What a Small Business Website Package Should Actually Include (and What It Shouldn’t)

Why website packages are so hard to compare

Here’s how I think about a launch. I’m the general contractor. Building a house takes a foundation, framing, plumbing, and a roof, and someone has to schedule each crew in the right order. Launching a business online works the same way. You need content, photos, a Google Business Profile, social profiles, and hosting. My job is to bring all of those pieces together, keep the project moving, and give you clear options along the way.

Most owners come to me with a few pieces already in hand: a logo file, some phone photos, maybe a rough draft of their About page. We use what you have, create what’s missing, and put it all together into a site that works for your business. That’s the part most package comparisons leave out.

When you shop for a small business website package, you’ll see prices from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands. The page counts look similar. The mockups look similar. What’s different is how much of the work gets handed back to you.

So here’s where I land, and some agencies will disagree: a package without written content and a Google Business Profile isn’t a launch. It’s a pile of parts. A pretty template with “your text here” placeholders still leaves the hardest work on your desk. And a site Google can’t connect to a real local business is hard for customers to find.

A package without written content and a Google Business Profile isn’t a launch. It’s a pile of parts.

Justine Kingston

The checklist: what a small business website package should include

Use this list when you compare quotes. If a line is missing, ask who’s doing that work and what it costs. Here’s how each item shows up in LaunchPad.

1. 01

   A 5-page site with SEO

   Five pages covers most new service businesses: home, about, services, a page that builds trust, and contact. On-page SEO should be built in from day one, not sold later as an add-on.

2. 02

   Content written for you

   The words are the part owners put off longest. A real package includes the writing, so your message is clear and your pages say what customers actually search for.

3. 03

   Google Business Profile setup

   For a local service business, your Google profile is often seen before your website. It should be set up and connected to the site. See our Google Business Profile optimization work.

4. 04

   Social profile setup

   Up to three platforms of your choice, set up and branded to match your site, so you show up consistently where your customers already look.

5. 05

   Launch support

   Going live takes more than flipping a switch. Someone should handle the domain, the rollout, and the first checks after launch.

6. 06

   Hosting to start

   Six months of managed hosting, a $55 a month value, with backups and daily plugin checks. You shouldn’t have to find a host on your own in week one.

Content that starts with research, not a rewrite

“Content written for you” can mean a lot of things. Some packages take your old text and polish it. That isn’t what we do. Before I write a word, we research. We use Google Search Console and professional SEO tools to see which keywords people in your market actually use, who your competitors are and what they rank for, and what the local market looks like. Then we write.

The result is copy that sounds like you and also matches how your customers search. That’s the difference between a site that reads well and a site that gets found.

What it shouldn’t include: surprise fees and forced retainers

A package price is only useful if it’s the real price. These are the things I deliberately left out of LaunchPad:

• Required retainers. Some packages look low because they quietly roll into a monthly contract. LaunchPad doesn’t. If you want ongoing SEO or marketing later, we’ll talk about it. If you don’t, you walk away with everything you paid for.
• Surprise fees. Extras are only the ones you choose, like a logo, and they’re quoted up front. After your first 6 months, hosting continues on one annual invoice, and you know that from day one.
• A hand-off to a junior team member. You work with me, start to finish. I’m the person you talk to on the first call, and I’m still the person you talk to after launch.

I’m upfront about pricing, and it’s competitive. I’m not trying to be the lowest number on your spreadsheet. I’m trying to be the best value on it, and to be here when you need something.

What it costs

You should be able to see the price before you ever get on a call. Here’s ours. For a wider look at what different price points buy you, read the real cost of a website in 2026.

Package or custom? A quick decision

Back to the house. LaunchPad is the entry-level home: well built, move-in ready, and designed for how you’ll actually live in it. It isn’t a lesser house. It’s the smart choice for a business that needs something simple and solid. A custom site is the bigger build, for businesses that need more rooms, more systems, and a custom floor plan. I build both to the same standards. The difference is the size of the project.

A package like LaunchPad fits if you’re a new business or a small business with an outdated site, a solo service provider who needs a strong online presence, happy with a focused 5-page website, or tired of DIY fixes and juggling freelancers. Choose a custom project if you need more than 5 pages, memberships or booking systems, or a full brand strategy for an established company.

Not sure which build you need? That’s what the first call is for. A good contractor tells you when the plans don’t fit the lot, and I’d rather point you to the right project than sell you the wrong one.

From Launch Fit Call to launch day in 4 to 6 weeks

The build itself is rarely what slows a launch down. Waiting is: waiting on assets, waiting on photos, waiting on content approvals. A site can sit 90% done for weeks because one headshot or one sign-off hasn’t come in.

So I gather everything up front. Before design starts, we collect the logo, photos, service details, and logins, and we plan the approvals so nothing stalls mid-build. If photos don’t exist yet, we sort that out at the start, not at the end. The steps are simple: a free 30-minute Launch Fit Call, brand fit (your logo or a new one), your website and content with your Google profile, then launch.

What happens after launch?

Launch day isn’t the end of the project. In the first weeks after your site goes live, launch support covers the rollout and the first checks to make sure everything works the way it should. After that, you have direct access to me for questions, the same person who built your site. If you want changes or additions, I always give you an estimate first, so you know the cost before any work starts.

Your first six months of hosting are already paid for. After that, hosting continues on one annual invoice, so there’s no monthly bill to track and no surprise charge.

There’s no required retainer. Your site is yours, and you can run it on your own. That said, a website grows best when someone keeps working on it. Ongoing SEO is what turns a solid launch into steady growth, so if you want help with that, it’s an option, never a requirement.

Whether you’re opening in Bend and Central Oregon, Portland, or Lake Oswego, you’ll work directly with me, with clear pricing and no required retainer. See the full LaunchPad package.

FAQ

How much does a small business website package cost?

It varies widely, so compare what’s included, not just the price. LaunchPad is $4,500 and includes the site, written content, Google Business Profile setup, social profile setup on up to three platforms, launch support, and 6 months of hosting. A logo is an optional $750.

How many pages does a small business need?

Most new service businesses do well with five focused pages. If you need a large content site or many service and location pages, a custom site is the better fit.

Is hosting included?

In LaunchPad, yes. Your first 6 months of managed hosting are included, a $55 a month value. After that, hosting continues on one annual invoice.

Do I need a logo first?

No. If you have one, we build everything around it. If you don’t, you can add a logo for $750 with two rounds of changes.

What happens after my site launches?

Launch support covers the rollout and first checks, and you can reach me directly with questions. If you want changes, I give you an estimate before any work starts. Hosting is included for six months, then billed annually. There’s no required retainer, and ongoing SEO is available if you want help growing.