Small business web design
Small business web design built around how your customers decide
A small business site has a few jobs: say what you do, show who is behind it, and make it easy to get in touch. We plan, design, write and build it with you, remotely if you are outside Connecticut.
What small business web design covers
Web design for a small business is less about decoration and more about answering questions in the right order. A visitor arrives from a search or a referral and wants to know three things quickly: whether you do what they need, whether you serve their area, and what to do next. The design, the page structure and the writing are all built to answer those questions without making anyone hunt.
We handle planning, page structure, visual design, mobile layout, copy and the build as one project. The search setup that goes with it is described on our local SEO services page, and the original team and work photography is covered under website photo and video content. This page is about the website itself.
Planning before design
We start with a conversation about your services, your customers and what a good inquiry looks like for you. From that we draft a sitemap: the list of pages, how they connect and what each one is for.
Goals and audience
Who the site is for, what they need to know and what you want them to do, such as call, request a quote or book a visit.
Page inventory
Which pages exist now, which are worth keeping and which should be merged or replaced.
Sitemap
A simple structure with one page per main service, plus about, contact and any proof pages.
Content requirements
What each page needs: text, photos, video, testimonials, forms and maps.
Questions before you decide?
Share your current address, what you offer and the area you serve. We will talk through the plan and scope with you.
Design that works on a phone first
Many local customers find a business on a phone, often while deciding quickly. We design the small screen first, then adapt upward. That means a short menu, readable text without zooming, large buttons, a visible phone number and a contact route that is never more than a tap away.
On larger screens we use the extra room for photography and proof rather than for more clutter. Pages are kept light so they load promptly, and images are sized for the screen they appear on. We check on real phone-sized layouts before launch and fix what does not read well.
- Navigation with a handful of clear labels
- Contact details and a primary call to action on every page
- Forms with only the fields you need to reply well
- Text and contrast that stay legible outdoors and on small screens
- Accessible structure: headings in order, descriptive links and text alternatives for images
Copy written for customers and for search
Good copy is specific. It names the service, the kind of customer and the area, in plain words, and it sounds like the business rather than a template. We can write the page copy with you from a short interview, or work from copy you provide and edit it for clarity and structure.
Each page gets its own heading structure, its own title and description, and a clear next step. We write for the reader first. Search considerations, such as which page should answer which question, are decided in the planning stage and described on the local SEO services page, so the copy never reads as if it were written for a machine.
How the build and launch run
1. Plan and sitemap
Goals, pages and content requirements agreed in writing.
2. Design
Layouts for the main page types, reviewed with you before the build.
3. Copy and media
Writing and any photo or video gathered or produced for the pages.
4. Build
Pages assembled, forms connected and the site tested on phones, tablets and desktops.
5. Pre-launch checks
Links, forms, titles, descriptions, redirects from old addresses and a review of what you will want to measure.
6. Launch and review
Launch is agreed with you, and we review how the site is doing so adjustments can be scoped.
Working remotely with businesses anywhere
Legend is based in West Hartford, Connecticut. Design, writing and build are done remotely through calls, shared documents and review links, so a business in Oregon or any other state can work with us. We do not claim offices or crews outside Connecticut. If your project includes original photo or video, we plan that separately; see website photo and video content.
What shapes the scope
The number of pages, how much copy has to be written, the features you need, whether photography or video are included and whether an existing site is being moved all shape the work. Your proposal sets out deliverables, revision stages, schedule, hosting and ownership arrangements before work begins. Our guide on what affects small business website cost walks through the factors in more detail.
Common questions
Do you build sites for businesses outside Connecticut?
Yes. Design, writing and build are done remotely. Original photo and video are planned separately based on your location.
Do I need to supply the copy?
No. We can write it with you, or work from what you have and edit it.
Can you redesign my existing site?
Yes. We review what exists, keep what is working and plan redirects for any address that changes. Our redesign checklist explains what we look at.
Will the site work on phones?
Yes. We design for the small screen first and test on phone-sized layouts before launch.
Who owns the site and handles hosting?
Ownership and hosting arrangements are set out in your proposal before work begins. Ongoing hosting and maintenance are scoped separately.
Does the site come with SEO?
Page structure, titles, descriptions and clean addresses are part of the build. Deeper local search work is covered on our local SEO services page and can be scoped as a separate or ongoing part of the project.
From the blog
Related posts and answers
Website and local SEOSmall Business Website Redesign Checklist
An audit to run before a redesign: which pages and addresses to keep, how to carry your message across, how to check mobile and forms, and how to test before launch.
7 min read
Website and local SEOWhat Affects the Cost of a Small Business Website
The factors that make one website project larger than another: scope, design, copy, photo and video, integrations, hosting and what happens after launch.
7 min read
What happens after you inquire about website design and local seo
- 1
Send your details
Tell us the goal, your timeframe and your location.
- 2
We review your details
We read your inquiry and confirm availability.
- 3
We reply with next steps
We reply with the next steps. If a call would help, we’ll arrange one.
- 4
Plan the scope and quote
We talk through goals, deliverables and scope, then provide a quote.
Planning a new site or a redesign?
Share your current address, what you offer and the area you serve. We will talk through the plan and scope with you.
Tell us what you want to make.
Email tyler@legendphotoandfilm.com or call 860-255-8802.
Talk about your project