reach you. Add a form. Embed a Google Map if you’ve got a storefront.
  • Blog (Optional but Powerful): Only start one if you’ll actually post once a month. Great for SEO, helps show your expertise.

Bonus Features:

  • Booking tools for services (Calendly, Acuity, etc.)
  • E-commerce tools if you’re selling anything
  • Live chat (but only if you respond quickly—ghosting is worse than not offering it)
  • Accessibility basics—like ALT tags for images, good contrast, and readable fonts
  • FAQs to save you from repeating yourself 50 times a week



When to Build, Update, or Redesign


TL;DR:

  • Best time? Off-season or before a big launch.
  • If your site’s older than your coffee maker, it’s time.
  • Redesign if traffic drops, it’s slow, or you’re embarrassed to share the link.


Timing isn’t everything—but it sure helps. If your business has a slow season, that’s the perfect time to work on the website. That way you’re not rushing it in peak season.

Here’s when to seriously consider
a website redesign:

  • You’ve rebranded or added new services
  • Your site looks outdated or loads like a potato
  • It’s not mobile-friendly (seriously, fix that yesterday)
  • You get fewer leads than before—or none at all
  • Customers keep asking questions your site should be answering


BOnus Pro Tips:

Don’t forget local SEO—add your business to Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business).

Launch ugly, improve later. Perfection is the enemy of done.

Get feedback from real customers—not just your spouse or your dog.

Hotjar will show you what’s working (and what isn’t).

Curious how we could enhance the
conversion rates of your website?

Book a call with Paul

or email hello@ninjatuna.ca