How much content do I need for my website?

Short answer: Most small-business websites need far less content than people expect, usually a homepage, a few service pages, an about page and a contact page. What matters is that each page is clear and useful, not that you have written thousands of words.

Start with the pages people actually need

Before writing a single word, list the questions your customers ask before they buy. What do you do? Do you cover my area? How much does it cost? Can I trust you? How do I get in touch? Each of those maps to a page or a section.

For most local and trade businesses, that comes to five or six pages: a homepage, one page per main service, an about page, a contact page and perhaps a gallery of work. That is a complete, professional site. You do not need a page for every thought you have ever had. Our note on how many pages should my website have goes deeper on this.

Adding pages for the sake of it dilutes your site. A visitor faced with twenty thin pages finds it harder to get an answer than one faced with six clear ones.

Quality over word count

There is a myth that more words mean better search rankings. In practice, a tight 400-word page that answers a real question outperforms a rambling 1,500-word one stuffed with filler. Write for the person, not a word counter.

Each page should have a clear purpose, a plain heading, and enough detail to move someone toward contacting you. Cut anything that does not help the reader decide. If a sentence could be deleted without losing meaning, delete it.

Your homepage in particular should be short and sharp. See what should my homepage include for the structure that works.

What content actually includes

Content is not only words. A useful page usually needs:

• A clear heading and a short block of text
• Real photos of your work, team or premises
• Proof such as reviews or client logos
• A call to action telling people what to do next

Photos and images do a lot of the heavy lifting, especially for trades and services. A gallery of finished jobs can say more than three paragraphs. If you sell products, each item needs a decent photo and a short, honest description. On BuiltWeb builds a portfolio or gallery add-on starts from £60 if you want a dedicated showcase.

If you are short on written content, that is fine. A good designer will help shape what you have and prompt you for the rest. You do not need to arrive with a finished manuscript.

Grow it over time

The best approach is to launch with a lean, complete site and add to it as you go. Once you are live, you might add case studies, seasonal services or a blog. Whether a blog is worth it depends on your goals, which we cover in should my website have a blog.

This is one reason a one-off site suits most businesses. With BuiltWeb you pay once, from £300, own the site, and add content whenever it suits, with no monthly fee for the privilege. See what is included on our packages page or browse real examples on our work page.

Not sure how much you actually need? Get a clear price and we will help you plan the right pages from the start.