Guides · The honest, in-depth answers
Small business website guides that answer the actual question
These are not listicles. Each guide below is a serious answer to a question small business owners actually ask — how much does a site cost, do I need one, how do I get on Google, what do I put on the page. Written by someone who has built sites for hundreds of small businesses and who will tell you when the answer is not Black Nile.
How Much Does a Small Business Website Cost?
The honest 2026 breakdown of small business website costs — from free builders to $10,000+ custom designs. What you get at each price, and what's worth paying for.
Do I Need a Website for My Small Business?
The honest 2026 answer. When a small business genuinely needs a website, when social media is enough, and why a website still wins for lead capture and credibility.
Is a One-Page Website Enough?
The honest case for one-page websites in 2026. When a single page beats five pages, when you genuinely need more, and why most local businesses are over-paged.
How to Get My Business on Google
The complete 2026 guide to getting your business on Google — Google Business Profile, your website, local SEO, and how they work together to get you found.
Website vs. Google Business Profile
The honest 2026 comparison. What a Google Business Profile does, what a website does, and why most local businesses need both working together.
Website vs. Facebook Page
The honest 2026 case for owning a website vs. relying on a Facebook Page. What you control, what you lose to the algorithm, and why ownership matters.
How to Make a Website for Your Business
The complete 2026 walkthrough — from choosing a builder to publishing live. The fastest path, the choices that matter, and what to put on your first business site.
What to Put on a Small Business Website
The honest 2026 checklist of what every small business website needs — and what to skip. Services, service area, proof, contact, and the conversion essentials.
Best Free Website Builder for Small Business
An honest 2026 comparison of free website builders — Black Nile, Wix, Weebly, Google Sites, and more. Ranked by what the free tier actually publishes, not marketing claims.
How Long Does It Take to Build a Website?
The honest 2026 answer. One minute with AI, hours with a manual builder, weeks with a designer. The real time at each path, and what determines the timeline.
Small Business Website Maintenance Cost
The honest 2026 breakdown of website maintenance costs — from $0 on a builder to $200+/hour for a designer. What maintenance actually means and what's worth paying for.
How to Write Website Copy for a Small Business
The honest 2026 guide to small business website copy — what to say, how to say it, and how AI can write your first draft. The copy that converts, and the copy that doesn't.
Read the guide, then build the site.
The guides answer the questions. Black Nile builds the site in about a minute, free to publish. Both are honest.