A showcase website does not need twenty pages to work, but it does need the right ones. Here are the 7 essential pages of a business website, with what each should contain to reassure visitors, answer their questions and get them to contact you. It is the structure I suggest to most tradespeople, shops, practices and freelancers, in France and in Algeria alike.
Before writing: one goal per page
Every page should answer a specific visitor question and lead to an action: call, write, request a quote, visit in person. A page without a clear purpose dilutes your message. A page that mixes everything (services, history, prices, contact details) ranks for nothing, because Google cannot tell which question it answers.
The 7 essential pages of a business website
1. Home: say what you do, for whom and where, in five seconds
Visitors must instantly understand your trade, your service area and what sets you apart. At the top: one clear sentence (“Plumber and heating engineer in Lyon, call-out within 24 hours”) and a visible call-to-action button. Further down: a summary of your services linking to each one, a few trust signals (experience, qualifications, area covered), then your contact details.
2. Services: one page per major service
This is the page that does the most work for your search rankings. If you offer several distinct services, give each its own page: Google can then rank each page for the matching search. For each service, describe the problem it solves, how it works, lead times and what is included, and end with a call to action.
3. About: put a face to the business
People buy from people. Present your background, your team, your premises and the way you work. A real photo beats a stock image. Skip the generic text about “passion and excellence”: specific facts are far more reassuring.
4. Portfolio or references: show, don’t tell
Photos of completed jobs, delivered projects, concrete examples: show the result of your work. A few lines per project are enough: the starting need, what you did, the outcome. Only publish genuine reviews and references, with the clients’ consent.
5. Pricing or FAQ: remove the doubts
Showing prices, even as “from” figures, filters enquiries and builds trust. If your rates depend too much on each project, an FAQ page does the same job: lead times, service area, payment terms, guarantees, what happens at a first meeting. Every answer removes a hesitation.
6. Contact: make getting in touch effortless
A short form (name, contact method, message), a phone number that can be tapped on mobile, a WhatsApp button if your customers use it, your address with a map and your opening hours. In Algeria as in France, many customers would rather call or send a WhatsApp message than fill in a form: offer both.
7. Legal notice and privacy policy
In France, a legal notice is mandatory on a business website, and as soon as you collect personal data (a simple contact form is enough), a GDPR-compliant privacy policy must explain what you do with it. In Algeria, the protection of personal data is also governed by law. The exact content depends on your legal status: if in doubt, rely on official guidance (the CNIL in France, the competent authority in Algeria) or on a legal professional.
The mistakes I see most often
- An overloaded menu: beyond six or seven items, visitors no longer know where to click.
- Pages without a call to action: every page should end with a clear next step (call, write, request a quote).
- Copied text from a competitor or a supplier: duplicate content brings nothing to Google or to your customers.
- A desktop-first site: a large share of visits comes from phones, so check every page on a small screen.
- Conflicting information: a different phone number or opening hours on your website, Google profile and social media costs you customers.
How many pages do you need to start?
Three well-built pages (home, services, contact) are enough for a first online presence. Five to seven pages let you detail each service and answer questions before they are even asked. A small, complete, up-to-date site beats a large half-empty one: you can add pages as your business grows.
At Altikode, showcase website design is priced at €190 excl. VAT per page in France (15,000 DZD in Algeria), with a 3-page minimum, and the legal notice and privacy pages are included free of charge. A 5-page website therefore costs €950 excl. VAT (75,000 DZD), excluding domain name and hosting. Describe your business on the quote request page and I will suggest the right structure.