When you're planning a new business website, deciding which pages you need is one of the most important parts of the process. Your website needs to give potential customers the information they are looking for, answer their questions, build trust in your business and make it easy for them to take the next step. The pages you need will depend on what your business does, the products or services you offer, who you are trying to reach and what you want your website to achieve.
There is no fixed number of pages that every business website should have. A small local business may only need a handful of well-planned pages, while a larger business or online store may need many more. Some businesses will need detailed service pages, location pages or a portfolio, while others may benefit from FAQs, customer reviews, booking pages or an online store.
The key is to create the right pages for your business and your customers, rather than simply trying to build a website with as many pages as possible.
This guide explains the essential pages most business websites need, the additional pages you may want to consider and how to structure your website so it is easy for both visitors and search engines to navigate.
The Essential Pages for a Business Website
Most small business websites will need these core pages:
- Home
- About
- Services or Products
- Contact
Depending on your business, you may also need location pages, FAQs, testimonials, a portfolio, a blog or other supporting content. Let's look at what each page should do.
1. Home Page
Your home page is usually the first page people see, so it needs to quickly explain what your business does and who you help.
A good home page should answer:
- What does your business do?
- Who do you provide it for?
- Where do you operate?
- Why should someone choose you?
- What should the visitor do next?
Your home page doesn't need to contain everything about your business. Its job is to introduce your business and guide visitors towards the information they're looking for.
2. About Page
Your About page gives potential customers more information about your business and the people behind it.
It can include:
- Your story
- Experience and expertise
- Your team
- Qualifications or memberships
- Your values
- What makes your business different
- Photos of your team or workplace
An About page can be particularly useful when customers are deciding whether they can trust your business.
3. Services or Products Pages
This is where you explain exactly what you offer. If you provide several services, consider creating a separate page for each important service rather than putting everything onto one page.
For example, a building company might have separate pages for:
- New home builds
- Renovations
- House plans
- Design services
Individual service pages give you more space to explain what you offer and can also help your website appear for more specific Google searches.
If you sell products, your website will need product pages containing information such as descriptions, images, pricing, options and purchasing information.
4. Contact Page
Your Contact page should make it easy for customers to get in touch.
Include the contact methods that are relevant to your business, such as:
- Phone number
- Email address
- Contact form
- Physical address
- Business hours
- Service area
- Links to relevant social media profiles
If you have a physical location, you may also want to include a map and directions.
Don't rely on the Contact page alone, though. Your phone number, enquiry button or other call to action can also appear throughout your website.
5. Location Pages
If your business serves specific towns, cities or regions, location pages may be useful. For example, a business serving customers throughout Taranaki might create pages explaining the services it provides in relevant areas.
A useful location page should contain genuinely helpful local information. Avoid creating multiple pages that simply swap one town name for another. Location pages can be particularly valuable for businesses that rely on local customers and search traffic.
6. FAQ Page
An FAQ page can answer common questions before customers contact you.
Questions might cover:
- Pricing
- Service areas
- Opening hours
- How your process works
- Delivery
- Payment options
- Timeframes
- What customers need to provide
You can also answer important questions directly on the relevant service or product page. You don't necessarily need to put every question into one FAQ page.
7. Testimonials and Reviews
Customer feedback can help demonstrate that other people have chosen and trusted your business.
You could include:
- Customer testimonials
- Reviews
- Ratings
- Case studies
- Before-and-after examples
- Links to relevant review profiles
Keep testimonials genuine and, where appropriate, identify the customer or business providing the feedback.
8. Portfolio or Projects
A portfolio is particularly useful for businesses where customers want to see examples of previous work.
This could include:
- Building projects
- Photography
- Graphic design
- Landscaping
- Renovations
- Interior design
- Creative work
Don't just show images. Explain what the project involved and what you delivered. This gives potential customers a better understanding of what you can do for them.
9. Blog or Resources
A blog or resource section can provide useful information for customers while creating opportunities to target relevant searches on Google. For example, a business could publish:
- How-to guides
- Buying guides
- Answers to common questions
- Industry information
- Local information
- Advice related to its products or services
You don't need a blog simply because other businesses have one. It should have a clear purpose and provide information your customers actually want.
10. Online Store
If you're selling products online, you'll need ecommerce functionality rather than simply adding a page called "Shop". An online store may include:
- Product categories
- Product pages
- Shopping cart
- Checkout
- Payment options
- Shipping information
- Order management
- Customer accounts
The size and complexity of your online store will depend on the number and type of products you sell.
What Other Pages Might You Need?
Some businesses will benefit from additional pages such as:
- Pricing
- Booking
- Careers
- Case studies
- Our team
- Delivery information
- Returns and refunds
- Privacy policy
- Terms and conditions
These pages should be added when they serve a genuine purpose for your customers or your business.
How Many Pages Does a Website Need?
There is no ideal number of pages. A small local business might have five or six well-planned pages, while a larger business could need dozens or hundreds.
More pages don't automatically make a better website. What matters is whether each page has a clear purpose and provides useful information. Instead of asking "How many pages should my website have?", ask: "What information do my customers need to make a decision?" That question will give you a much better starting point.
Plan Your Website Structure
Once you've decided which pages you need, organise them into a simple structure.
For example:
Home
→ About
→ Services
→ Service 1
→ Service 2
→ Service 3
→ Projects
→ FAQs
→ Contact
Your navigation should make the most important pages easy to find, while related pages should be logically connected. A clear structure also gives search engines a better understanding of how the information on your website is organised.
Don't Forget the User Journey
Every page should help move visitors towards the next step. Someone might arrive on a service page from Google, learn about your service, read a testimonial and then complete your enquiry form. Think about these journeys when planning your pages.
Your website shouldn't just contain information. It should help visitors find the right information and know what to do next.
Build Your Website Around Your Customers
The right website structure starts with your customers. Work out what they need to know, what questions they are likely to have and what will help them choose your business. Then create the pages that provide those answers. You don't need dozens of pages to create a professional website. You need the right pages, with useful content and a clear purpose.
Ready to plan your website? Start with our How to Plan a Website for Your NZ Business guide, or explore Create a Website for the complete website-building process.
