From one page to a clear multi-page site
A shop with one big room is hard to shop in. A good shop has signs, aisles and a clear path to the till. A multi-page website is the same: each page has one job, the menu is the sign, and every page points to the next step.
- Before this course (course 7.6) you planned 4 to 5 pages and one main action. Now you give each page its own job and link the pages together.
- Navigation (the menu) should show the same 4 to 6 items on every page, in the same order. Visitors should reach any main page in one click.
- Use plain words for menu items: Home, Services, About, Contact. Clever names make people guess.
- Give every page one job and one main button. Home: say who you help and send them to Services or Contact. Services: show what you offer and prices or "from" prices, with a "Book" or "Get a quote" button. About: build trust. Contact: make it easy to reach you.
- Internal links are links from one page of your site to another. They help visitors move on and help search engines discover your pages. Write them with words that say where they go ("See our pricing").
- Put the most important information at the top. Many visitors never scroll far.
- Keep the page names short and in plain words: a page called "Services" is clearer than "What we do for you".
- Google's SEO guide says URLs that include words that help users understand the page are better than random numbers. Most builders create the page address from the page name, so name pages clearly.
- Repeat the basics in the footer on every page: business name, city or service area, phone or email, and a link to the privacy policy.
| Page | Its one job | Main button |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Say who you help and what you do | See services / Book |
| Services | Show what you offer and what it costs (or "from" prices) | Book / Get a quote |
| About | Show who you are and why you can be trusted | Contact me |
| Contact | Make it easy to reach you | Send (the form) |
| Privacy | Explain what information you collect | (link in footer) |
- Open the site you built in course 7.6. If you do not have one, create a new Google Site at sites.google.com/new (names can differ by version).
- On paper, draw a box for each page and arrows showing which page links to which. Home should link to Services and Contact; every page links to Contact.
- In Google Sites, open the Pages tab (right side). Check that each page has a short, plain name. Rename any clever or long names.
- Add the same menu on every page: in Google Sites, use the navigation settings so all pages appear in the menu (names can differ by version).
- On each page, write one sentence at the top that says what the page is for, then add one main button.
- Add a footer on every page with business name, city, email or phone, and a link to the privacy page.
- Click Publish.
- Check: starting at Home, a friend can reach Services, About and Contact in one click each, and every page has exactly one main button.
Videos by other creators on YouTube, for reference. They are not made by or affiliated with The Future Market.
Read the video script
[Host] "A good business website is like a shop with clear signs."
[Text on screen: Home, Services, About, Contact] "Use the same simple menu on every page, in plain words."
[Screen: page map drawn on paper with arrows] "Draw the pages as boxes. Give each box one job and one main button."
[Text on screen: One page = one job] "If a page has two jobs, split it or choose one."
[Host] "Link your pages together with words that say where the link goes, and repeat your contact details in the footer."
Draw your site map: every page as a box with a one-sentence job and one main button, and arrows for the links. Then build or fix the site in Google Sites so the menu, the page names and the footer match your map.
ClaudeStuck? Copy a ready-made prompt for Claude
Copy this, open Claude, paste it, and Claude will walk you through the lesson step by step.
For a grown-up: Claude is for adults (18+). Copy this, paste it into Claude, and use the answer to explain the lesson to your child.
I'm learning "Business Websites: design, SEO and forms" on The Future Market. Lesson 1: "From one page to a clear multi-page site".
What the lesson teaches:
- Before this course (course 7.6) you planned 4 to 5 pages and one main action. Now you give each page its own job and link the pages together.
- Navigation (the menu) should show the same 4 to 6 items on every page, in the same order. Visitors should reach any main page in one click.
- Use plain words for menu items: Home, Services, About, Contact. Clever names make people guess.
- Give every page one job and one main button. Home: say who you help and send them to Services or Contact. Services: show what you offer and prices or "from" prices, with a "Book" or "Get a quote" button. About: build trust. Contact: make it easy to reach you.
- Internal links are links from one page of your site to another. They help visitors move on and help search engines discover your pages. Write them with words that say where they go ("See our pricing").
- Put the most important information at the top. Many visitors never scroll far.
- Keep the page names short and in plain words: a page called "Services" is clearer than "What we do for you".
The exercise I'm working on:
Draw your site map: every page as a box with a one-sentence job and one main button, and arrows for the links. Then build or fix the site in Google Sites so the menu, the page names and the footer match your map.
I'm stuck. Please:
1. Explain the main idea in plain, simple words with one everyday example.
2. Walk me through the exercise one small step at a time. Ask me what I've done so far before giving the next step.
3. Don't just give me the final answer. Help me do it myself, and check my work when I share it.I'm a parent helping my child (about 8 years old) with a lesson called "From one page to a clear multi-page site" from the course "Business Websites: design, SEO and forms". Here's what the lesson says: A shop with one big room is hard to shop in. A good shop has signs, aisles and a clear path to the till. A multi-page website is the same: each page has one job, the menu is the sign, and every page points to the next step. The activity: Draw your site map: every page as a box with a one-sentence job and one main button, and arrows for the links. Then build or fix the site in Google Sites so the menu, the page names and the footer match your map. Please explain this so an 8-year-old understands: short sentences, a fun everyday example, and no hard words. Then give me 3 simple questions I can ask my child to check they understood, and a way to do the activity together, one tiny step at a time.
Sources
- Google Search Central, SEO Starter Guide (URLs, link text and site structure): developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide
- Google Sites Help, create and edit a site: support.google.com/sites/answer/6372878
Design that works on phones
This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.
Contact forms that people finish
This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.
On-page SEO: say clearly what each page is about
This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.
Getting found: Search Console and sitemaps
This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.
Speed and Core Web Vitals
This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.
Analytics: see what visitors do
This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.
Final project
This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.
Quiz
How many main buttons should each page have?
One main button for the one main action of that page.
Which contrast ratio does WCAG Level AA ask for with normal text?
At least 4.5:1.
Why write button names like "Book a free call" instead of "Submit"?
They tell people what will happen next.
Which form setting makes sure you see new messages?
Email notifications for new responses (in the Responses tab of Google Forms).
What should you place near a contact form for privacy?
A short sentence about why you collect the information and a link to your privacy policy.
What does Google say a good page title is?
Unique to the page, clear and concise, and an accurate description of the page.
What does a sitemap do, and does it guarantee indexing?
It lists your URLs to help search engines find them; it does not guarantee indexing.
What does the Performance report in Search Console show?
Impressions, clicks and the searches and pages involved.
What are the "good" thresholds for LCP, INP and CLS?
LCP 2.5 seconds or less, INP 200 milliseconds or less, CLS 0.1 or less.
Which free Google tool tests your page speed?
PageSpeed Insights.
What is a key event in Google Analytics?
An event that measures an action particularly important to your business, such as a form submission.
Why mention analytics in your privacy policy?
Because analytics collects information about visitors, so you should tell them what you use and why.
Final exam
This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.
Certificate
This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.