Free resource
The small business website refresh checklist.
Check 1
Your details are accurate
What to look for
Open your site on a phone and check the business name, phone number, email, opening hours and service area against what you actually operate today.
What to fix
Update anything that has changed. Wrong hours or an old phone number cost you enquiries you never see.
Check 2
It reads well on a phone
What to look for
Read your homepage on your own phone. Text should be legible without zooming, and buttons and links should be easy to tap with a thumb.
What to fix
Increase text size and spacing, and make buttons large enough to tap comfortably. Many customers browse on phones; check your own analytics when available.
Check 3
One obvious enquiry action
What to look for
Within a few seconds of landing, is there one clear way to get in touch — a call, email or enquiry button that stands out?
What to fix
Pick one primary action per page and make it visually obvious. Remove competing buttons that dilute it.
Check 4
Services are clear and specific
What to look for
Could a first-time visitor say what you do and who you do it for after reading the top of your homepage?
What to fix
State your services plainly and name the customers you serve. Cut vague slogans that could belong to any business.
Check 5
Trust evidence is current
What to look for
Check any reviews, memberships, licences or photos on the site. They should be real, current and authorised — never invented.
What to fix
Refresh or remove anything stale. Only publish reviews and claims you can stand behind.
Check 6
You own or are authorised to use your content
What to look for
Do you know where your copy and images came from, and do you have the right to use them?
What to fix
Replace anything you can't verify. Use your own photos, licensed stock, or copy you wrote or commissioned.
Check 7
The technical search basics are in place
What to look for
Each page should have a unique title and description, a clear heading structure, alternative text on images, a canonical address and a sitemap.
What to fix
Add the missing basics. They don't guarantee rankings, but they let search engines read and index your site properly.
Quick self-audit
Score your site in two minutes
Answer yes or no to each of the seven checks above. Nothing is stored — this is just for you.
- 1.Your details are accurate
- 2.It reads well on a phone
- 3.One obvious enquiry action
- 4.Services are clear and specific
- 5.Trust evidence is current
- 6.You own or are authorised to use your content
- 7.The technical search basics are in place
6–7 yes
Your site is in decent shape. Fix the one or two gaps and you're likely fine for now.
3–5 yes
Worth a closer look. Several small fixes would make a real difference to how customers experience the site.
0–2 yes
Several basics need attention. A focused refresh may address many of these items in one defined piece of work.
This score is a prompt for your own judgement — it doesn't predict enquiries, sales or search performance.
Refresh or rebuild
When a refresh is enough
A refresh is usually enough when your site still has usable content and you need up to three enquiry-style pages: what you do, who you help, and how to get in touch, in a current mobile-friendly design.
A rebuild with a custom quote is more appropriate when the site needs to do something new: an online shop or large catalogue, customer logins, complex bookings, new branding or substantial copywriting from scratch.
Common questions
- How often should a small business refresh its website?
- There's no fixed schedule. Refresh when something visible changes: your services, pricing, branding or contact details shift, the design starts to look dated next to competitors, or the underlying technology no longer works well on modern phones. A quick run through this checklist once or twice a year will tell you when it's time.
- Can I keep my current domain and email?
- Yes. You keep your domain and email by default. We don't take ownership of either, and mailbox migration isn't part of the base package.
- Does a website refresh guarantee better Google rankings?
- No. A refresh makes sure the technical basics are done properly — titles, descriptions, headings, image alternative text, sitemap and canonical setup — but no one can guarantee rankings, traffic or enquiries.
Send us your website and we'll tell you whether the $499 refresh fits before any work or cost is agreed.
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