Watch anyone visit a small-business site for the first time. They're not admiring the design — they're firing questions at it, and leaving the moment one goes unanswered.
1. What do you do?
In plain words, in the first screen. 'Handmade sourdough, baked daily' beats 'Artisanal culinary experiences' every single time.
2. Are you near me?
City and neighbourhood in the header or hero. If you serve an area, name it. Local searches are most of your traffic.
3. Can I trust you?
Real photos, real reviews, a real name. Stock photography is a trust tax — people can smell it.
4. What does it cost?
Even a range beats silence. 'From €X' filters out mismatches and signals confidence. Hidden pricing reads as expensive.
5. What do I do next?
One obvious action — call, book, order — repeated on every screen. Not six equal buttons. One.
Every Basalt site is structured around these five, because they're the whole job. Design is just how the answers get delivered.