Thinking about building a website? Whether you are a small business owner, a freelancer, or launching a side project, one of the first questions you will want answered is: how much does it cost to build a website? This is not just about curiosity, understanding your website costs early on can help you budget effectively and avoid any unpleasant surprises.

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Recently I met a new person at a networking event. We exchanged cards. In the brief time we had to talk, it sounded like we could do business together. When I got back to my office, I went to her website to learn more about her. There was nothing there! Just a pretty picture. No detail on what she does. Why she does it. How she does it. Nothing. What a lost opportunity! Her site should have explained her business to me and made it easy for me to schedule a meeting with her to see if we could do business together.

88% of consumers say they check out a company online before making a purchase. Even if they’ve met you at a networking event, heard about you from a friend, seen your ad, etc. They’re going to look at your website to see who you are. So be sure your website clearly answers their questions. Think about it. What questions do you get asked the most? Especially from prospects and new clients. Are those answers easily accessible on your site? If not, let’s get it done today!

Many websites have an FAQ Page as part of their navigation. Maybe it would be beneficial for your site.  Consider these questions to see if you need one.

• Do you have questions that clients ask frequently, repetitively? Yes? Then an FAQ Page would be a good addition.
• Let me point out, however, that the answers should be covered in detail elsewhere on your website. If the answer is important there should be a Page or a blog post with a full answer. The FAQ is a concise answer. The FAQ can include a link to the more detailed answer.
• Do you need content for SEO purposes? Yes? An FAQ Page would be a good addition.

The more solid content you have on your site describing your business, services or products, the happier Google and other search engines will be with your site and the higher you will rank in search results. The FAQ Page gives you the opportunity to put the same answer in two places!  As the Page content will be more extensive than the FAQ answer, you won’t have duplicate content either. Another SEO plus.

Linking from FAQ answers to other pages of your site also give you internal links which are a benefit in SEO.

• Do you have a large site with numerous pages? Yes? An FAQ Page would be a good addition.

A good rule of thumb is to have your most important information within 2 clicks for your site visitors. So content on a level 2 or level 3 page can be made quickly accessible with an FAQ Page. Your answer includes a link to the page with the detailed answer.

• Do you include information for industry associations, industry experts, etc. for credibility for your business? Yes? An FAQ Page would be a good addition.

Your website can become a resource for your visitors. They know you have links, posts and other information relevant to your industry. An FAQ answer can include a link to another website. I would use this sparingly but it can be helpful. Outside links to credible sites do have value for SEO purposes. But the real value is being trusted as a good resource to your visitors. They can skip googling a question because they know the answer is on your site and easy to find.

Some sites use an Industry Links Page for this purpose. FAQs go beyond a link to the organization’s Home Page and give specific answers. Does someone offer CAD drawings or safety guidelines or a metric conversion chart? Does someone have a great checklist or how-to article?  If your clients ask for this type of information frequently, consider putting it on your website on a Page or blog.  Or use an FAQ to direct people to the information.

A standard FAQ on the navigation menu

Your website is often the first impression your business makes—don’t let broken links or outdated content cost you customers. Reviewing your site at least twice a year ensures that everything functions properly, from contact forms to key navigation links. A single broken link can frustrate a visitor and send them to a competitor. Just as importantly, your content should reflect current services, pricing, hours and staff. Has something changed in your business? If so, your website needs to say so. Regular reviews also help catch typos, expired promotions or missing images that can damage your credibility.

A simple checkup can make all the difference in maintaining trust and keeping customers engaged. Think of it like seasonal maintenance — it protects your investment and helps your business grow.

Click here to download a 7 Point Checklist to Review Your Website. 

Call Your Computer Lady if you need help getting this task done. We’ll do the audit for you, prioritize updates and maintain the site for you.

If you’re asking your visitors, especially individual consumers, for their personal information, you will have more success getting that information when your web site has a clear privacy policy. Generate Privacy Policy.com is a free online service to help you write a policy and customize it to your business.