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The Website Basics Most Small Businesses Are Missing

SSL, backups, working forms, analytics, and accessibility. The website basics many small businesses skip, and how to check yours.

Web Team November 12, 2026 4 min read

You don’t need a fancy website. You need one that works. That means the basics are covered, the quiet stuff that nobody sees until it breaks.

Here are five basics we find missing on a lot of small business sites, and how to check each one.

1. SSL (the padlock)

SSL is what puts “https” and the padlock in the address bar. It keeps info people type into your site private.

Without it, browsers warn visitors that your site isn’t secure. Google Chrome now asks people to confirm before it even opens a plain http page. That’s a fast way to lose a customer.

Most hosts give you SSL for free now. The common problem is that it’s set up but not forced. So your site still loads at http:// for some people.

Check it: Type your address with http:// in front, not https://. It should jump to https:// on its own. If it doesn’t, or shows an error, it needs fixing.

2. Backups you can actually use

A backup is only good if you can restore it. Here’s what a real backup setup looks like:

It runs every day on its own
It’s stored somewhere other than your web server
It keeps copies for at least a few weeks
Someone has tested a restore

If your host’s backups live on the same server as your site, a hack or server crash can take both.

Check it: Ask whoever manages your site, “When was the last backup, where is it stored, and when did you last test one?” If nobody can answer, you don’t really have backups.

3. Forms that actually work

This one hurts. A contact form can look perfect and send nothing. We see it all the time. The messages go to spam, to an old employee’s inbox, or nowhere at all.

WordPress sites often send email in a way that spam filters don’t trust. The fix is usually to send form emails through a proper email service.

Check it: Fill out your own form right now. Did you get it? How long did it take? Did it land in spam? Do this once a month.

4. Analytics

If you don’t track visitors, you’re guessing. You don’t know how many people come to your site, where they come from, or what they do.

Google Analytics is free. Google Search Console is free too, and it shows what people search to find you. Both should be set up under an account your business owns.

Check it: Can you log in and see last month’s visitors? If not, either it’s not set up or someone else owns it.

5. Accessibility

Accessibility means people with disabilities can use your site. That includes people who are blind and use screen readers, people who can’t use a mouse, and people with low vision.

The common standard is called WCAG, short for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The newest version is WCAG 2.2.

A few legal notes, as of October 2026:

In the US, the Department of Justice set a rule that state and local governments must meet WCAG 2.1 AA. In April 2026, the deadlines were pushed back to April 2027 for larger governments and April 2028 for smaller ones. That rule doesn’t cover private businesses directly.
Private businesses still get accessibility lawsuits under the ADA. Courts don’t all agree on what’s required, so it’s smart to do the basics.
In the EU, the European Accessibility Act took effect June 28, 2025. It covers some online services, like online stores. Very small businesses, under 10 staff and under 2 million euros a year, are exempt for services. If you sell to people in the EU, check with someone who knows the rules.

We aren’t lawyers, and this isn’t legal advice. But the basics help every visitor, not just people with disabilities.

Check it: Do your images have short text descriptions? Can you move through your site using only the Tab key? Is your text easy to read against the background?

Bonus: a privacy policy and cookie notice

If you use analytics, ads, or tracking, you’re collecting data. You should have a privacy policy that says what you collect. Depending on where your visitors live, you may also need a cookie notice that lets them say no. Rules vary by state and country, so ask a professional if you’re unsure.