Someone hears about your business from a friend. They find your Instagram page. Then they ask: What do you do? Do you work in my area? How much does it start at? How do I reach you?
You might have answered all of that in old posts. But your customer may have to scroll to find it. A simple website gives them one place to start.
What should the website do?
Your first site does not need a long list of features. It should answer the questions a new customer has:
- What do you offer?
- Who do you help, and where do you work?
- What does the work look like? Use real photos or honest examples when you have them.
- How can someone call, message, or book you?
- What should they do next?
Put the important answers where someone can find them on a phone. Use words your customers use. If you only have a few services, a small site can be enough.
Why have a site if you already use social media?
Instagram and Facebook can help people hear about you and see your work. Your website can hold the full service details and the next step in one link. You can put that link in your social profiles, on a card, or in a message.
If you have an eligible Google Business Profile, Google lets you add your website and, in supported regions, social links. The exact options depend on your business and location. A website does not guarantee a high Google ranking or new customers. Google's SEO guide says there is no automatic first-place result.
Launching the site is the start
After launch, send the website link to the places where people already find you. Check that your business name, service area, hours, and contact details match. Send yourself a test message from the contact form. Decide who will answer it.
Then keep the useful pages current. If your services, hours, or prices change, update them. If customers keep asking the same question, add a clear answer. If you want to see how people find the site through Google, Search Console can help you understand search performance. You can start with a simple monthly check.
This is the rest of your online presence: the website, social pages, search listing, and the person who follows up. None of those pieces needs to be complicated, but they should agree with each other.
Clawser builds business websites starting at $999, including one year of hosting. The domain name is separate. We can help you decide what the first site needs and what can wait.
Want to talk through your business? Talk to a human 🙂 Book a 30-minute conversation.
Illustration: AI-generated image.