Building a website for a small business: what it involves
Building a small-business website means four things: text that explains what you do; pages arranged so a visitor finds your phone number in seconds; the technical part Google can read; and an address for it to live at. With us it takes an afternoon: you answer questions about your business, you see the finished site, and you choose a monthly plan - free to start, or €9 or €27 a month, and a custom site for anything entirely your own.
What is actually being made
Most quotes for "website design" mix three different things: design, content and engineering. Content is what brings customers - what you offer, for whom, where you work and how to reach you. Design arranges that content. Engineering makes the site fast, readable to Google and usable on a phone.
Design and engineering are much the same for most small businesses, and there is no reason to pay for them from scratch each time. The content is different for everyone, and that is where the work goes.
How long it takes
- Questions about the business: 10–15 minutes.
- Building the site: minutes, while you watch.
- Your own edits to text and photos: as many as you like, free.
- Going live: immediately, on the free plan already.
- Your own domain: within an hour if you buy it through us; up to 24 hours if you point an existing one yourself.
What to have ready
- Business name, phone and email.
- Your services and, if you are ready, prices or "from …".
- Opening hours and address, if people come to you.
- A few photographs of your work. The site works without them.
What costs money afterwards
There is no one-off build fee. The site is on a monthly plan: Free (€0), Start €9 and Business €27 a month, VAT included. A domain is separate, registered in your name, at the registry's price.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I change the site myself afterwards?
- Yes. Text, photos, prices and opening hours are edited in the admin panel, without limits or extra cost.
- Who owns the site and the domain?
- You do. The domain is registered in your name, and you can export the site as files at any time.
- Do I need a registered company to have a website?
- No. Sole traders and freelancers can too. Selling online does require a company and terms of sale.
- What if I do not like the finished site?
- You put it live on the free plan and pay nothing. You choose a paid plan only if you want more, and you can cancel it at any time.