Websites & redesigns
How long does it take to build a website for a small business?
Short answer
A focused small business website usually takes three to six weeks from agreeing the scope to launch: about a week for structure and design, two to three weeks for build and text, and a week for checks, legal pages and launch. Larger multilingual sites or sites with booking or quote systems take six to ten weeks. The most common cause of delay is not the build but waiting for text, photos and decisions from the business.
Last reviewed
A typical timeline
- Week 1: scope and structure. What the site must do, which pages it needs, and what text and photos exist.
- Weeks 1 to 2: design. Shown on a phone first, then desktop, and agreed before build starts.
- Weeks 2 to 5: build and text. Pages, forms, booking or quote flows, and the copy, drafted with you.
- Final week: checks and launch. Speed, mobile, accessibility, legal pages, consent, redirects from any old site, Google Business Profile and Search Console.
What causes delays
- Text. Writing about your own business is harder than it looks. Having the copy drafted for you, then correcting it, is much faster.
- Photos. Good photos of your work, your team and your premises make a bigger difference than any design choice. Book a photographer early if you need one.
- Access. Domain, hosting and Google accounts often belong to someone who left years ago. Start finding the passwords on day one.
- Decisions by committee. One person who can say yes keeps things moving.
Can it be faster?
Yes. A one-page site with existing text and photos can be live in a week or two. It is a sensible way to start when the alternative is having no site at all.
People also ask this as
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- How long does a website redesign take?