For your business5 min read

Small business website checklist: 20 things to check before you launch

Before you share your website with anyone, run through this checklist. These are the 20 most common issues that cost small businesses enquiries every day.

Quick answer

Before launching your small business website, the seven most critical checks are: your headline clearly states what you do and where, your phone/WhatsApp is visible without scrolling on mobile, your contact form works (send a test), your site loads in under 3 seconds, you have at least one real photo, your meta title and description are set, and you've submitted to Google Search Console.

Step-by-step

Content checks (1–7)

1. Your headline states what you do and where in plain English. 2. Your services are listed with clear names. 3. You have at least a starting-from price. 4. There is at least one genuine photo — not stock. 5. You have at least one testimonial or a link to your Google reviews. 6. Your business name, address/service area, and phone number are accurate. 7. Your About section answers 'why should I trust this person?'

Contact & conversion checks (8–12)

8. Your phone number or WhatsApp is visible without scrolling on mobile. 9. Your contact form works — send a test and confirm you receive it. 10. There is a call to action on every major section. 11. The CTA is specific ('Book a free consultation') not vague ('Get in touch'). 12. If you have a WhatsApp button, tap it on mobile and confirm it opens correctly.

SEO checks (13–16)

13. Your meta title includes your main service and location (e.g. 'Dog Groomer Manchester | YourBusiness'). 14. Your meta description is under 160 characters and includes a benefit. 15. Your location and main service keyword appear in your page copy. 16. Your site has been submitted to Google Search Console.

Mobile & technical checks (17–20)

17. Check your site on your own phone — does everything look correct? Are buttons tappable? 18. Your site loads in under 3 seconds (test with Google PageSpeed Insights). 19. There are no broken links — click every link on the page. 20. If you have a custom domain, it resolves correctly with and without 'www'.

After launch: 3 things to do immediately

Once live: (1) Add your website URL to your Google Business Profile. (2) Add the URL to every social media bio and your WhatsApp status. (3) Share the link with your personal network and ask for feedback. These three actions generate your first traffic and strengthen your Google Business Profile.

Tips & best practices

▸Check your website on Android and iOS, not just desktop. Layouts can break differently across devices.
▸Test your contact form from a different email address. Many form delivery issues only surface when testing with an external address.
▸Screenshot your launch-day website. It's useful later to compare changes and have a record of original content.

Common questions

When is a website ready to launch?

When it accurately describes what you do, who you serve, and how to contact you — and the contact method works. Perfect is the enemy of launched. A live, accurate, simple website outperforms a comprehensive one that's always 'almost ready'.

How do I submit my website to Google?

Set up a free Google Search Console account, verify ownership, and submit your sitemap. After submitting, use the URL Inspection tool to request indexing of your homepage.

How long does it take for Google to index a new website?

After submitting to Search Console, indexing typically takes 1–7 days for the homepage. Full site indexing can take 2–4 weeks. During this period, focus on promoting your URL directly via social media and Google Business Profile.