Starting a Business? Here's the Website (and Online Presence) You Actually Need in Week One

August 16, 2026 • Heights Digital

New business owners get buried in advice about branding decks and 40-page websites. You don't need any of that in week one. You need to be findable, credible and reachable. Here's the order that gets customers fastest.

Day 1: Name, domain, handles

Pick a name you can get the .com and social handles for. Consistency across everything matters more than cleverness.

Day 1–2: Google Business Profile

Claim it immediately. It's free and it's where local customers find you. Category, services, description, hours, photos.

Day 2–7: A real website

Five to eight pages: home, one page per core service, about, reviews (even a few), contact with click-to-call and a working form. Mobile-first, fast, with schema. This is exactly what our $750 build is, live in about a week.

Week 1: Photos

Real photos of you, your team, your space and your work. They go on the website, Google profile and social. No stock.

Week 1: Reviews

Ask your first customers, friends who've hired you, and early clients. Set up a text-based review request from day one.

Week 2: First content

Introduce yourself on video. Post the work as it happens. Consistency from the start builds momentum.

Week 2+: Bing, Apple, citations

Claim Bing Places and Apple Business Connect, add yourself to the major directories with matching info.

What to skip for now

Logo redesigns, elaborate brand guides, a 30-page site, and paid ads before the site converts.

Want it all done for you in the first two weeks? See small business websites and social media management.

Heights Digital team — San Antonio small business marketing
Heights Digital

A done-for-you marketing team in San Antonio and Boerne, Texas. Social media content, video, websites, ads, SEO and AI systems for small businesses nationwide since 2017. Book a free strategy call.

Related Posts

Want This Done For You?

Free 15-minute strategy call. We'll tell you what would actually move the needle for your business.

Call / TextFree Strategy Call