What a city department website needs to do
A department page succeeds when someone can find what to do, who to contact and what to bring without reading policy. Organize by resident task, publish hours and locations, and keep forms and notices current.
Government work often involves procurement, accessibility reviews and security rules that a small project may not meet. We scope each public project honestly and tell you what fits before you commit.
People searching for a city department usually decide in seconds. Your site should answer the questions below before they have to ask.
Find a service
By task
Check hours and locations
Plain details
Download a form
PDF or link
Contact the department
Staff and email
Timing matters. Permit and license renewals cluster around fiscal-year starts and spring.
The pages a city department website needs
A city department site does not need dozens of pages. It needs the right few, each doing one job:
- ✓Home organized by task
- ✓Services and permits — what to do
- ✓Forms and downloads
- ✓Hours and locations
- ✓Contact
Need a page for every service or town you cover? The larger packages give you room to grow.
Mistakes we see on city department websites
- ✓Department jargon — residents cannot find tasks
- ✓Outdated notices
- ✓PDF-only content — hard on phones
Getting found: SEO basics for a city department
- ✓Task and city wording — "renew a permit in your city"
- ✓Service pages — one task each
- ✓Notices — current and dated
Cheap Cheap Websites sets up the essentials on every build, and Monthly SEO adds new pages every month when you are ready.
Sample sites that could be yours
These are real samples we designed. Yours is built around your business, your photos and your words.
What a city department website costs
Most municipal departments fit Business Extra: $1,500 one-time for up to 50 pages, because they need a home page, a services page, a forms page, a hours page and a contact page. Websites are priced one-time, plus Website Care at $30/month for hosting, HTTPS, backups, weekly checks and A/B testing. Every package includes a consultation, mobile-friendly design, copy we write for you, a contact form, essential search setup and 10 revision rounds.
What we ask a city department for
We will ask for your services, forms, staff contacts, hours, locations and any accessibility requirements.
How it works
1. Consultation
We learn your services, customers and goals, in English or Spanish.
2. We write and design
We draft the words and build the site around your business.
3. 10 revision rounds
You review and request changes until it is right.
4. Launch and care
We launch, then Website Care keeps it hosted, backed up, checked weekly and A/B tested.
Websites for related businesses
Public libraries · Public housing authorities · Civic campaigns · Tourism boards
