What an $800 Small Business Website Actually Includes
The Total BS small business website is an $800 one-time build plus $100 a year. The build covers design, the core pages a local business needs, mobile layout, full on-page SEO and launch. The yearly fee covers hosting, maintenance, updates, security and ongoing SEO basics, so the site stays working after launch.
Website quotes range from "free" to five figures, and most of them don't tell you what you're actually getting. So here it is, plainly.
Who this is for
Local service businesses that need a professional site that answers customer questions and gets them to call: electricians, plumbers, restaurants, shops, salons, contractors. Businesses whose website is a front door, not the product itself.
If you need online booking with payments, a member portal, a big e-commerce catalog, or custom integrations, that's a custom software conversation, priced separately.
What the $800 build includes
- A custom design using your logo, colors and photos, not a template you'll see on your competitor's site.
- The pages customers actually use: home, services, about, and contact. Most local businesses need no more than this to start.
- Mobile-first layout. Most local searches happen on a phone. The site is built for that first.
- Click-to-call and a contact form that sends straight to your inbox.
- SEO built in from the start: proper page titles and descriptions, headings, fast load times, image optimization, and business information marked up so search engines understand who you are and where you work.
- Launch: domain connection, SSL certificate, and submission to Google.
For a real example, the new site for GRM Electric is an $800 build: home, services, about and a contact form, fully optimized for search, mobile friendly, and customized to match GRM's logo, look and feel.
What the $100 a year covers
This is the part most cheap websites skip, and why so many small business sites are broken two years later.
- Hosting. Your site lives on a server I manage.
- Maintenance and updates. Software, plugins and security patches stay current.
- Security. SSL renewal, monitoring, and backups.
- Small content changes. New hours, a new service, an updated photo.
- Ongoing SEO basics. Keeping the technical side healthy so the site doesn't slide.
How it compares
DIY builders (Wix, Squarespace and similar) cost less upfront, but you're paying monthly forever, you're doing the work, and you're renting the platform. They're a fine choice if you enjoy it and have the time. Most business owners I talk to don't.
Agencies often start in the thousands, sometimes with monthly retainers on top. For a large business that needs a marketing team, that can make sense. For a five-truck electrician, it's usually overkill.
The $800 plus $100 a year model sits in the middle: a real custom site, built by one person you can call, with the upkeep handled.
What it doesn't include
Being honest about this up front saves arguments later:
- Paid advertising management
- Ongoing blog writing or social media posting
- Professional photography
- Large content rewrites or new sections after launch (quoted separately at the standard hourly rate)
- Domain registration fees (you own your domain, in your name)
Want to see if it's a fit? Request a consultation and I'll tell you straight whether this package covers what you need.
Frequently asked questions
Do I own my website?
You own your domain and your content. Your domain should always be registered in your name. If you ever leave, we'll work out moving the site.
How long does it take?
Most small business sites are live within a couple of weeks, depending on how quickly content and photos come in. A branded placeholder page can go up much faster, sometimes within a day or two.
Can you redo my existing site?
Yes. Rebuilds of outdated or broken sites are common. Existing content and good URLs can often be carried over so you don't lose search visibility.
Why not just use Facebook?
Because you don't own it, and a lot of people searching for you won't see it. More on that in why your Facebook page isn't a website.