Business website checklist: what to include

Designing a website is an essential part of the marketing success of a new business. In fact, more than 80% of businesses in the UK have websites. You can use your own website to grow your audience, showcase your skills, and earn online product sales or new contacts. 

But it’s crucial to have the right content and organisation to draw traffic to your website and maintain people’s attention. But what should a business website include? 

This guide will cover your new business website checklist, including:

• Design and logo 
• Call to action 
• About the business 
• Contact page 
• Products and services
• Portfolio or testimonials
• Blog 

You can find our guide on how to make your own website here. 

Your website’s design can help you stand out and appear professional. Designing your site efficiently also makes it easier to navigate. To do this, first, consider how you want to present your business to the public. With this knowledge, you can develop a brand identity that uses a consistent design and tone to target your intended audience. 

For example, if you run a bakery, you may design your site with pastel colours to suggest frosting and sprinkles. On top of colours and fonts, try to organise the website well. Don’t add too much text to each page and ensure there’s enough blank space so as not to overwhelm the user. 

Also, be sure to design and add your business logo as your site banner. Your logo will help tie the site together along with any other marketing materials you have. 

Another part of your business website checklist is to include a compelling call to action (CTA) on your homepage. The home page is your chance to convince people to stay on your site and click-through to the other pages. You can achieve this with a CTA that tells users why they should learn more about your business and how you can help them. 

Consider adding a sentence or two about what your business offers using the right tone for your target audience. But focus each word on convincing the reader why they should act now. End your CTA with a prompt to promote action and a button to the products or contact page. 

For example, you may offer graphic design services to small businesses. If that’s the case, you could explain how you provide innovative designs that help companies appear professional and save time. Then, consider adding a call to action like, ‘Get a free quote.’ This phrase provides users with an incentive to take action.  

The about page is another important part of your business website. This page will outline your business and its objectives more clearly. On this page, you might outline who you are and why you started this business. Then, consider explaining your goals. For example, if you sell sustainable clothing, you might explain that your mission is to fight climate change. 

On this page, consider which keywords will jump out to readers to clearly explain what you offer. Then, include a picture of yourself or your shop to add to your personability. You may also want to add frequently asked questions (FAQs) about your business to offer more information. If your business has a lot of FAQs, consider making this a page of its own.

The next thing on your business website checklist is the contact page. This page is a crucial part of making yourself accessible to customers. Your contact page should outline your business phone number, email, and shop address. You may add a contact box that will go directly to your email. Plus, add links to your social media pages and any other places people can find you. 

Consider also adding essential contact information on the banner at the bottom of the website, so it’s accessible from any page. 

A products and services page is another essential part of your business website checklist. This page should outline every product or service you offer clients, their prices, and a brief description. If you have a restaurant or cafe, consider adding your menu here so people can learn about what foods you offer. The easier it is for people to access your business services, the more likely they’ll purchase them.

When you create this page, consider if you’ll be able to offer online services or sales. About 30% of businesses accept payments, bookings, or orders online. Doing this makes it much easier and quicker for customers to buy from you. 

For example, if you have a website for your hairdressing business, adding an automatic booking page will save customers from talking to you directly. If they can see your availability and book an appointment without having to contact you and await a response, they’ll be more likely to do so. 

You may also want to include a page with examples of your skills or work. If you offer design services, you could add a portfolio of samples or product photos to exhibit your skills. You could also add pictures of your shop, products, and events or trade shows. Overall, this page should give potential customers an idea of what it might look like to do business with you.

The page would also be a good place to include positive reviews from customers so you appear more reputable. 

Finally, adding a blog can draw traffic to your website. You may want to write regular content about your business events, industry news, and relevant tips. 

With continuous content marketing using SEO best practices, you can draw in potential customers. To do this, you’ll need to establish a content calendar and target keywords in your content. By updating your website content regularly, you can remain relevant and keep people in the know about any developments in your business.  

Financial management can be stressful and time-consuming when you’re self-employed. That’s why thousands of business owners use the Countingup app to make their financial admin easier. 

Countingup is the business current account with built-in accounting software that allows you to manage all your financial data in one place. With features like automatic expense categorisation, invoicing on the go, receipt capture tools, tax estimates, and cash flow insights, you can confidently keep on top of your business finances wherever you are. 

You can also share your bookkeeping with your accountant instantly without worrying about duplication errors, data lags or inaccuracies. Seamless, simple, and straightforward! 

Find out more here.