Web Design in Billings, Montana

Before you build: what Billings looks like from a business owner’s chair

As the county seat of Yellowstone County, Billings draws people from all over the county for court dates, permits and records. That is a county of 172,692 people and 3 cities and towns. County business sustains a ring of law offices, title companies, surveyors, insurance agents and accountants around the courthouse, and most of them compete on trust. Show the address, where to park and the hours near the top of the page; a visitor from out of town needs that before anything else. The website is where all of this gets settled, so it pays to get the basics right.

The city of Billings has been around since 1877; that is more than a century of local history. The city also keeps sister-city ties with Kemerovo (Russia). History cuts both ways for a small business: the old names are known, and the new ones have to explain themselves faster. Put the year the business started and the names of the people behind it on the About page; a real photo of the owner beats any stock image. That is the job a small business website does best: answering the first questions before anyone has to ask.

Mining, oil and gas are a real industry here: 47 establishments with employees in the 2023 count, three times the national share. Energy work creates demand for contractors, trucking and repair that moves with the industry. Safety credentials and certifications belong on a contractor’s website, not just mentioned on the phone. A plain, accurate page does more here than a clever one.

Who your website talks to in Billings

14.0% of workers are employed by private nonprofits. Nonprofits buy services too: printing, catering, cleaning, IT and event space.

Newcomers shape Billings: 39.4% of residents were born elsewhere in the U.S., mostly the West, and only 57.9% in Montana. Without a website, a business is invisible to the people who arrived last year.

How Billings has changed since 2020

The Census Bureau’s annual estimates show Billings going from 117,218 in 2020 to 121,239 in 2025 (3.4%). That compares with +5.6% for Montana as a whole. Every family that moves in starts by searching for the basics, and the businesses with a website get that first look.

A web designer’s view of Billings’ businesses

In the ZIP code that lie mostly inside Billings (59102), the Census counted 2,155 business establishments with employees in 2023. Here is part of that mix, with what each website should show:

• Counseling and mental health practices, 34 in the count. What works online: who you work with, how sessions work (in person or online) and a discreet contact form.
• Insurance agencies, 70 in the count. What works online: the lines you write (auto, home, business, life), the carriers you work with and a quote request form.
• Quick-service restaurants, 77 in the count. What works online: the menu with prices, hours and the closest cross streets.
• Sporting goods stores, 14 in the count. What works online: the brands you carry, store hours and an online store if you want to sell beyond the counter.
• Child care centers, 30 in the count. What works online: ages served, hours, tuition or fees and how to schedule a tour.
• Real estate offices, 63 in the count. What works online: the agents, the neighborhoods you know best and a contact form for buyers and sellers.

In Yellowstone County, the Census counted 6,060 businesses with employees and 14,201 without a payroll in 2023; the second group is where a simple, affordable website changes the most. Compared with the U.S. as a whole, Yellowstone County leans toward oil and gas producers (19 establishments, about six times the national share). For them, operators and suppliers vet contractors carefully, and the website should show your capabilities, safety record and the fields or basins you work in. Next on the list: recreation and amusement businesses, 152 of them, at 2.4 times the national share. Billings’ working residents are concentrated in education, health care and social assistance (25.9%) and retail trade (12.7%).

How big is the Billings market?

Household incomes in Billings track the state: a median of $73,712, against $72,509 for Montana. There are 50,994 households, and 64.8% of them own their home. A typical home here is worth $343,400; the median rent is $1,138 (Montana medians: $375,800 and $1,081). Billings’ median age of 38.8 compares with 40.4 across Montana.

Towns near Billings your website can name

The closest municipalities to Billings are Laurel (13 miles, pop. 7,205), Broadview (27 miles, pop. 136), Joliet (29 miles, pop. 613), Fromberg (32 miles, pop. 422) and Columbus (35 miles, pop. 1,964). Interstate 90 crosses Billings. Billings sits about 3,123 feet above sea level. Billings covers 46.3 square miles of land and 0.1 square miles of water, about 2,621 residents per square mile. Part of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is within 43 miles of the city. List the towns you actually serve, such as Laurel and Broadview, on your website; customers outside Billings want to know before they call.

When Billings customers need you: the seasons

Climate normals for 1991-2020 from Billings Logan International Airport, 1.4 miles away, put the July average high at 87°F and the January average low at 18°F. Precipitation adds up to about 14 inches a year, falling on about 39 days with a tenth of an inch or more. Expect about 57 inches of snow in a typical year. The high reaches 90°F or more on about 32 days a year, and the low falls to freezing or below on about 142 days. A dry climate favors landscaping with drought-tolerant plants, irrigation, pool care and pest control, plus questions about water use. Seasonal updates helps: new hours, a seasonal service, a storm notice, requested by email at no extra charge.

How a website for $89 a month works

Aria is a web design company from Curitiba, Brazil, working since 2008. There are no visits or meetings in Billings: material and questions travel by email, and you approve the website on a temporary link.

1. Start with the online sign-up, which takes about 5 minutes.
2. We build it with your brand on a proven professional template and send a temporary link within 5 business days.
3. Once you approve it, the first monthly fee is issued and the website goes live on your domain.

After launch, changes to text, photos and prices are requested by email and are part of the monthly fee; quick questions go by email too.

Before you publish: Montana and federal rules

Having a website does not change the rules, but these apply to most Billings businesses:

• Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, businesses open to the public must make their goods and services accessible to people with disabilities, and the Justice Department’s guidance says that includes their websites. ADA.gov guidance
• A federal rule (16 CFR Part 465) makes it unlawful to write, buy or sell fake reviews and testimonials, so the reviews on a business website have to be real. 16 CFR Part 465

Each business is different; this is general information, not legal advice.