What a small-business website must have: a 12-point check.

Pick up your phone and open your website. Not on a computer — on a phone, the way your customers see it. You have three seconds. Does someone who doesn’t know you understand what you do, where, and how to call you?

If not, this list is for you. Go through it point by point. Every point you’re missing is a reason someone calls somebody else.

The first screen: what, where and how

1. What you do and where — in the first sentence. “Electrician in Poreč and the surrounding area”, not “Welcome to our website”. It’s the first thing a customer reads and the first thing Google reads.

2. A number that calls in one tap. At the top, on every screen. Not a number as an image, not a number people have to copy.

3. WhatsApp or messaging. Half of people would rather write than call — especially in the evening, and especially foreigners.

What Google finds you by

4. A list of the places you work. Every place is a separate Google search. If you work in Vrsar, Funtana and Tar but the site only says “Poreč”, you’re not there for those three.

5. A list of services, in the words people search with. “Air-conditioning service”, “boiler replacement”, “balayage”. Not “comprehensive solutions”.

6. The same name, address and number as your Google profile. Google checks whether the details match. More on that in Google Business Profile or a website.

7. Speed on a phone. The site has to open in a second or two, on mobile data too. A slow site loses people before they see your number.

What gets you chosen

8. Real photos of your work. Before and after, the workshop, the van, you. People recognise stock photos — and stop trusting.

9. Prices “from”. You don’t need a full price list. But “AC service from €60” answers the question people otherwise don’t call to ask.

10. Opening hours — and whether you work Saturdays, weekends or emergencies. The most common reason someone gives up.

11. Reviews or words from happy customers. Two or three genuine sentences with a name and a town are worth more than any slogan.

12. Your business details. Name, registered address and the other basics — Croatian law requires them, and they show customers there’s a real business behind the site.

Five things you don’t need

• A slider with five rotating images. Nobody looks past the first one, and it slows the site down.
• A three-page “About us”. Two sentences and a photo are enough.
• A blog nobody writes. An abandoned blog looks worse than none.
• Music and animations. People are looking for a number, not an experience.
• A form with ten fields. Name, number, message. Ask everything else in conversation.

How many points did you score?

Ten or more — you have a good site; now it’s just a matter of time before Google rewards it. Six to nine — a few changes and it’ll be worth twice as much. Fewer than six — consider a new one. See what a site looks likefor tradespeople,for small companies,for salons,for restaurants orfor garages — or everything on ourweb design in Istria page.

Frequently asked questions

How many pages does a small-business website need?

For most small businesses one well-built page is enough, or up to five: home, services, work, contact. More important than the number is that the first screen on a phone says what you do, where, and how to reach you.

Does a small business need a blog?

Usually not. A blog helps when someone writes it regularly. An abandoned blog with one post from 2022 makes a worse impression than none.

Which business details must I publish on my site in Croatia?

The Croatian E-Commerce Act requires basic information about the service provider — name, registered address, contact details and registration data. Check with your accountant what exactly applies to your business.

Does my site need several languages?

In Istria, very often yes. A Croatian version for local customers, plus English or German for expats, holiday-home owners and visitors — searches your single-language competitors never appear for.