WebsitesModule 3: Plan the experienceLesson 7 of 15
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12 min lesson · Updated August 2026

What pages does a business website need?

A business website needs the smallest set of pages that lets people understand the offer, judge trust and terms, complete important actions, get help and meet legal or policy information needs.

What you will learn

By the end, you will understand:

  • Choose pages from audience questions and tasks
  • Decide when a topic deserves its own URL
  • Avoid both one-page overload and unnecessary thin pages

Visual explainer

See the idea clearly.

Pages are containers for user tasks

PageJob
HomeOrient: what this is, who it helps, evidence and clear routes.
Service/productExplain a distinct offer, fit, process, terms and next action.
About/teamShow accountable people, approach and relevant trust.
Work/proofDemonstrate genuine examples and context without invented outcomes.
Contact/actionMake the next step clear, accessible and privacy-aware.
Support/FAQResolve real recurring questions and after-purchase needs.
Privacy/legalProvide accurate required information for the site and market.

A topic deserves a separate page when

  • It serves a distinct need
  • It needs meaningful depth
  • People may enter directly
  • It needs a stable shareable URL
  • It has a distinct action
  • It must be maintained separately
  • It is important in search/navigation
  • Combining it harms comprehension

Do not create pages for word count

A separate page should be useful on its own. Splitting one thin idea across many keyword variations creates repetition and maintenance risk.

Conversely, one very long page can hide decisions and prevent direct linking. Group by audience task and information scent.

Core questions every site should assign

  1. 01

    What is this?

  2. 02

    Is it for me?

  3. 03

    What exactly is offered?

  4. 04

    Why trust it?

  5. 05

    What does it cost/require?

  6. 06

    What happens next?

  7. 07

    How do I get help?

  8. 08

    How is my data handled?

Page inventory needs ownership

For each page, record purpose, audience, primary action, source of truth, owner and review trigger. Remove or redirect obsolete pages carefully when their information and links have a better destination.

Do not publish placeholders or legal pages copied from unrelated businesses.

Real-world example

Example: service pages earn their place

Example

A home-repair company creates separate plumbing and electrical pages because customers have different urgent questions, evidence and actions. It does not create dozens of near-identical suburb pages for places it cannot genuinely serve.

Try this

Build a question-to-page map

List the 12 questions customers ask before and after choosing. Group related questions into pages, assign one primary task and remove any page that has no distinct job.

Common questions

Questions beginners ask.

What pages does every business need?

There is no universal list; most need orientation, offer details, trust, contact/action and accurate privacy/legal information.

Does every service need its own page?

Only when it has a distinct audience need, useful depth or action.

Should pricing have a page?

If pricing or its logic is useful and maintainable, it may be a page or clear section; do not hide material terms.

Do I need an About page?

It can help when people, expertise, accountability and approach influence trust.

Should FAQs be on one page?

Put answers near the relevant decision; a central help area can support cross-topic support.

How many pages are enough?

Enough to support important tasks without duplication or maintenance debt.

Can old pages be deleted?

Yes when obsolete, but preserve needed information and use accurate status/redirects where a relevant replacement exists.

Do legal pages need a lawyer?

Requirements vary; use accurate business practices and obtain qualified legal advice where needed.

Assessment

Check what you understood.

5 questions · instant explanations

1. What should determine a page?
2. What is the home page’s main job?
3. When should a service get its own page?
4. What should every page inventory include?
5. True or false: more pages automatically produce more search traffic.

Sources

Primary references.