This article is intended for persons trying to wrap their brains around their first website experience.
What does a typical website look like?
That’s like answering the question “What does a typical person look like?”
Well you have a head with hair, a face, arms, legs, body and feet…
But seriously, I have shortlisted some examples below, but let me try to break it down a bit.
A Typical Website

Each business is unique and you certainly have some goals or objectives to fulfill with your online presence.
A Header
- You would typically display your business logo, name and slogan.
A Hero Section
- A full-screen “Hero image” encapsulating the heart of your business or message you wish to convey online together with a slogan, heading or service solution rounded off by a “Call to action” if applicable to your message.

Business Info
- The “Welcome to…” is looooong dead! Nowadays web design includes a paragraph (or page) of “About Us” with some business background information. This will introduce your business to the readers… or surfers.

Services Offered
- Next, you would typically introduce your services or product categories with an image and a short paragraph. Each of these can be expanded on a separate or secondary page with more detail and images.

Call To Action
- A “Call to action” is included here typically to get your readers to respond. This can also take the form of a (newsletter) sign-up service or to build a distribution or contact list.

Testimonials
- If you have many happy customers you might also consider including comments or endorsements on the home page.
Blog
- If you operate a blog (articles) you can feature the main or feature articles in a section.
Footer Section
A footer is typically divided into 3 – 5 columns with links to the main sections of your site. Social media links and contact information are also displayed here. Depending on the level of detail of your contact information you can either opt for a quick contact form at the bottom or a link to your detailed contact page at the bottom.
Additional pages
Once again, depending on your requirements, this may include your
- business services breakdown
- catalogue pages
- shop page
- longer detailed “About Us’ page
- Portfolio page or gallery
- Blog / article page
- Contact page
Obviously your business is unique with different requirements, that’s why you should contact me so we can talk about what you need.
What factors influence the price?
In short, overall size, meaning the overall number of pages together with the intricacies of the site.
E-commerce sites are more difficult and time-consuming to put together. You (…well I…) have security, payment gateways and product details to deal with.
Additional post also counts as “pages”.
Then there’s social media which might be an option, analytics to connect, backend security features to put in place, newsletters, reCaptcha security, site speed caching and let’s not forget SEO optimisation. This all takes time after the initial visuals are finished.
The whole process goes way beyond just getting pictures and text online!
What about monthly costs?
You can read further about recurring costs here (What does website maintenance include?), but monthly costs would typically include:
- Hosting fees (to keep you visible online)
- Maintenance & upkeep (updates, security, etc.)
Conclusion
In conclusion, there may be a set template for your small business to latch onto, but obviously, each layout is tailored and put together for each unique business and its requirements. That said, none of this is law, your website can be what you want it to be and as creative and unique as you want.