What every local business website needs: a 12-point checklist
Run your current site through this list. If it misses more than three, it's costing you calls.
By Scott McArthur, KingsWay Sites. . 5 minute read.
Most local business websites aren't bad. They're just missing a handful of things that make the difference between someone calling you and someone hitting the back button. Open your site on your phone and go down this list.
What customers need to see
- Your phone number, tappable, at the top. On a phone, one tap should start the call. Most people won't copy and paste a number.
- What you do and where, in the first screen. "Landscaping in Franklin and Norfolk" beats "Welcome to our website."
- A clear list of your services. Ideally a page for each main one. People search for the service, not your company name.
- A quote or contact form that reaches you. Short, works on a phone, and sends to an inbox you actually check.
- Real photos. Your work, your truck, your team. Stock photos make a local business look like a chain.
- Reviews. Even three real ones beat none. Link to your Google reviews too.
What Google needs to find you
- Your town names in the right places. Page titles, headings and the words on the page. A page for each town you serve helps.
- A Google Business Profile linked to the site. It's free and it's how you get on the map. Here's how to set it up.
- The same name, phone and town everywhere. Your site, Google, Facebook and Yelp should all match exactly.
- Business details Google can read. A bit of code (called schema) that spells out your name, services and service area. Customers never see it. Google does.
What keeps it working
- Fast on a phone. If it takes more than a few seconds to load on cell data, people leave.
- Secure, with you as the owner. The lock icon in the browser, and the domain registered in your name, not your designer's.
How did your site do?
Ten or more: you're in good shape. Six to nine: a few fixes will pay off quickly. Five or fewer: the site is probably costing you work.
Every site I build checks all twelve boxes from day one, and I'll build a free mock of yours so you can see the difference before spending anything.
Quick answers
How many pages should a local business website have?
Enough for a page per main service and, if you cover several towns, a page per town. For most local businesses that's 5 to 11 pages.
Do I need a separate page for each town?
If you serve several towns and want to show up when people search for your service there, yes. Each page should say something real about working in that town.
What is schema on a website?
Code in the page that tells Google your business name, services, phone and service area in a format it reads directly. Visitors never see it.