Short answer
Yes, most local businesses still need a website. Instagram and Facebook are good at keeping people who already follow you interested. A website is what strangers find when they search for your service, and it is the one place online that you control. Keep posting on social media, and point those followers to a simple site where they can call, book, or request a quote.
What social media does well
Instagram and Facebook are great for showing your work, your space, and your personality. Before and after photos, short videos, and stories keep regulars thinking about you, and a good post can get shared.
If most of your business comes from people who already know you, social media may be doing a lot of the work. It is free to start, and you can post from your phone between jobs.
What social media does not do
Social media is built around following. It works best on people who already know your name. Someone who needs a plumber tonight or a new gym this month usually opens a search engine or a maps app, types what they need, and picks from the results.
A social profile can show up in those results, but it is a weak fit for the job. Your hours, prices, service list, and booking link are buried under months of posts. A visitor has to scroll and guess, and many give up and call the next business instead.
- People searching for a service often do not have an Instagram account, or are not logged in.
- Posts push older details, like prices and hours, out of sight.
- There is no clear place for a full service list, a quote form, or answers to common questions.
- You cannot change how the page is laid out or what a visitor sees first.
Who controls your Instagram or Facebook page?
The platform does. Instagram's own Terms of Use say it can remove content, stop providing all or part of the service to you, and change the service and its policies. If your account is hacked, flagged by mistake, or suspended, your main way of being found can disappear overnight, and getting it back depends on their support process.
A website on a domain you own works differently. You choose the host, you hold the login, and you can move it if you are unhappy. Your customers can always find you at the same address, no matter what happens to any app.
How a website helps you show up on Google
Google needs pages it can read to understand what you do and who you serve. A website gives it clear page titles, descriptions, and a page for each service. Google's guidance says a good title is unique to the page, clear, and accurately describes what is on it. That is hard to do with a stream of social posts.
Google also says it uses the mobile version of a site's content for indexing and ranking. So the site should be built for phones first, with your phone number and a book or quote button easy to tap.
A website also gives your Google Business Profile somewhere to send people. When a searcher taps your profile and lands on a clear page with your services and a way to reach you, they have what they need to decide.
When social media alone might be enough
Honestly, some businesses can wait. If you are booked solid from referrals and regulars, or you are testing an idea before you commit, a strong social profile and a Google Business Profile may carry you for a while.
The moment you want new customers who have never heard of you, or you notice people asking the same questions in your messages again and again, a website starts paying for itself in calls and hours back.
How to make social media and a website work together
You do not have to choose. Think of social media as the place people get to know you, and your website as the place they take action.
- Put your website link in your Instagram bio and Facebook page.
- Send people to a specific page, like your booking page or price list, not just the homepage.
- Show a few of your best photos on the site, and link to your social profiles in the footer.
- Answer the questions people keep asking in your messages on the site, so you spend less time typing replies.
What a simple first website should include
A first site does not need to be big. Five clear pages is enough for most local businesses: home, services, about, a page with reviews or photos of your work, and contact or booking. For a fuller checklist, see what a small business website should include.
You can build one yourself with a tool like Wix or Squarespace, or hire a designer. If you hire someone, make sure the domain is registered in your name and that you own the finished site. Our guide on who owns your website explains what to check.
How Veshtera builds sites for businesses that live on social media
We build websites for local businesses that already have a following and want the customers searching for them too. Our Launch package is $3,500 for up to 5 pages, built for phones first, connected to your Google Business Profile, and live in about 14 days once we have your photos, logo, and details. Pro is $6,500 and adds online booking, a second language, and your Google reviews on the site.
You get a fixed quote before work starts, and once the project is paid in full, the custom work is yours. See every price on our pricing page, browse websites by industry, or get started to tell us about your business.
Common questions
Is a Facebook page the same as a website?
No. A Facebook page lives on Facebook and follows its rules and layout. A website lives on your own domain, and you decide what it says and how it looks.
Can I use my Instagram link instead of a website on Google?
You can add a link to your Google Business Profile, but a social profile gives searchers less to go on. A site with your services, hours, and a clear way to call or book gives them what they need to choose you.
What happens to my customers if my Instagram account is suspended?
They lose the way they found you until you get the account back. Instagram's terms say it can stop providing the service to you, so a website on a domain you own is a safer home base.
Do I need to stop posting on social media if I get a website?
No. Keep posting. Use your posts to build interest, and link to your website so people can book, call, or request a quote.
Want a fixed price for your site?
Tell us what your business needs. You get a fixed quote before any work starts.