Starting a business in Arlington? You’re not alone. The city has been quietly turning into a magnet for entrepreneurs, thanks to its sweet spot between Dallas and Fort Worth, and a population that’s creeping toward 400,000. So, if you’re building a new website for your business, you’ve got some competition. And no, a slick homepage with a few buzzwords won’t cut it.
Let’s talk about what actually works, and what Arlington customers (and search engines) are looking for when they land on your site.
First things first: Get found locally
Arlington lives in that lovely gray zone between “big city” and “tight-knit community,” which means people are constantly searching for local businesses. “Near me” searches aren’t just a trend; they’re how your next customer finds you while sitting in traffic on I-30.
So, your site needs to speak Google’s local language. That means using Arlington-specific keywords in your page titles and meta descriptions. Don’t just say “T-shirt printing.” Say “custom T-shirt printing in Arlington TX.” It’s simple, but it works.
Also, embed a Google Map with your exact location. Bonus points if
you add local schema markup. It’s like giving search engines a cheat sheet about your business address and hours.
Mobile-first, because everyone’s already on their phone
The average Arlington resident is a little over 33 years old. Translation: they’re not waiting to get home and open a laptop; they’re Googling your business while juggling a coffee and a toddler.
So your site better load fast, look sharp, and actually work on a phone. We’re talking under 3 seconds load time, buttons that don’t require precision surgery to tap, and navigation that doesn’t feel like a maze.
Click-to-call buttons are a must. If someone has to copy-paste your number into their dialer, you’ve already lost them.
Speed matters more than you think
Google has made it very clear: if your site is slow, you’re going to the back of the line. Core Web Vitals now affect how you rank, and they’re not messing around. If your pages stutter or shift while loading, people bounce. And when they bounce, they don’t come back.
Want to test your site’s speed? Use Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. They’ll tell you what’s dragging you down; usually bloated images, messy code, or cheap hosting.
Compress your images (WebP format is your friend), clean up your CSS and JavaScript, and for the love of uptime, don’t host your site on some bargain-bin server in another time zone.
Local SEO isn’t optional; it’s the map to your door
If you want to show up in map packs and local search results, you need to set up your local SEO right out of the gate. That means claiming and filling out your Google Business Profile, and making sure your NAP—name, address, phone—matches everywhere.
Backlinks from local directories and blogs help too. Think Arlington Chamber of Commerce listings, or even a shoutout from that local lifestyle blog your customers actually read.
And if you serve more than one area around Arlington, create separate location pages. Don’t try to cram everything into one homepage; it doesn’t work.
Need a guide? Moz’s local SEO guide is a great place to start.
Make it easy for people to take action
Your website isn’t just a digital flyer; it’s your best salesperson.
Put your call-to-action above the fold. Don’t make people scroll for it. If you take appointments, let them book online. If you sell products, make checkout painless. And sprinkle in testimonials from real Arlington customers. People trust people who live down the street more than they trust your About page.
Don’t skip accessibility; it’s about more than
lawsuits
Yes, Texas businesses are seeing more ADA compliance lawsuits. But beyond the legal side, making your site accessible is just the right thing to do. You want everyone to be able to use your site;
period.
Stick with WCAG 2.1 guidelines. That means alt text for images, keyboard-friendly navigation, and enough contrast between text and background so people can actually read your content without
squinting.
Use WAVE by WebAIM to check your site. It’s free, and it’ll flag issues you might’ve missed.
Tell people why you’re here
This might be the most overlooked part of a new business website: your story. Not the generic “we’re passionate about quality” stuff. I mean the real story. Why Arlington? What makes your business different here?
Maybe you sponsor a local youth soccer team. Maybe your founder grew up in North Arlington and always wanted to open a shop on Cooper Street. Whatever it is, share it.
People want to support local businesses, but they also want to know who they’re supporting. Give them a reason to care.
Final thought
Building a business website in Arlington isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about showing up—fast, local, and ready to convert. You’ve got a sharp, growing market here. Give them a site that actually works for them, and they’ll return the favor.
That’s the view from the ground.
We’ll be back soon with more real-world insights.
Until then, keep building.
– Perfect Sites Blog