Small business and portfolio website questions

Most do. A website is the one place online you fully control: it answers the questions customers have before calling, gives Google and AI assistants accurate information about you, and keeps working if a social platform changes its rules. Some walk-in businesses with strong social followings get by on a Google Business Profile and Instagram, but even they usually benefit from a simple one-page site.

If your Instagram already brings all the customers you can handle, a website is not urgent. Otherwise, you probably need one: Instagram is good at getting attention but poor at answering questions, showing up in Google searches and keeping your business safe from account bans or reach changes. A simple site you link from your bio turns followers into customers and catches people who never open Instagram.

Most local businesses need both. A Google Business Profile is free and puts you on Google Maps and in local results, with reviews, hours and directions. A website gives the detail a profile cannot: services, prices, process, proof and booking. Google says local ranking depends on relevance, distance and prominence, and a website linked from your profile helps with relevance and prominence.

Most small business websites need five core pages: a homepage that says what you do and for whom, a services (or products) page with prices or starting prices, an about page that builds trust, a contact page with every way to reach you, and a page of proof such as reviews or work examples. Add a page per main service if you want to rank for each, plus privacy and terms pages where required.

Almost certainly yes. If your website collects any personal information, such as names and emails through a contact form, newsletter sign-ups, orders, or data gathered by analytics and advertising tools, privacy laws in many places require a privacy policy explaining what you collect and why. California law and the EU's GDPR are two well-known examples. A purely static site with no forms or tracking is the rare exception.

If your business is open to the public in the US, the Department of Justice says the ADA's requirements apply to what you offer on the web, and it points to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as helpful technical standards. There is no specific federal rule for private business websites, but lawsuits and demand letters are common, so making your site accessible is both the right thing and the safer one.

Build it yourself if your site is simple (a few pages, no unusual features), you have a few days to spare, and a builder or AI tool can make it look professional. Hire someone if you need custom design that sets you apart, complex features like integrations or member areas, help with copy and strategy, or simply want it done well without your time. Many businesses start DIY and hire later.

If your work is visual or you win clients directly (designers, photographers, illustrators, writers, freelancers), yes: a portfolio website shows your best work on your terms and is often expected. If you are a back-end developer or apply mostly through referrals and résumés, it is optional; a strong GitHub, LinkedIn or a single page can be enough. Either way, the content matters far more than the site's design.