How To Make $500-$1000 A Day Building Websites For Local Businesses

 

Local businesses need simple, working sites — and yet the majority don't have one, or the one they have

is old and difficult to use. Most business owners won't bother with fiddling around with difficult tools or

paying high agencies. That's your job.

You can build clean, responsive websites on new no-code platforms and earn $300-$1,000+ depending

on size and functionality. All you require is basic tech skills, effective communication skills, and a little

bit of confidence.

This guide uncovers step by step how to start.

Step 1: Learn One No-Code Web Builder

You don’t need to be a developer. Most sites you’ll build are informational — they just need to look clean and help people find the business online.

Here are the easiest tools to learn:

Carrd – Perfect for simple 1-page sites. Fast, cheap, and mobile-friendly.

Squarespace – Great for service-based businesses. Modern templates.

Wix – User-friendly drag-and-drop builder with flexibility.

WordPress (with Elementor or Blocksy) – Perfect if you need more control or will scale.

Choose one and commit. Learn a few YouTube videos and create 2–3 test sites to get familiar.

Tip: Prioritize mobile design. Most visitors will be from phones.

Step 2: Create a Simple Demo Website

Create a demo site before you engage with any clients that demonstrates what you can do. It should have:

A business services and info homepage

A "Contact Us" page with a form or click-to-call phone number

Social media or Google Maps links

Use a dummy business name (or make a site for a company you like and use it as an example — but don't

publish it without asking them).

Make it be clean and professional. It is your proof of skill.

Step 3: Get Your First Clients

You don't need to advertise. The easiest way to get your first few clients is by doing direct outreach.

Start with these:

Businesses you already patronize (barbershops, local restaurants, mechanics)

Local Facebook groups or small business groups

Search "Type "[Your City] businesses" and see who has no website or an old one"

When you find a business that likely needs help, reach out like this:

"Hey [Name], I noticed your website could use some updating. I design clean, mobile-friendly sites that

drive more customers to small businesses. I'd love to show you how — it's affordable, quick, and entirely custom. Interested?"

You can send that message by email, DM, or even in person. You'll have some no's, but one or two yeses

is all you need to start.

Step 4: Price Your Service

Most small businesses are willing to spend $300–$1,000 for a clean, working website that looks

professional.

Here’s a solid starter pricing structure:

1-page site: $300–$450

3–5 page site: $600–$1,000

Add-ons: SEO basics, Google Maps, contact forms, email sign-up = +$50–$200

Don’t price too low. You’re saving them tons of time and improving their visibility — that’s valuable.

Also: offer a one-time price, not hourly. Business owners like knowing the total cost up front.

Step 5: Ask the Right Questions

Once someone has committed to working with you, keep it easy. Send them a quick list of what you need:

Business name and logo

List of services or products

Business hours

Contact info (phone number, email, address)

Social media or review page links (Google, Yelp)

Optional: photos, testimonials, about page

You can have Google Forms or Notion make a "Website Intake Form" to make this step easy.

Pro Tip: If they're lagging to provide content, volunteer to write the copy out for them based on what they

already have on their current site or social media, and then let them edit. Saves time and keeps the

project moving.

Step 6: Build and Deliver

Use the content they provide to build the site with your platform of choice. Make it:

Mobile-optimized

Easy to use

Visually tidy (don't clutter)

Quick loading (optimize images)

Once done, send over a preview link. Ask them to make final tweaks, then launch it.

Always walk the client through making small tweaks or let them know you can do it later for an

inexpensive fee.

Step 7: Offer Simple Add-Ons

When the site is live, most clients will ask, "Can you also do.?"

These are simple, high-ticket upsells you can offer:

Google Business Profile setup/optimization: $100–$300

Domain or email connection: $50–$150

Adding contact/book systems (e.g., Calendly): $50–$200

Simple SEO keyword optimization or blog page: $150–$300

Don't need to upsell aggressively — just tell them you're able to work on more than the site.

Step 8: Get Testimonials and Referrals

After completing a successful project, always ask:

A short testimonial (you can write it for them and get them to sign it)

A review on Google, LinkedIn, or Facebook (if you have business pages)

A referral — ask if they know another business that could use your services

This builds your reputation quickly, especially if you stay local.

Step 9: Make It Repeatable

To scale this side hustle, make your process repeatable:

Save your favorite templates

Use the same form to collect client information

Create a pricing sheet or services page

Keep testimonials on a portfolio page

Automate invoicing with Wave or PayPal Business

Down the road, you can build 1–2 sites a week and charge $500+ a site — without an agency, coding

experience, or high overhead.

Final Thoughts

Local business website building is a real, low-hurdle side hustle that makes decent money and builds

long-term competence. You don't have to make it harder than it is.

Start small. Add value. Show up.

If you can come up with something simple and mobile-friendly — and can communicate well —

then basically you've got everything you need to make this a reliable source of money.