When it comes to choosing which website package is the best for you, one of the considerations is how many pages you will need on your new site. One of the reasons for this, is that many website companies offer a package for a five-page website, and then a higher priced package for websites with more than five pages. 
 
It is very easy to underestimate how many pages you will need on your website. It can also be very tempting to opt for a five-page site to cut costs. And in some cases, a five-page site can provide potential and existing customers with the information they need. But this is not always the case and trying to shoehorn too much detail in too few pages will result in a site that is unlikely to satisfy either your prospects or search engines such as Google. 
 
There is no one size fits all when it comes to the number of pages a website should have. Each company has different needs and goals. So, you need to establish what works best for your audience and determine how many pages you need before you start building your website.  
 
In this article we will offer some ideas as to how to decide how many pages you will need on your new website. 

Humans or search engines? 

The first point to consider is whether you will be relying on people to find your website via search engines such as Google and Bing, or whether you will be pointing people to your site. 

Websites for humans 

It is often assumed that people only want a website so they can get found on search engines. This is often the case of course, but not always. We often speak to businesses who are looking for a new website that can validate their business to potential new customers that they direct to their site. So, when they are talking to prospects, they can refer them to a professional looking website that will confirm they are who they say they are. It will also provide further information on the products and services they offer. Other businesses use their website as a source of information for their existing clients, and again are not too concerned about how their site ranks on Google and other search engines. 
 
Whatever the reason, if a business is not worried about their search engine ranking, they need only focus on having enough pages to provide all the information in a clear way that is easy to read and understand. Rather than being concerned about how the number of pages will help improve their search engine ranking. 

Websites for search engines 

As mentioned above, there are many businesses whose main priority for their website is to rank well on search engines. In this case, you will need to bear in mind that your website has two different audiences that you’re writing for - human visitors, such as potential and existing customers, and search engines such as Google.  
 
Google wants websites that provide useful information for users. Having lots of pages will give you more chances to rank high in search results, and 5 or 6 pages usually isn’t enough to make Google take notice. So, if you are focusing on search engines as well as humans, you are likely to need a website that allows you to have a higher number of pages. The ideal would be to have a site that allows you to add unlimited pages so you can add new pages long after your website is live. This will allow your website to evolve as your business grows. 
 
One final point to consider, if you’re looking to rank well in search engines, you should focus on providing useful information rather than just creating as many pages as possible. 

Brainstorm the pages you are likely to need 

Now you have a clearer idea of who you are writing your website for, the next stage is to think about what pages you need on your site. Bear in mind that if you opt for a website package that allows you to add an unlimited number of pages, you don't need to have all the pages on your site when it first goes live. You can add pages over time. 
 
Every business is different of course, but most websites will have a 'Home' and 'Contact Us' page, and other pages that are popular are: 
About Us and/or Our Team 
Testimonials 
Photo Gallery 
Events page (where relevant) 
Services/Products. This may be one page that covers all the products/services that you offer. But if you have a lot of different products and/or services, it would be worth having a separate page for each one. This will give you a much better chance of being found on search engines for each product/service than if you have them all crammed on one page. And even if your site is for humans only, it will make it much easier for them to find the information they need if there is a page for each one. 
 
There are obviously lots more pages that could be included depending on your business and what it offers. These are some of the more common ones: 
Why Choose Us? 
Who We Serve 
Our History 
Join Our Team 
How to find us (sometimes this will be included on the Contact Us page.) 
 
A lot of websites also have a section for latest news or articles. This is usually in a blog format, and you will need to make sure your website package includes a built-in blog facility if you want to have this on your site. 

Summary 

The exact number of pages you need on your website will obviously depend on many factors, including your audience and how many products and/or service you offer.  
 
If you opt for a website that allows you to add an unlimited number of pages, it may save you money in the long run, as you won't have to change to a new, bigger website when your business and product range grows. 
it'seeze Horsham are a professional web design company who can provide you with a free, no obligation price for a website that is custom designed for your business.  
 
If you would like to have a chat with us about how many pages would be ideal for your website, just click on the button below to book a free 15 minute no-obligation phone call.  
Tagged as: SEO, Website tips
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