The Local Business Website Checklist: 8 Things Customers Look For
Someone nearby just searched for what you do. Here are the eight things they expect to find on your site in the first thirty seconds, and how to add each one.
When someone nearby looks up a plumber, a café or a hair salon, they're not browsing. They want a few specific facts and they want them fast. Miss one and they move to the next result. Here's the checklist.
1. What you do, above the fold
Your service and your town in the first line. "Family dentist in Hove." "Mobile dog grooming across South Manchester." Don't make people scroll to find out if you're relevant.
2. Where you are
Address, or the area you cover if you travel to customers. A map section helps for shops and restaurants. For mobile services, a short list of towns or postcodes does the job.
3. When you're open
Hours, including the exceptions. If you close on Mondays, say so. If you're open late on Thursdays, say that louder.
4. How to reach you
A phone number that's tappable on a phone, and a contact form for people who'd rather write. Put the number in the header and again at the bottom.
5. What it costs, or how to find out
You don't need a full price list. "Cuts from £25" or "Free quote, usually within a day" is enough to stop people wondering.
6. Photos of the real thing
Your shop, your van, your team, your work. Stock photos of smiling strangers make a local business look like a chain. If you're short on images, Webmarlin's AI can generate some to fill gaps, but real ones win.
7. A few short reviews
Two or three, with a first name and a street or neighbourhood. Local readers trust local names.
8. Something that proves you're current
A recent blog post, a note about a seasonal service, this month's special. A site with nothing dated after 2021 makes people wonder if you're still trading.
Putting it together
In Webmarlin this is one home page: a hero section with your service and town, a contact info block for hours and address, a features section for what you offer, a testimonials section, and a contact form to close. Every one is a drag-and-drop section. Pick a template built for services, fill it in, publish on your free address, and add your own domain on Pro or Max when you're ready.
Run through the eight items on your phone, not your laptop. That's where local customers will find you.
