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Small business websitesThis October, a business we know in Karnataka lost the web address it had used for years. The website itself was fine. But the domain sat in an account nobody could log in to. When it expired, nobody could renew it, and someone else bought it. That one detail never comes up when owners compare website quotes. It should.
By Sujata Dogra, Founder, Brains Media Solutions · 7 min read
Before you pay for a small business website in India, ask seven things: whose name the domain is in, who holds the login, what it costs in year two, whether GST is included, who writes the words, whether your Google Maps listing is part of it, and what you can take with you if you leave.
Most website quotes look alike: a number of pages, a design, a price. The questions that cost owners money come later, usually a year later, when something needs renewing. Here is what to ask before you pay anyone, including us.
Your domain is your address on the internet: yourbusiness.in. It should be registered in your name or your company’s name, not your developer’s, and not a friend’s who “handles the technical side”.
It also needs a login that you, or a team you trust, can actually reach. In the case above, nobody did anything wrong on purpose. The domain was simply registered somewhere nobody could get into. When it expired, there was no way to renew it in time.
Ask: “Will the domain be in my name? Who will have the login, and will you share it with me?”
First-year prices for domains and hosting are often heavily discounted. Renewals are not. For example, one popular hosting company in India listed these prices in 2026:
| Item | First year | Renews at |
|---|---|---|
| .com domain | ₹1 | ₹1,499 a year |
| .in domain | ₹1 | ₹899 a year |
| Basic hosting (one website) | ₹69 a month | ₹289 a month |
Prices change often. These are examples to show the pattern, not a quote.
None of this is a trick. It’s how the industry works. But a website that feels cheap in year one can cost three or four times more in year two if nobody told you.
Ask: “What exactly will I pay in year two, and what does that cover?” Get the answer in writing.
Website design is a service, and GST on it is 18%. A quote of ₹6,000 can become ₹7,080 on the invoice. Neither is wrong, but you should know which one you’re agreeing to.
Ask: “Is this price including GST or plus GST?”
Many small business sites are built from a template and filled with general text like “We provide quality services at affordable prices.” It says nothing, so customers don’t remember you, and Google and AI tools can’t tell what makes you different.
The words are what make a customer call: what you do, for whom, in which area, at roughly what price, and why they should trust you. If you’re expected to write all of it yourself, that’s fine, but know it before you start.
Ask: “Will you write the content, or do I need to send it?”
When someone searches “dentist near me” or “interior designer in Hubballi”, the first thing they usually see is the map, not websites. That map comes from your Google Business Profile (the listing that used to be called Google My Business).
A website and a listing work best together. The listing gets you found and called. The website answers the questions people have before they call. Each should link to the other.
Ask: “Will you set up or fix my Google Business Profile, and link it to the website?”
Most of your visitors will be on a phone. If they have to copy a number, open WhatsApp and paste it, many won’t. A WhatsApp button and a tap-to-call link remove that step.
Ask: “Will there be a WhatsApp button and a tap-to-call number on every page?”
Things change. You might move to another agency or hire someone in-house. You should be able to take your domain, your content, your photos and, ideally, a copy of the website with you.
Ask: “If I stop working with you, what do I get, and how?”
| Question | A good answer | A warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Whose name is the domain in? | “Yours. We’ll share the login.” | “Ours, but don’t worry.” |
| What’s the cost in year two? | A clear number, in writing | “We’ll see next year.” |
| Is GST included? | A clear yes or no | Surprise on the invoice |
| Who writes the content? | “We do, and you approve it.” | Template text you never see |
| Is the Google Maps listing included? | Set up and linked to the site | “That’s separate.” |
| One-tap contact on mobile? | WhatsApp and call buttons | A contact form only |
| What if I leave? | Domain, content and files handed over | No clear answer |
Since we ask other businesses to check these things, here are our own answers, in plain numbers.
Our small business package is ₹6,999, GST included. It covers up to 5 pages written for you, your Google Business Profile set-up, a WhatsApp button, and your domain and hosting for the first year. The domain is registered in your name, and we manage the renewals. From year two, one payment of ₹2,999 a year (GST included) covers domain renewal, hosting, backups and small changes. See what’s included.
Usually yes. Ask them to change the registrant details to your name, or to transfer the domain to an account you control. Do it well before the expiry date, because an expired domain can be bought by anyone.
The domain is your address, like yourbusiness.in. Hosting is the space where the website’s files live. You need both, and both renew every year.
It varies widely, from a few thousand rupees for a simple template site to ₹50,000 or more for a custom build. Compare what’s included, whether GST is part of the price, and what you’ll pay in year two, not just the headline number.
Instagram is good for showing your work. A website answers the questions people have before they call: services, prices, location and proof. It’s also what Google and AI tools read when they decide which businesses to show.
We’ll check how your business shows up on Google, Google Maps and AI tools like ChatGPT, and send you a plain-language report. Free, within 1 working day.
Get a free AI Visibility AuditOr see the ₹6,999 website package →