- Decide the one or two actions you want visitors to take before you think about design.
- Register the domain in your own name and keep the login details yourself.
- Most visitors arrive on a phone, so plan every page for a small screen first.
- If the site collects personal data or uses non-essential cookies, UK GDPR and the cookie rules apply.
- Agree in writing who owns the design, code and content before work starts.
What should your website do for your business?
A small business website has a job. For a plumber it might be getting calls. For a café it might be showing the menu and opening hours. For a shop it is selling online. Write down the one or two actions that matter most, such as call, book, request a quote or buy.
Then think about who is visiting. What do they need to know before they act? Usually it is what you do, where you work, roughly how it works, why they should trust you and how to get in touch. Every page should answer those questions quickly and lead to the action you chose.
Which pages does a small business website need?
Most small business sites need fewer pages than people expect. Start with the essentials and add more only when you have something useful to say. A page for each main service often works better than one long list, because each page can answer specific questions.
- Home: what you do, who for, and the main action.
- Services or products: one page each for the main ones.
- About: who you are, your experience and qualifications.
- Reviews or examples of your work, if you have them.
- Contact: phone, email, form, opening hours and the area you cover.
- Privacy notice and, if needed, a cookie notice.
- Terms of sale, delivery and returns, if you sell online.
How do domains and hosting work?
Your domain is your address, such as a .co.uk or .com name. It is rented yearly from a registrar. Register it in your own name or your business name, with an email address you control. If a developer registers it for you, ask for it to be in your name from the start, as moving it later can be difficult.
Hosting is where the site files live. Options range from website builders that include hosting to separate hosting chosen by your developer. Ask who holds the hosting account, what it includes, such as backups and security updates, and what happens if you stop working with the developer. Business email is often set up with the domain, so keep those details safe too.
Who writes the words and supplies the photos?
Content is usually the slowest part of any website project. Decide early who writes each page and who supplies photos. Your own photos of your work, your team and your premises build more trust than stock images.
Write the way your customers speak, and answer the questions they ask you on the phone. Say which areas you cover, how pricing works and what happens next. Only use photos and text you have the right to use. If a logo or brand is still being designed, finish it first so the site can be built around it.
Why do mobile, speed and accessibility matter?
Most people will find you on a phone, often in a hurry. Check that text is readable without zooming, buttons are easy to tap and your phone number can be tapped to call. A slow site loses visitors, so ask for compressed images, few heavy add-ons and a good host.
An accessible site can be used by people who use screen readers, zoom or only a keyboard. UK service providers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people under the Equality Act 2010, or the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in Northern Ireland. Public sector sites must meet the WCAG 2.2 AA standard, and it is a sensible target for any business: clear headings, good colour contrast, image descriptions and labelled forms.
What privacy and cookie rules apply to your website?
If your site collects personal data, such as names and emails from a contact form, UK GDPR applies. You need a clear privacy notice saying what you collect, why, how long you keep it and who you share it with. Collect only what you need and keep it secure. Most organisations that use personal information, including sole traders, must also pay the data protection fee to the ICO unless they are exempt.
Cookies and similar technologies are covered by PECR. You need consent before setting non-essential cookies, and advertising cookies always need consent. Since the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, some uses are exempt, including cookies that are strictly necessary for a service the visitor asked for, and analytics used only to produce statistics to improve your site. For those, you must still explain them clearly and give an easy way to object. Ask your developer to list every cookie and tool the site uses, and check the current guidance on the ICO website.
If you trade as a limited company, your website must also show the company's registered number, registered office address, the part of the UK where it is registered, and its full name including Limited or Ltd.
What should you ask a web developer?
A clear brief gets you better quotes. Share your goals, the pages you need, examples of sites you like and when the content will be ready. Then ask these questions before you agree to anything.
- Who will own the design, code and content once it is paid for?
- Will the domain and hosting be in my name and account?
- Can I update text and photos myself, and will you show me how?
- What are the running costs each year, and who pays them?
- How do you test speed, mobile layout and accessibility?
- How are cookie consent, the privacy notice and contact forms handled?
- What happens if we stop working together?
How AYS can help
On AYS you can describe your website or logo project and local pros send free quotes, with no obligation. Share your goals, the pages you need and any examples you like, and choose the developer or designer who fits.
Questions people also ask
Do I own my website if I pay someone to build it?
Not automatically. Under UK copyright law, the person who creates a commissioned work is usually its first owner unless you agree otherwise in writing. If you want to own the code, design and content, ask for a written assignment of copyright signed by the developer, or at least a clear licence. Also check that the domain is registered in your name.
Does a small business website need a privacy notice?
If the site collects any personal data, such as names, emails or phone numbers through a form, or uses tools that identify visitors, yes. UK GDPR requires you to tell people what you collect, why, how long you keep it and their rights. The ICO website has guidance for small businesses on what a privacy notice should say.
Do I still need a cookie banner?
You need consent before setting cookies that are not exempt, such as advertising or tracking cookies. Some cookies are exempt, including those strictly necessary for a service the visitor requested and, since the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, analytics used only for statistics to improve your site. Exempt cookies still need clear information and an easy way to object.
Should I use a website builder or hire a developer?
A website builder can suit a simple site you want to manage yourself, if you have time to write the content and set it up. A developer can help with a custom design, an online shop, bookings, integrations or better speed and search performance. Either way, make sure you control the domain and can export or move your content.
How long does it take to plan and build a small business website?
It depends on the size of the site and how ready you are. The build is often quicker than gathering the words, photos and feedback. Agree stages and dates with your developer, and have your logo, service list and key photos ready before the design starts to avoid delays.
- ICO: Exceptions for storage and access technologies (cookies)
- ICO: Data protection fee
- ICO: The Data Use and Access Act 2025, what it means for organisations
- Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies (GOV.UK)
- Running a limited company: signs, stationery and promotional material (GOV.UK)
Rules can change. Check the official pages above for the latest position.
