Which pages should your website actually have?

Most entrepreneurs start a new website with one question: what should it look like? Understandable, but it is not the most important question. What makes a website good or bad starts with structure: which pages exist, what each page says and the route visitors take from one step to the next.

The easiest way to work this out is not to look at competitors, but at your own customers. Which questions do they ask most often? Where do they still hesitate before saying yes? Every question you hear regularly points to a page. Below are the pages almost every business benefits from, followed by the pages you only add if they suit the way you work.

The basics: four pages you almost always need

Homepage

Anyone landing on your homepage wants to know within seconds: what do you do, who for, and why should I get in touch? That does not mean everything has to be there. The homepage is primarily an overview page that directs visitors to the pages with the details. A short introduction, your main services, a few trust signals and a clear button towards contact are often enough.

Services or products

On this page you explain what you deliver. The biggest mistake is one long list without explanation. Visitors are not looking for a "service"; they are looking for a solution to their situation. If you offer different services or serve different audiences, give each its own space: a separate section or its own page with concrete examples and what the customer gets out of it.

About us

Often seen as a box to tick, but usually one of the most visited pages. Customers want to know who they are doing business with, especially with services that take place in or around their home. Write briefly about who you are, what you do and what someone can expect from you. A photo of yourself or your team helps more than a long text.

Contact

Sounds obvious, but it regularly goes wrong in practice. A good contact page explains how to reach you, how quickly someone can expect a reply and which region you work in. The form: shorter is better. Name, email address or phone number and the question are often enough. Every extra required field costs enquiries.

Pages you add if your business calls for them

• References or projects — virtually essential if your work is visual, such as construction, landscaping, painting or installation. Before-and-after photos with a short description do most of the work here.
• Prices or packages — useful if customers often ask about price. You do not have to state exact figures; clear packages or a "from" guideline also remove a barrier.
• Frequently asked questions — catches recurring questions and saves you phone calls. Only include questions that are genuinely asked often; nobody reads a long list of thin answers.
• Reviews or customer stories — strong evidence, especially with real names, places and the service involved. You can read how to collect and display reviews in customer reviews on your website.

More pages do not automatically make a better website

Every page needs a clear function. A page added "for completeness" creates confusion: visitors no longer know where to click, and search engines get a less clear picture of what you specialise in. If you are unsure about a page, ask yourself two questions: which customer question does this page answer, and what should someone do next? If you cannot answer them, leave the page out.

A quick check for your current website

Go through your own site as if you were a customer who knows nothing about the business. Can you tell within ten seconds what this company does? Can you find where to get in touch without searching? Is there work or a customer story visible somewhere? Are there pages that nobody ever visits? The answers tell you immediately what is wrong with the structure.

Would you rather have someone think this through with you? Take a look at how we structure websites around a company's services and customers, or browse examples by industry. And once the structure is in place, you can move on to the content: that is what copy and photos for your website is about.