Small Business Website Guide

What Do You Actually Need for a Small Business Website?

Setting up a website sounds more complicated than it usually is.

You don't need to understand servers, code, or every software option. You just need to know what is essential, what it normally costs, and what can wait.

Already planning a website? Explore Small Business Website Design

The basics

Think of it like opening a storefront.

01

Domain

Your address

yourbusiness.ca

This is how people find your website.

A standard .ca domain is often around ~$10–20 CAD per year.

Keep the domain in an account your business controls.

02

Hosting

Where the website lives

Every website needs hosting somewhere — but that does not mean you need an expensive hosting plan.

Platforms such as Squarespace, Wix, and Shopify include hosting in their subscription.

Lightweight custom websites can often run on services such as Cloudflare Pages without a monthly hosting bill.

More complex systems may need paid infrastructure when there is an actual reason for it.

For many simple small-business websites, $0 monthly hosting is completely practical.

Basic SSL/HTTPS is normally included with modern hosting or website platforms.

03

Website

The storefront customers use

This is the part people actually see — your services, photos, menu, booking link, contact form, and the path to the next step.

Domain → Hosting → Website That's the basic setup.

Once the basics are covered

What actually makes a small-business website useful?

1

Easy to understand on a phone

Most customers should be able to quickly understand what you do, where you are, and whether the business is relevant to them.

MenuServicesHoursLocation

2

One clear next step

The website should make the important action obvious.

CallBookOrderRequest a QuoteVisit

Different businesses need different actions. The point is to avoid making the customer guess.

3

Searchable and measurable from launch

Google should be able to understand the site, and the business should be able to see whether important customer actions are happening.

Search basics

  • useful page titles
  • clear site structure
  • Search Console

Measurement basics

  • contact actions
  • booking / ordering actions
  • important form submissions

Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Google Business Profile can all be used without a monthly software fee.

Explore SEO Foundation

Not sure which setup fits your business?

You don't need to choose the platform, hosting, or number of pages before talking to us.

Tell us what the business needs customers to be able to do. We'll help work backwards from there.

See how we work

The practical part

What does a small-business website actually cost to run?

Usually recurring

Domain
~$10–20 / year
Hosting
Often $0 for a simple site ~$20–60+ / month when using a managed platform
Business email
$0 if bundled, or ~$7–12 / user / month
Booking / ordering
~$20–50+ / month when needed
Google tools
$0 Search Console, Analytics, and Business Profile.

Usually project-based

  • website planning
  • design
  • development
  • initial content setup
  • migration
  • integrations
  • launch setup

Website build cost varies much more than domain or hosting because the scope can range from a focused landing page to a custom system.

See current website pricing

Pricing examples updated September 2026.

These are rough examples, not quotes.

Pricing varies by provider, plan, exchange rate, promotions, renewal terms, and the tools the business actually uses.

What this looks like

Three businesses. Three different setups.

Independent professional

Vancouver consultant

  • Domain
  • focused website
  • business email
  • contact form
  • analytics

Ongoing software costs can be very low — often well under $50/month.

Appointment-based business

Richmond art studio

  • Domain
  • website
  • existing booking system
  • business email
  • local search basics

A practical setup might cost roughly $30–120/month, depending mostly on the booking and website platform.

If the booking system already works, keep it.

Restaurant

Burnaby neighbourhood restaurant

  • Domain
  • website
  • mobile-friendly menu
  • Google Business Profile
  • ordering or reservations

Restaurant software costs vary more because ordering, reservations, payments, POS, and other operational tools may already be involved.

Do not rebuild a working ordering system just because you are rebuilding the website.

Explore Restaurant Website Design

Before adding more

Things you probably don't need on day one.

  • 20 pages when five focused pages explain the business clearly
  • A custom booking system when the current booking tool already works
  • A mobile app when customers only need a good website
  • A complicated CMS when the content rarely changes
  • A large SEO retainer before the site's basic search foundation is in place
  • More software when an existing tool already solves the problem

Start with the smallest setup that solves the current problem.

Add complexity when the business gives you a reason to.

Quick questions

Still wondering about something?

Can I buy the domain before building the website?

Yes.

If you know the business name and the domain is available, you can register it now and build the website later.

Do I need separate hosting?

Not always.

Website builders usually include hosting, while some WordPress setups use separate hosting. Lightweight custom websites can often be hosted with no monthly hosting bill.

Does hosting include email?

Sometimes.

Some hosting packages include business email, while other platforms treat email as a separate service.

Check what your current plan includes before paying for another subscription.

Do I need ongoing website maintenance?

It depends on the technology.

Managed platforms handle much of the infrastructure for you. WordPress and custom systems may require different levels of ongoing maintenance.

Can I keep the tools my business already uses?

Usually, yes.

If your booking, ordering, payment, CRM, or other business software works well, we normally prefer connecting it rather than replacing it without a reason.

A practical starting point

You don't need to figure out the technology first.

Tell us about the business, what you already use, and what you need customers to be able to do.

We'll help separate the essentials from the extras.