Creating a small business website is about building an online presence, attracting potential customers, and helping your business grow by showcasing your brand. You'll need an introduction, product and service pages, and a contact page for inquiries. Don't forget to add customer testimonials and an informative blog for extra credibility.
If you want to get your website up and running, complete with images and content, use our small business AI website builder and receive a site in a few minutes.
Zarla checks that sites meet basic web standards for mobile and desktop. We also use Google's PageSpeed Insights, and WAVE, a service that evaluates accessibility for individuals with disabilities. PageSpeed scores and accessibility are important factors for search engine rankings. PageSpeed scores may not match user experience and can vary substantially.
San Francisco, California, U.S.
The Mill, a coffee shop in San Francisco, California, is a result of a collaboration between two small businesses: Josey Baker Bread and Four Barrel Coffee. I found that The Mill's website skillfully merges the shared vision of both brands by integrating quotes and images that showcase their promise of excellence.
The website opened with an immersive hero image of the bakery's storefront, instantly transporting me into its virtual space. It continued with high-quality images and graphics that gave the website a fresh feel. I particularly liked the content-heavy footer menu, which conveniently listed the store's operating hours and email address.
The home page really caught my eye — it's visually stunning, with polished images that made me crave a visit to my nearest coffee shop. Navigation was seamless thanks to the floating menu and back-to-top button. Plus, I found the interactive map in the footer menu super helpful as it allowed me to pinpoint the store's exact location in seconds.
I found the website filled with valuable information about The Mill, but I couldn't find an "About" page, so I had to learn more about Josey Baker Bread and Four Barrel Coffee's partnership through their respective websites. Also, as confirmed by WAVE, the main menu lacked contrast against the hero image, which caused me to overlook it initially.
The home page's full-screen images felt more impactful on the desktop site, which followed a parallax scrolling design that was both memorable and visually captivating. However, the lack of hover-activated functions made the browsing experience feel monotonous. I found myself wishing for more engaging content, like customer reviews, an "About" section, or multimedia elements, to hold my interest longer.
On Google's PageSpeed Insights, the desktop site produced excellent results, including 96/100 for best practices and 86/100 for accessibility. More impressively, the site scored 94/100 for its overall performance.
On the mobile site, the hero image appeared polished but oversized. Surprisingly, this benefited the site, as the main menu and company name stood out more distinctly against the lighter background. Unlike my experience with the desktop site, where I found myself gravitating toward the footer menu, this higher contrast drew me in faster, encouraging me to interact with the top menu.
Moreover, the back-to-top button was more noticeable on the mobile site, and it helped streamline navigation. While I enjoyed the user-friendly experience of the mobile site, it scored a modest 46/100 for overall performance on PageSpeed Insights.
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Founded in 2018, The Tare Shop is a zero-waste bulk store and café located in Nova Scotia, Canada. I was impressed by the store's spacious website, which boasts a neatly organized layout that's packed with notable features, including a floating menu, a currency converter, and a trackable shopping cart.
Upon arrival, I was captivated by a full-screen hero image that championed the shop's commitment to sustainability. This was cleverly followed by the store's latest impact report and blog, engaging me from the outset. Plus, the main menu included links to an events page, allowing me to stay informed about their upcoming events.
When I entered The Tare Shop's website, a newsletter sign-up form popped up with a discount promise, immediately enticing me with a reward, while a floating menu ensured my navigation remained swift and smooth. A currency converter was available for diverse audiences, and the payment options were conveniently visible in the footer menu.
The store's vital details, such as operating hours and address, are relegated to the footer menu. If I were a customer who preferred quick results, this information would be more beneficial at the top of the home page. As identified by WAVE, the low contrast of the various icons made them hard to read, and there were missing alternative texts.
The desktop website offered a clean layout with interesting touches that made navigating a breeze. While they've tucked the main menu behind a hamburger icon, which was a bit unusual for desktop websites, it did well to clean up the top of the home page. This setup also allowed the currency converter, shopping cart, and account access icons to stand out.
The Instagram feed toward the bottom of the page looked great on a desktop screen, but I felt like it missed some of the interactive features found on the mobile site. Thankfully, the website included hover-activated functions to keep things fun and engaging.
The mobile site was well-designed for on-the-go browsing, with its compact layout ensuring everything was within reach. While the main menu stayed tucked behind a neat hamburger icon, its floating function felt perfectly suited for the mobile site. Unlike the desktop version, the Instagram feed was presented as a banner, which was a nice touch since it encouraged me to interact and explore further.
Moreover, adding a rotating function to the top notification bar immediately caught my eye, bringing more attention to the message. Despite real-world tests proving pleasant, the mobile site scored 40/100 for performance on PageSpeed. However, it received 89/100 for accessibility and 96/100 for best practices.
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Me&B is a South African-based fashion brand launched in 2018. The brand is helmed by Betina and Kelly, the mother-daughter duo with a knack for all things colorful, alongside a small team of dedicated staff who were playfully introduced on the "MEET THE TEAM" page of their website — an element that drew me in and made me feel connected to their journey.
The home page placed plenty of emphasis on the online store's capabilities, which made it feel more geared toward established customers. However, the categories were clear and easy to navigate, and I appreciated the floating WhatsApp icon and the quick access to customer reviews.
My first impression of the website was positive; I enjoyed the airy layout and the playful use of pink, which cleverly highlighted the various CTAs and prices. The hover-activated features and zoom-in effects enhanced my appreciation of the designs, while easy access to customer reviews and contact information helped improve the site's credibility.
The site's unclear narrative made me feel overwhelmed and detached from the brand, especially since important pages, like the "MEET THE TEAM" and "BLOG" pages, were pushed to the footer menu. This may not suit customers who prefer a personal touch. Moreover, WAVE flagged several contrast issues and empty links, adding to usability concerns.
The desktop site's standout features were its hover-activated functions and zoom-in capabilities, which heightened my engagement and directed my focus to selected content. With a quick scrolling time, a nifty back-to-top button, and other convenient sticky options, I didn't miss the floating menu.
However, navigating the home page still felt cumbersome, as I searched for more visual entertainment. Despite this, if I were shopping with Me&B for the first time, I would opt for the desktop browsing experience, as it allowed me to appreciate the finer details of the clothes better. On PageSpeed Insights, the site scored admirably, receiving 83/100 for overall performance.
The mobile website offered a streamlined user experience that I found surprisingly intuitive. Its linear layout allowed me to focus immediately on headings and CTAs, enhancing navigation. I was especially drawn to the "give your inbox some love" prompt for the newsletter, which was overshadowed by the Instagram feed on the desktop site, causing me to overlook it entirely.
Moreover, the back-to-top button felt more useful on the mobile site, allowing me to browse seamlessly while on the move. In addition, the footer menu's options, including the social media icons and currency converter, appeared pronounced and accessible. On PageSpeed Insights, the site scored a solid 60/100 for performance.
http://www.eaglerockbrewery.com/
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Known for its innovative beers and community-focused ethos, Eagle Rock Brewery is a respected craft microbrewery in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2009, the brewery boasts an impactful website that embraces the "less is more" philosophy. After verifying that I was of legal drinking age, the site opened with a vivid graphic as a hero image, followed by concise information about the brewery's taproom hours and contact details.
This clear and engaging introduction immediately drew me in, making it easier to find essential information. While the single-page design also helped streamline navigation, the main menu provided swift access to the brewery's newsletter, seasonal or specialty beers, and FAQs.
The hero image, which served as the primary visual entertainment of the home page, was compelling from the outset, providing insight into the brewery's branding and founding date. The footer menu ensured I always knew the taproom's details, and I appreciated the easy access to the newsletter and FAQ pages. Moreover, WAVE only found two contrast errors.
While I liked the website's efficiency, the minimalist design felt uneventful and seemed geared toward established customers. The lack of personal images and trust elements made me feel detached from the brand. Additionally, the online store is not fully operational, and the small social media icons are easily missed.
The hero image, captivating in its vividness, truly shined on a desktop screen, compensating for the home page's lack of visual entertainment. The main menu's hover-activated drop-down options drew me in, leading me through individual web pages that were concise and straightforward. This straightforward narrative reinforced the website's commitment to an information-rich yet elegantly simple online space, where every element served a purpose.
On mobile, I was impressed by the sheer amount of visible information. Without a single click or scroll, I could view the brewery's taproom hours, email address, and location details, ultimately streamlining my experience. As a result, I did not miss a floating menu or back-to-top button, but I would have preferred more visual entertainment to hold my attention longer.
On PageSpeed Insights, the mobile site performed well, scoring 88/100 for accessibility and 76/100 for best practices. Additionally, in the performance category, the site scored a respectable 81/100.
https://www.facetheory.com/gb-en/
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, U.K.
Facetheory, a sustainable skincare brand launched in 2014, immediately enchanted me with its modern website, which seamlessly blended the hues of its logo into the overall layout, resulting in a neat and cohesive online space. Navigational titles and CTAs stood out like beacons, guiding me effortlessly through a home page alive with fun designs, interactive graphics, and staged images.
The site's more advanced features, such as the skin quiz and the "Build Your Bundle" option, helped set the brand and website apart. I also enjoyed the convenient floating menu, the before and after images, and the notification bar's access to thousands of reviews.
Though floating menus are popular, I liked having easy access to one that featured a prominent search bar. It made navigation a breeze. The customer review section caught my eye and was the first section I truly engaged with, as it showcased not only the reviews but also before-and-after images. This added a personal touch that resonated with me.
Despite eventually acclimating to the website's narrative, the content-heavy home page initially felt excessive and overwhelming, with numerous motion graphics, headings, artwork, and large images dominating visual space. According to accessScan, the website is semi-compliant with assistive technologies, and several forms were missing proper labels.
While the Facetheory brand has soared in popularity, it remains with a relatively small, dedicated team. You wouldn't guess it from its modern website, though, which helped the brand appear professional, mainstream, and polished, especially on desktop screens, where the large images and distinct branding truly shined.
Unlike its mobile counterpart, the desktop site boasted engaging hover-activated functions that made adding to my shopping cart even more convenient. Despite the lack of a back-to-top button, the sticky menu's drop-down functions ensured I was always a click away from the online store. On PageSpeed Insights, the site scored an impressive 92/100 in the performance category.
Much like the desktop version, the mobile site included a handy floating menu with swift access to a search bar and a trackable shopping bag. However, when presented in the mobile version's more linear and compact format, I found the top menu to be neater and focused, and the black notification bar above it caught my attention better.
Additionally, I noticed that the best-sellers section lacked the intuitive appeal of the desktop version; the banner presentation without an arrow felt less engaging and less inviting to explore. While our real-world tests proved pleasant, the site scored a solid 50/100 for performance.
The cost of running a small business website typically ranges from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per year, depending on factors like hosting, design, and maintenance needs. According to Forbes, the current costs of hosting a website range between $500.00 and $5,000.00 per month.
Yes, small businesses benefit greatly from hosting a website as it serves as a crucial online space that helps attract new customers, promote products and/or services, build credibility, and facilitate business growth.
The number of pages on a small business website may vary according to the business's offerings, requirements, industry, and goals. Typically, a website includes between 5 and 20 pages that cover the business's history, contact information, services or products offered, and FAQs.
Yes. As a small business, it's important to have an online space where both new and old customers can learn about your brand, history, and expertise. Ideally, a good small business website should include contact information, an overview of the business or its founder, and clear descriptions of the products or services on offer.
