Do I need a website for my small business? (Honest answer)

If you're asking "do I need a website for my small business," you probably already have a Facebook page, maybe an Instagram, and you're getting by on word of mouth. The honest answer is: it depends on whether you want more customers, and whether you want to own the relationship with the ones you have.

Here's the short version: if you're fully booked and don't want more work, you don't need a website. If you want to grow, or you want to stop relying on algorithms you can't control, you do.

What a website does that social media can't

Social media is good for one thing: being where people already are. But it has serious limitations for a business:

• You don't own the audience. Facebook can change its algorithm tomorrow and your posts stop reaching the people who "liked" your page. They've done it before. They'll do it again.
• You can't control the experience. Your Facebook page looks like every other Facebook page. Your website can look like your business.
• You can't take payment. You can't run a booking system, sell gift vouchers, or process deposits through a Facebook page without bolting on third-party tools that are clunky and unprofessional.
• You're not on Google. When someone searches "plumber in Farnborough," Facebook pages rarely show up. A proper website does.
• You can't edit your own content. Want to update your opening hours, add a new service, change your prices? On social media you're posting and hoping people see it. On a website with an admin panel, you change it once and it's done.

When you genuinely don't need a website

I'm not going to pretend every business needs a website. Here's when you can skip it:

• You're fully booked from referrals and don't want more clients
• Your business is a side project that doesn't need to grow
• You're testing an idea and don't want to invest yet
• All your customers find you through a specific platform (e.g. you're an Etsy seller)

If that's you, save your money. A free Google Business Profile gets you on the map, and that might be enough. You can always add a website later when you're ready to grow.

The Facebook-only trap

Here's what happens to a lot of local businesses: they set up a Facebook page in 2015, got 500 likes, and for a while new customers found them there. Then Facebook changed the algorithm. Posts that used to reach 200 people now reach 20. To reach your own audience, you have to pay for ads.

Meanwhile, a competitor set up a proper website. When someone Googled "hairdresser Farnborough," the competitor showed up. The Facebook-only business didn't. Over time, the competitor got the new customers.

This isn't theoretical. BrightLocal's Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 found that just 40% of local businesses have a dedicated website. That cuts both ways: plenty of businesses do get by without one, and the ones that have a good one stand out from everybody who doesn't.

Source: BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026. Last verified 17 August 2026.

What a website actually costs

You might be thinking "but websites are expensive." They don't have to be. A proper website for a local business starts at around £299 one-off, and you can self-host for free. Compare that to spending £5-10 a day on Facebook ads to reach the audience you used to reach for free.

See how much a website costs in the UK (2026 prices) for the full breakdown.

What about Wix or Squarespace?

They're an option. They're cheap to start (£9-36/month) and you can build something yourself. But you don't own the code, you're paying monthly forever, and you'll hit a ceiling when you need something their templates can't do. See Wix vs Squarespace vs Shopify vs a custom website for an honest comparison.

Is a website worth it for your business?

Take the quiz below. It'll give you an honest answer in 30 seconds, including telling you if you're fine without one for now.

Sources

1. BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 - 40% of local businesses have a dedicated website, accessed 17 August 2026
2. Wix pricing plans (UK) - accessed August 2026
3. Squarespace pricing plans (UK) - accessed August 2026