Athens is the county seat of Henderson County and home to 12,857 people as of the 2020 census. It calls itself the "Black-Eyed Pea Capital of the World," and its motto, "Hamburgers – Heritage – Texas," nods to Fletcher Davis, one of several people credited with inventing the hamburger. It is also our backyard. ETX Websites is based in Brownsboro, a few miles east on State Highway 31, and we build websites for small businesses all over Henderson County. This checklist covers what an Athens business website actually needs, in the order we'd fix things.
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Who is searching for Athens businesses?
Before you change a single page, think about who is on the other end of the search. In Athens, it's usually a mix of these groups:
- Locals who already know the town and want a phone number, hours or directions fast.
- Lake visitors. Cedar Creek Reservoir, northwest of town, is a popular getaway for Dallas–Fort Worth residents, and some own lake homes nearby. Lake Athens, an 1,800-acre reservoir on the east side of the city, is home to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center run by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
- Students and staff at Trinity Valley Community College, whose main campus is in Athens.
- Travelers passing through on US 175, State Highway 31 and State Highway 19, which all meet at Loop 7.
Many of these people don't know street names or which side of the lake you're on. Your website has to do the explaining for you.
1. Say "Athens" and your service area in plain words
Google and AI search tools can only recommend you for places you clearly say you serve. Put "Athens, TX" in your page title and main heading, and list the nearby towns you actually work in. Around Athens and Cedar Creek Lake, that often includes Malakoff, Trinidad, Gun Barrel City, Seven Points, Tool and Mabank, and to the east Murchison, Brownsboro and Chandler. Only list towns you really serve. A short, honest list beats a long one copied from a map.
If you run a service business, give each main service its own short section or page, such as "septic pumping in Athens" or "lake house cleaning in Gun Barrel City." That helps people who search for the exact job they need.
2. Make calling the easiest thing on the page
Most local customers want to call, text or get directions, not read. Put a tap-to-call button at the top of every page, show your hours where people can see them, and add a short contact form for people who'd rather not call. Every $39 Website we build includes click-to-call and a lead form for this reason.
3. Build it for phones first
A lot of searches happen in a truck, at a job site or out by the lake, and not every back road has a strong signal. Keep pages light, use compressed photos, and make buttons big enough to tap with a thumb. Ask a friend to open your site on their phone and find your number. If it takes them more than a few seconds, it's worth fixing.
4. Match your website and your Google Business Profile
For "near me" searches, your Google Business Profile often matters as much as your website. Your business name, phone number, hours and categories should match on both. Link your profile to your website, add real photos and post updates when something changes. Our guide to Google Business Profile and local SEO in East Texas walks through the setup step by step.
5. Catch leads when you can't answer
If you're on a roof, under a sink or with a customer, the phone is going to ring when you can't pick up. A caller who doesn't hear back may try the next business on the list. Two tools help:
- EasyCRM puts your calls, texts, form leads and reviews in one inbox, and sends every missed caller an instant text so the conversation keeps going.
- An AI chatbot on your website answers common questions, collects contact details and can book appointments when you're closed.
We're also building Aaron HQ, an all-in-one headquarters for your business day. It's coming soon, and you can join the waitlist now.
6. Show real work and real reviews
People in a small town want to know who they're hiring. Use photos of your own jobs, your own shop and your own team instead of stock pictures. Ask happy customers to leave a Google review, and reply to every review, good or bad. Real photos and honest reviews build trust that a template can't fake.
7. Keep it current
A website with last year's hours or an old phone number costs you calls. Update holiday hours, add new services and refresh your photos a few times a year. With the $39 Website, small monthly updates are part of the deal, so you don't have to touch the code yourself.
What it costs with ETX Websites
The $39 Website is a custom, mobile-friendly site for $39 a month, with no hidden fees, no website build cost and no artwork fee. It includes hosting, SSL, local SEO setup, click-to-call and a lead form. If you want to climb higher in local search, our SEO plan adds weekly SEO updates and weekly Google Business Profile updates for $200 a month total. CRM, AI automation, graphic design and Facebook and Instagram ads are quoted separately. See everything side by side on the pricing page.
Next steps for Athens business owners
Pick the one or two items above that your site is missing and fix those first. If you'd rather have it done for you, see our Athens web design page, browse web design across East Texas, or check nearby towns like Palestine and Kaufman. When you're ready, contact Aaron or call (214) 415-9849.