How to make a website for your business: the 3 real options compared

You know you need a website. The question is how to get one without wasting weeks or money. There are three real ways to do it, and the right one depends on how much time you have, how much you want to spend and what you need the site to do.

Option 1: Build it yourself

Website builders like Wix, Squarespace and GoDaddy let you drag and drop a site together.

Good for: owners with time, some comfort with computers and a small budget.

Cost: usually around $15 to $50 a month plus a domain, and your time.

Watch out for: templates that look fine on a laptop and messy on a phone, slow loading from big photos, and sites that never get finished because the business gets busy. Free plans come with extra limits, see free website for small business.

Option 2: Hire a freelancer

Good for: owners who want a custom site and can manage the project.

Cost: anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.

Watch out for: unclear ownership of the domain and site, no plan for updates after launch, and freelancers who disappear. Get the price, timeline and who owns what in writing.

Option 3: Hire a web design company

Good for: owners who want it done right and have no time to do it themselves.

Cost: a wide range, from a few hundred dollars for small specialists to $10,000 or more for large agencies. We compare the numbers in how much a contractor website costs.

Watch out for: long contracts, monthly fees that never end and sites you cannot take with you if you leave.

The steps, whichever option you choose

1. Get your domain

Register it in your own name. See how to buy a domain name.

2. Decide one page or several

A one-page site works well for many trades starting out. More pages help when you offer many services or cover many towns. See landing page vs full website.

3. Gather your content

This is what slows most projects down. Collect it before you start:

• Your logo, business name, phone, email and hours.
• A list of every service you offer.
• Every town or area you cover.
• 10 to 30 real photos of your work, your crew and your truck.
• A few customer reviews you can quote.
• Your license number and insurance details, if relevant.

4. Write for the customer, not for yourself

Start with what you do and where: "Concrete driveways and patios in Tulsa and nearby towns". Then why you, then how to get a quote. Short sentences, plain words.

5. Make it easy to call

Put a tap to call button at the top of every screen, plus a short quote form. Most of your visitors are on a phone.

6. Make it fast

Compress your photos and test on a real phone with mobile data. See why your website is slow on phones.

7. Help Google find it

Add your services and towns in the text, connect the site to your Google Business Profile and submit it to Google Search Console. If it still does not appear, read why your website is not showing on Google.

8. Keep it current

Add new photos, new reviews and seasonal offers. A site that has not changed in five years tells customers something.

Which option fits a trade business?

If you have more time than money, build it yourself and follow the steps above. If you are booked on jobs all week, your time is worth more on the job site, and paying someone who builds sites for trades will usually pay for itself with a few extra calls.

That is what we do. We build fast, phone-first websites for contractors and local service businesses, starting at $100 for a landing page at founding prices. We make a free preview first, so you see your site before you pay. See pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a website for my business myself?

Yes. Website builders make it possible without code. The hard part is not the tool but the content: clear services, real photos, your service area and a fast, easy way to call.

How long does it take to make a business website?

A simple DIY site can take a few days of evenings. A professional build usually takes one to four weeks, depending on the size and how fast you send content.

What pages does a small business website need?

At minimum a home page, your services, photos of your work, your service area, reviews and contact. A one-page site can hold all of these as sections.