A self storage website needs your name, address, phone number and hours on every page, a list of unit sizes with real rates and availability, a way to rent or reserve online, photos, reviews and local business markup. It must load fast on a phone and make the next step obvious.
Use the checklist below as a pass-fail audit of your site. Each item is something you can fix this week.
The core idea
People who search for storage want three answers fast: do you have a unit, how much is it and how do I get it. Everything on your site should serve those three. If a visitor has to call to learn the price, many will leave for the next result. That is a judgment call you can test, not a statistic.
Checklist: the basics
- Business name, address and phone in text on every page, not only in an image
- Hours, both office hours and gate (access) hours
- A map or clear directions, with the same address as your Google profile
- Phone number that works with a tap on a mobile screen
- Page title that says what you are and where, for example "Self Storage in [Town], [State] | [Facility Name]"
- One clear heading per page that matches what the page is about
- HTTPS (a padlock in the browser)
- Works on a phone and loads quickly on a slow connection
- Contact form or email that someone actually answers
Checklist: units and pricing
This is where most of the value is. Visitors want to see rates.
- A list or grid of each unit size with the monthly rate
- Availability (available, limited, waitlist)
- A short what fits line per size, as a rough guide. See unit sizes guide
- Unit type labels (interior, drive-up, climate controlled, outdoor)
- Fees stated up front: admin fee, deposit, lock, tenant protection or insurance
- Move-in specials with conditions and end dates. See move-in specials
- Rates match what you charge. A mismatch between web rate and office rate causes arguments
Checklist: renting online
- A rent now or reserve button above the fold
- A rental flow that works on a phone: pick a unit, enter details, sign, pay
- Autopay offered at checkout
- A confirmation and an access code or next step right after renting
- A fallback: a phone number for people who do not want to rent online
See how to get more online rentals and online rentals.
Checklist: trust
- Real photos of your site: gate, driveway, units, office, lighting
- Security details you really have: gate, cameras, lights. Do not claim what you do not have. See security and cameras
- Reviews from Google shown or linked. Never invent or buy reviews
- Access rules: gate hours, how codes work
- Rules and policies in plain English. See rules and signs
- Insurance or protection plan explained. See tenant protection plans
- About line: who owns it, how long you have been there, if true
Checklist: local search
- Google Business Profile claimed, with the same name, address and phone as the site. See Google Business Profile for self storage
- Town and nearby areas named naturally in the text
- One page per facility if you have more than one
- Markup: LocalBusiness structured data (see below)
- Listings (maps, directories) that match your name, address and phone exactly
- A FAQ with real questions your phone answers every day
Structured data (schema) in plain English
Structured data is code on your page that tells search engines facts about your business in a standard format. Google's documentation for LocalBusiness markup lists two required properties, your name and your address (as a postal address). It recommends adding as many others as you can: telephone, URL, opening hours, price range and geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude). Google also says that including more properties helps give users a better result.
Say your facility's page includes the name, the full address, the phone, the hours and a URL. That covers the required fields and the main recommended ones. If a website builder adds this for you, ask whether it does. If you edit by hand, test the page with Google's Rich Results Test. Markup does not guarantee higher ranking, so treat it as housekeeping.
Checklist: speed and phone use
- Photos are resized and compressed
- Text is large enough to read without zooming
- Buttons are easy to tap
- No pop-ups that block the screen
- The page loads in a few seconds on a normal phone connection (test it on yours)
Many of your renters will be on a phone, standing in a driveway or at a house. Test your own site on your own phone with the wifi off.
Checklist: accessibility
- Photos have alt text that describes them
- Text has enough contrast against the background
- The site works by keyboard as well as touch
- Forms have labels
These help all visitors, and some may be required by law for some businesses. Ask your attorney whether accessibility rules apply to you.
What to leave off
- Stock photos that do not look like your site.
- Long histories of storage.
- Claims you cannot back up ("the best", "most secure").
- Prices that differ from the office.
- Autoplay video.
Build or buy
You have three choices.
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Use the website included with your software | Quick, tied to your units and online rentals | Less design freedom |
| Pay a storage website vendor | Built for storage, support for markup | Extra monthly cost; check contract and data ownership |
| Build your own | Full control | Your time; you must connect rentals |
Whichever you choose, ask who owns the domain name (it should be yours), whether you can export your content, and how rates stay in sync with your software. Stitch includes a free facility website with each account, and lists the plans on the pricing page.
A 60-minute audit
- Open your site on your phone. Can you find the price of a 10x10 in 10 seconds?
- Search your name and town. Does the address match everywhere?
- Click rent. Can you finish on a phone?
- Read your page as a stranger. What question is left unanswered?
- Fix the top three issues. Repeat in a month.
For the wider plan, read how to market a self storage facility.
Sample page outline for a one-facility site
| Page | What goes on it |
|---|---|
| Home | Name, town, phone, hours, a short pitch, a rent button, top three unit sizes with rates, photos |
| Units and pricing | The full size list with rates, availability and a rent button for each |
| Rent online | The checkout flow |
| Access and security | Gate hours, cameras, lighting, how codes work |
| FAQ | Questions callers ask: deposits, insurance, vehicles, what can be stored |
| Contact and directions | Address, map, phone, form |
| Rules and policies | The short list from your lease |
Writing the words
- Use the words people search, like "storage units in [town]", "10x10 storage unit" and "RV storage."
- Put prices in text, not only in images.
- Write short sentences. Avoid claims you cannot prove.
- Name nearby landmarks and roads, so visitors know where you are.
- Answer the questions your phone answers. If three people ask about vehicle storage, add a section.
How to know it works
After a month, check how many people rented online, called from the site, or used the contact form. Compare with the month before. If visitors come but nobody rents, test the rent button position and the number of steps. See how to get more online rentals.