Pages a web designer's website should have

Most web designers have a terrible website. Not ugly, usually. Just thin. A home page, a few project images, a contact form, and a line about "passion for great design."

That's a problem, because your site is the one job you can't hand to anyone else. It has to show what you do, how you work and what happens next, without you in the room. So here's what it needs. Eleven pages, each with a job, and a short list at the end telling you which five to build first.

Purpose: To tell a visitor within a few seconds what you do, who it's for, and where to go next.

Say plainly what you offer: websites for small businesses in the UK. Name the sort of client you suit, whether that's tradespeople, shops, clinics or something else. If you take on anyone, say so, but be specific where you can.

Then give a short taste of the rest of the site. Two or three of your best projects with a line each. A one-sentence summary of how a project runs, with a link to the process page. A clear route to your enquiry page, placed where a visitor will see it without scrolling hunt.

Put your name or studio name at the top and make it clear whether you're one person or a team. Small business owners often prefer to know who they're dealing with, so don't hide behind "we" if it's just you. Keep the wording short. Write the way you'd explain your work to a new client over a cup of tea.

One more thing. Check the page on a phone before you call it finished. If the main message and the main button aren't obvious on a small screen, fix that first.

Avoid vague slogans and a wall of design buzzwords. Skip the slider that changes before anyone can read it, and the home page that makes the visitor work out what you actually sell. Avoid burying the enquiry link in a footer.

Purpose: To list exactly what you offer, so a visitor can tell in a minute whether you do what they need.

Only include what you really do. If your work is design, build, hosting, updates and care plans, those are your headings. If you don't host sites, don't mention hosting. If you hand hosting to a partner, say that and say who deals with it.

Give each service a short, plain description. What it is, and what the client gets. Then what they need to supply. For design, that might be layouts and a look agreed with the client. For build, the finished working site. For hosting, where the site lives and who looks after it. For updates, how changes are requested and roughly how they're handled. For a care plan, what's covered each month and what isn't.

Write in the words a client would use. "Updates to your site after launch" beats "ongoing digital optimisation."

If a service only suits some clients, say which ones. A visitor who sees they're not a fit will leave quickly, and that saves you both a wasted call.

Avoid listing services you've never delivered, or services you only do reluctantly. Avoid jargon the client has to look up. Avoid vague headings like "solutions" that don't say what the client actually receives. And avoid a long page with no breaks; give each service its own short section.

Purpose: To show real work you've actually done, and what changed because of it.

Show real sites, not mock-ups. Get the client's agreement before you put their project on your own site. Ask in writing so there's no doubt later, and check whether they're happy to be named or would rather stay anonymous.

For each case study, keep to a simple order. Who the client is. What the brief was. What you built or changed. What was different afterwards. Keep that last part honest and small. "The old site had no way to book online; the new one does" is a fine result. Don't dress it up.

Use screenshots on a phone and on a desktop so a visitor can see both. Link to the live site where the client is happy for you to do so.

If you're newer and don't have many projects, show fewer and explain them well. Three clear case studies beat twelve thumbnails with no story. If you've done a project for yourself or a friend, you can show it, but say what it is.

Avoid showing work you don't have permission to show. Avoid screenshots with no explanation. Avoid claiming results you can't point to, and don't invent figures. Avoid mock-ups passed off as real client work. And never leave out the brief; it's the part that helps a new client picture their own project.

Purpose: To explain how a project runs from first call to launch, and who does what.

They don't know what happens first, what you'll ask them for, or how long the waiting bits take. This page removes the guesswork.

Lay out the stages in order. A first conversation. A written quote. Agreeing the pages and the look. Building. Review and changes. Launch. Whatever your steps really are, list them as they happen.

Under each stage, say what you do and what the client does. Clients are often the slowest part of a project, usually because they're busy and nobody told them what was needed. Say plainly that you'll need text, photos and decisions from them, and roughly when.

Give a sense of timing, but only what you can stand behind. If a typical project takes a few weeks but depends on how fast the client replies, say exactly that. Don't invent a number you can't keep.

Say how changes are handled, how many rounds of feedback are included, and what happens if a project stalls while you wait for material.

Avoid a diagram so clever nobody can read it. Avoid promising dates you can't control. Avoid hiding the client's part of the work. And avoid a process page that reads like a sales pitch rather than a plain plan.

Purpose: To explain how you quote, so a visitor knows what to expect before they get in touch.

You don't have to publish prices. Plenty of designers don't, because every site is different. But you do need to say how the quote works, or visitors will guess, and they'll guess wrong.

Explain what shapes the cost: the number of pages, whether you're writing or editing content, any features like booking or a shop, and how much of the work you're doing for them. Say whether you quote a fixed fee for a defined job or charge by time. Say how payment is split, if it is, and when it's due.

State what a quote includes and what counts as extra. Be clear about hosting, domain costs and care plans if they're separate from the build. Nothing annoys a client more than a surprise after the agreement.

Tell the visitor how to get a quote and how long it usually takes you to send one. Link straight to your enquiry page.

If you do publish starting prices, keep them current, and say what they cover. If you'd rather not, say why in a sentence. An honest "every project is different, here's how we work it out" beats a vague "contact us for pricing."

Avoid inventing "from" prices you won't honour. Avoid hiding extra charges until the end. Avoid pricing language so vague it tells the visitor nothing. And avoid a page that talks about value for three paragraphs without saying how a quote is built.

Purpose: To say what happens once the site is live, including support, updates, and who owns what.

This is the page clients worry about most and designers explain least. Fix that.

Start with ownership. Say plainly who owns the website and who owns the domain name once the project is paid for. If the client owns both, say so. If you hold the domain or the hosting account on their behalf, say that too, and say what happens if they want to move it. Be upfront. A client who finds out later that they don't control their own site will not forgive it.

Then cover support. Is there a period after launch where you fix problems at no extra charge? How does a client report one, and how quickly do you normally respond? Say it as you'd actually deliver it.

Next, updates. What kinds of changes are included, and what are chargeable? Explain how a client asks for a change and how it's handled. If you offer a care plan, say what it covers each month and what it doesn't.

Finally, say what the client gets handed over: logins, files, and any guidance for editing the site themselves, if that's part of the job.

Avoid vague promises like "ongoing support" with no detail. Avoid leaving ownership unclear. Avoid implying a care plan covers everything when it doesn't. And avoid making the client ask for their own logins.

Purpose: To make it easy for a good-fit client to start a conversation and give you what you need to quote.

This is not the same as your contact page. A contact page says how to reach you. An enquiry page helps someone describe a project.

Keep the form short. Ask for a name, an email address or phone number, a few lines about the business, what they want the site to do, and a rough idea of timing. If you ask for a budget, say why you're asking and that a range is fine. Too many questions put people off; too few leave you guessing.

Above the form, say what happens next. "We reply within a working day" is only worth writing if you will. Say what the first conversation covers and whether it costs anything. Tell them if you'll follow up by phone or email.

Add a line or two reassuring a visitor that they're not committing to anything by asking. Mention how their details will be used, and link to your privacy policy. If you handle personal data, check the current rules with the relevant regulator rather than guessing.

Test the form yourself on a phone, and make sure you actually receive the message. Do this regularly.

Avoid a form with a dozen required boxes. Avoid a "submit" button that leads nowhere. Avoid promising fast replies you can't deliver. And avoid sending visitors to a page with no form at all.

Purpose: To let past clients speak for you, in their own words, with their agreement.

Use real comments from real clients, and ask before you publish them. Keep their wording. If you trim it for length, get them to approve the shorter version.

Where possible, add the client's name, their business, and a link to the site you built for them. If they'd rather stay anonymous, respect that and say what kind of business it is instead.

Place a short testimonial or two near the enquiry form, where a visitor is deciding whether to get in touch. A longer collection can live on its own page or sit beside your case studies.

The best comments are specific. "Easy to work with" is fine, but "they explained each step and told us what they needed from us" shows what working with you is actually like. If a client's message is generic, ask a follow-up question: what was the process like, what changed for the business?

If you have no testimonials yet, don't make any up. Ask your first few clients as soon as their sites go live, while the project is fresh.

Avoid invented quotes, even "composite" ones. Avoid using a client's words without their agreement. Avoid anonymous praise with no name or business. And avoid a testimonials page that's the only place reviews appear; scatter a few where they matter.

Purpose: To tell a visitor who you are and why they should trust you with their website.

Say who runs the business. A name, a photo if you're comfortable with one, and a short account of what you do and how you came to do it. If you're a team, say who does what.

Keep it relevant. Visitors want to know your background in web design, the kinds of businesses you work with, and how you like to work. Add a personal note if it helps: where you're based, what you enjoy. A line or two of personality is plenty.

If you're a UK limited company, your website must show the registered company name, registered number, registered office address and where you're registered (GOV.UK). The About page or the footer is the usual home for this. If you're a sole trader or a different type of business, check with the relevant regulator or your accountant what you need to show.

Say plainly what you don't do, too. If you only work with small businesses, or you don't build online shops, saying so sets expectations and saves time on both sides.

End by pointing the reader to the next step: your portfolio or your enquiry page.

Avoid a life story that never mentions web design. Avoid grand claims about being "the best" or "leading." Avoid stock photos of people who aren't you. And avoid leaving out the legal company details if you're a limited company.

Purpose: To give a visitor every sensible way to reach you, in one place.

List an email address and, if you take calls, a phone number. Say when you're available. If you work set hours, state them, and if you're closed at weekends, say so. Visitors would rather know than wait for a reply that isn't coming.

If you have a studio or office a client might visit, give the address. If you work from home and prefer not to share it, a general area is fine, though a limited company still needs its registered office address shown somewhere on the site (GOV.UK).

Offer more than one route. Some people want to email or call. Others want a form. Link to your enquiry page for anyone ready to describe a project.

Make the details easy to tap on a phone. A phone number should dial when pressed, and an email address should open a message.

Keep the page short. It's a reference, not a sales page. A map is fine if you want visitors to find a physical location, but it isn't essential.

Check every detail regularly. A wrong phone number or a dead email address costs you work and you may never find out.

Avoid hiding your details behind a form only. Avoid listing hours you don't keep. Avoid an out-of-date address or number. And avoid making visitors search for how to reach you.

Purpose: To help people who are searching locally find and contact you. Only bother with this if you serve people in a particular area.

If you work with clients across the UK from a spare room and never meet them, you may not need one. If you take on local businesses and see clients face to face, it's worth setting up.

Use the real-world business name that appears on your shopfront, your website and your stationery. Don't add keywords to the name. Google's guidelines say so, and it's an easy way to get a listing into trouble.

Keep your opening hours accurate, and update your holiday hours when they change. A visitor who turns up to find you closed won't be pleased.

Be clear about one thing: you can't pay for a better local ranking. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something. Fill in your details properly, keep them current and leave it there.

Add a link to your website, and make sure it lands on a page that matches what the listing promises. Keep your contact details the same everywhere they appear.

On search volumes: people do look for this kind of service nearby. UK monthly estimates from DataForSEO (18 October 2026) put "web designer near me" at 6,600 and "web designer website" at 70. After that come "web designer seo" at 40, "web designer marketing" at 30 and "seo for web designers" at 20. These are national estimates, not figures for any one town, so treat them as a rough guide only.

Avoid stuffing the business name with extra words. Avoid leaving hours out of date. Avoid creating near-identical pages for every town you might serve. Google's spam policies treat many near-duplicate pages made mainly to manipulate rankings as spam, so any area page must carry something genuinely different. And avoid expecting a listing to do the work of a good website.

Don't try to build everything at once. Start here, in this order.

1. Home page: say what you do, who it's for, and where to go next.
2. Services: list only what you actually offer, in plain words.
3. Portfolio and case studies: show real work, with the client's agreement.
4. Enquiry page: a short form and a clear account of what happens next.
5. About and contact: who you are, your company details if you're a limited company, and how to reach you.

Process, pricing, after-launch support, testimonials and your Google Business Profile come next. They all help. They just rely on the first five being solid.

You may read this and spot two or three gaps straight away. Others are harder to see from the inside.

Seracu offers a free snapshot that shows which topics your site lacks compared with competitors. It's a quick way to see where to start.

Build the five. Then see what's left.