Does your small business website pass the basics?

A lot of Kansas City-area businesses already have a website. The harder question is whether that site is actually helping, or whether customers are bouncing off before they ever call.

You do not need a long technical report to start. You need to know if the basics are in place — the things a person on a phone notices in the first half-minute. The checklist below is a self-assessment, not an automated scan of your site. Check the items that are honestly true today. The scoring guide under the checklist explains what the total means, with or without JavaScript.

What does your score mean?

Scoring guide for the 10-item checklist. Count only the items that are honestly true today.

Items checked	What it usually means
8 to 10	In good shape. You have most of the basics covered. Tightening the remaining items will make it even easier for people to find you and get in touch.
5 to 7	A few important gaps. The site is doing some of the job, but visitors may still struggle to contact you, use it on a phone, or find accurate business details.
0 to 4	The basics need attention. Customers are probably hitting friction before they ever reach you. Start with mobile use, a clear way to contact you, and an accurate Google Business Profile.

Does your site work well on a phone?

Most people who look you up are doing it on a phone — between jobs, in the car before they walk in, or while they compare two businesses. If they have to pinch and zoom, hunt for a phone number, or wait through a heavy homepage, many of them will leave.

Open your site on your own phone. Can you read the headline without zooming? Can you reach the important buttons with a thumb? Do photos take a long time to appear? Those are the first tests that matter, before any design conversation.

Can people contact you in one tap?

A beautiful site that hides the phone number is not doing its job. On a phone, there should be a clear way to call you. There should also be a working contact or quote form for people who would rather write than call.

If the only way to reach you is a Facebook message, or a PDF that has to be downloaded, you are asking customers to work harder than they will. Put the path to contact you in plain sight. Our standard websites include a contact or quote form, and we test the layout on real phones before launch. Details are on the pricing page.

Is your Google Business Profile claimed and accurate?

For a local business, Google Business Profile is often the first impression, even before someone clicks through to your website. If the profile is unclaimed, out of date, or missing hours, people may never arrive at the site at all.

Check that you have claimed the profile, that the name, address, and phone number match what is on your website, and that the hours and category are right. Then make sure the website itself repeats those same details. Mismatches make you look harder to trust, and they make it harder for search engines to connect the two.

Does the homepage say what you do, clearly?

You know what your business does. A first-time visitor does not. The first screen of the homepage should say who you are, what you do, and who you do it for, in language a person can understand quickly.

Clever taglines are fine if they still explain the work. “Quality you can trust” does not tell someone whether you remodel kitchens, repair HVAC, or sell insurance. A clear headline plus a way to contact you will outperform a vague one almost every time.

What else belongs in the basics?

A few more items from the checklist, in plain terms:

• Reasonable speed. The page does not have to win a lab test. It should not leave people waiting. Heavy slideshows, unoptimized photos, and bloated page builders are common reasons a site feels slow.
• HTTPS. Look for the padlock. An SSL certificate is included with both of our monthly plans, and browsers warn people when a site is not secure.
• Hours and service area. If you serve Midtown, or the whole metro, or you are appointment-only, say so where it is easy to find.
• Working links and real pages. Important information should live on the website, not only in a flyer, a PDF, or a social post that will be buried next week.

What should you do next?

If you checked most of the boxes, fix the remaining gaps and keep the details current. If you are in the middle or the low range, it may be less work to rebuild the site clearly than to keep patching a layout that was never set up for phones, search, or contact.

Ribbon Interactive is an independent studio in the Kansas City area. A standard 5-page website is $1,000, with website care at $79 a month or hosting only at $30 a month after launch. If you want the cost broken down, read How much does a website cost in Kansas City? If you are deciding how the site should be maintained, read Website care vs. hosting only.

When you are ready, tell us about your business. We will reply with next steps and a free consultation. You can also write to hello@ribboninteractive.com.

Frequently asked questions

Is this checklist an official audit of my website?

No. It is a self-assessment of the basics customers notice. We are not scanning your site or collecting a score from you.

What if I don’t have a website yet?

Use the list as a description of what a useful first site should include. Our standard 5-page website is built around those basics: a clear story, a mobile layout, a contact form, and on-page local SEO. See pricing or contact us.

Does a high score mean I don’t need a new site?

Not necessarily. Passing the basics means customers can use the site. You might still want a clearer design, better writing, or a site that matches the business you have today. The checklist is a starting point, not a ceiling.