How to Make a Website for Your Small Business
Everything you need to plan a business website. Choosing a domain, what pages to include, design, hosting, email and what it typically costs to build in the Philippines.
A good business website does three things: it tells people what you do, shows why they can trust you, and makes it easy to contact or buy. Here’s how to get there.
1. Decide what the website is for
Pick one main goal: get inquiries, take bookings, sell products, or share information. Every page should support that goal.
2. Choose a domain name
Your domain is your web address (like yourbusiness.com). Keep it short, easy to spell and close to your business name. Check if it’s available and register it early. See our guide to choosing a domain name.
3. Plan your pages
Most small business websites need:
- Home: what you do, who it’s for, and a clear call to action
- Services or Products: one section or page for each
- About: your story and team, which builds trust
- Contact: form, phone, email, map and hours
- Reviews or portfolio: proof that you deliver
4. Design for phones first
Most visitors will be on mobile. Keep text readable, buttons big, and pages fast. A slow site loses visitors before they see anything.
5. Build it on solid ground
How a site is built affects speed, security and how easy it is to update. Modern sites are often deployed on global networks like Cloudflare, with code kept safely on GitHub, so they load fast anywhere and can be rolled back if something breaks.
6. Set up professional email
An address like hello@yourbusiness.com looks far more trustworthy than a free address. It can run on Gmail (Google Workspace), Outlook (Microsoft 365), Zoho Mail or your preferred provider.
7. Launch, then keep improving
Before launch, test every form and link on a phone. After launch:
- Add your site to Google Search Console
- Connect it to your Google Business Profile
- Update content regularly and keep software up to date
DIY or hire someone?
Website builders work for very simple sites. Hiring a team makes sense when you need custom design, online payments, bookings, better speed and SEO, or simply don’t have the time. Either way, own your domain and your content.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a business website cost in the Philippines?
It depends on what it needs to do. A one-page site costs far less than an online store or a custom web app. Our free quote tool gives you a range based on your answers in about two minutes.
How long does it take to build a website?
A simple site can be ready in one to three weeks. Online stores and web apps take longer, often one to three months, mostly depending on content and feedback speed.
Do I need a .ph domain?
Not necessarily. A .com is widely recognized. A .ph or .com.ph signals you're a Philippine business, which can help locally. Some businesses register both.