Small business website checklist

What the ten checks cover

A small-business website has to do a few basic jobs. Visitors should be able to find it by name, trust that it is secure, understand what you offer within a few seconds and get in touch easily. Behind the scenes, it has to be kept up to date and backed up, and you should be able to log in and make changes yourself.

The first four checks are about being found and understood: your own domain name, a secure connection, a layout that works on a phone and a clear opening sentence. The next four are about trust: a contact method that really reaches you, your business details and a privacy policy where you collect people’s details. The last two are about keeping control: updates and your own login.

Be honest when you tick the boxes. A low score is not a failure; it simply shows where a short job will help most. Fix the basics first, then look at design and extras.

The small business website checklist, check by check

What each check means, why it matters and the quickest way to fix it.

1. A domain name that matches your business

Your own address (for example yourbusiness.co.uk) looks more trustworthy than a free subdomain or a social media page, and you keep it if you change website builder. Register it in your own name, not your web designer's, and switch on auto-renew. Our domain name basics guide explains how.

2. A secure connection (https)

Browsers mark sites without https as "Not secure", which puts visitors off before they read a word. Most hosts include a free SSL certificate. Once it is on, check that the plain http address sends visitors to the https one.

3. Works on a phone

Many visitors see your site on a phone first. Open it on your own phone: text should be readable without zooming, buttons easy to tap, and nothing should spill off the side of the screen.

4. Says clearly what you offer

Someone landing on your home page should know within a few seconds what you do, who or where you serve and what to do next. One plain sentence at the top does more than a clever slogan.

5. Easy to contact you

Put a phone number, email address or contact form where people expect it: in the menu and at the bottom of every page. Short forms get more messages than long ones.

6. Messages from the form actually arrive

Contact forms can stop working without any warning, often because of email settings. Send yourself a test message every month or two, and check your spam folder too.

7. Business name and contact details shown

Showing who is behind the site builds trust. If you trade as a limited company, UK law also requires your registered company name, company number and registered office address on your website.

8. A privacy policy if you collect details

A contact form, mailing list or analytics means you handle personal data. Explain in plain words what you collect, why, and how long you keep it. The ICO, the UK data protection regulator, has guidance for small businesses.

9. WordPress, themes and plugins kept up to date

Out-of-date plugins are a common way into small websites. Back up first, then update, and remove plugins you no longer use. See website backups for small businesses.

10. You can log in and edit it yourself

Make sure you have the logins for your website, domain and hosting, stored somewhere safe. If only a past designer can get in, you do not fully control your own site.