A small business website is a digital storefront designed to represent companies with limited staff, localized service areas, or niche market focus. Unlike enterprise sites with hundreds of pages or complex e-commerce platforms, small business sites typically include a homepage, about page, services or product pages, testimonials, blog, and contact form. The goal is conversion-focused simplicity: get visitors to call, email, or book within two clicks. Most small business websites run on WordPress, Shopify, or Wix, depending on whether the business needs content management, e-commerce, or drag-and-drop simplicity. A local Ottawa plumber might need five pages and a phone number prominently displayed. A Toronto-based consultant might add a resources section and lead magnet. A small retailer in Montreal might integrate Shopify for 20–100 products. The platform matters less than whether the site loads fast, works on mobile, and ranks for local search terms. Cost and timeline vary widely. A templated Wix site might cost $500–$1,500 if the owner does it themselves. A custom WordPress build with SEO foundation, brand photography, and copywriting typically runs $5,000–$15,000 and takes four to eight weeks. Ongoing costs include hosting ($10–$50/month), domain renewal ($15–$40/year), and maintenance or updates ($100–$500/month if outsourced). The biggest mistake small businesses make is treating the website as a one-time expense instead of an asset that needs monthly attention. At Ottawa SEO, we see companies launch a site, ignore it for two years, then wonder why competitors rank higher. A small business website works when it gets fresh content quarterly, loads under three seconds, captures email addresses, and answers the questions customers search for. It doesn't need to be fancy. It needs to be found, trusted, and functional on every device.