Business websites
Do I need a website if my business is already on social media?
Do I need a website if I have social media? If your work comes from people who already follow you, perhaps not yet. If you want strangers to find you, or you want to look established to bigger clients, then yes. Social media and a website do different jobs, and most small businesses reach a point where they need both.
I am Adam, a senior web developer based in Bristol. I have spent more than ten years building websites and digital products, including work with teams at Sky, McLaren and the NHS, and I now design, build and look after sites for independent businesses. This question comes up a lot, usually from someone good at their trade who has built a following on Instagram or Facebook and is wondering whether a website is worth the bother.
What social media does well
Social media is a good place to start, and it is worth saying so.
- It is free and quick. You can post a finished job from your phone before you have left the site.
- It shows your work as it happens. A steady run of real projects builds trust with the people who see it.
- It keeps you in touch with people who already know you. Past customers, friends and local followers are reminded that you exist.
If your diary is full from word of mouth and followers, social media may be all you need for now.
What social media can't do for a business
The limits show up when you want work from people who have never heard of you.
- People search Google for a service, not an account. Someone who needs a job done types the trade and the town. A website and a Google Business Profile are built to answer that search. A social profile sometimes appears, but it is rarely the result people click to hire someone.
- Your best work gets buried. A job from two years ago might be exactly what the next customer wants to see, and it is now a long scroll down your feed. A website keeps your best projects at the front, grouped by the type of work.
- Bigger clients expect one. Architects, contractors, councils and commercial customers often check a website before they get in touch. An account with photos tells them you do the work. A site tells them who you are, where you work, what you specialise in and how to reach you.
- You do not own the platform. Accounts get locked, reach changes without warning, and platforms rise and fall. Your domain and your website stay yours.
- It is hard to answer practical questions. Which areas do you cover? What kind of jobs do you take on? How do I get a quote? A website answers these once, so you stop typing the same replies.
What a first business website needs
A first website does not have to be large. For most small businesses and trades, a handful of pages is enough:
- A homepage that says what you do, where, and for whom.
- A page for each main service, in the words your customers use.
- A projects page with your best photos, and a line or two about each job.
- An about page, because people hire people.
- A simple way to get in touch.
Alongside it, set up a free Google Business Profile. That is what puts you on Google Maps, with your reviews, opening hours and photos. If local searches matter to you, I have written about how I'd approach local SEO in Bristol, and the same thinking applies in any town.
How a website and social media work together
This is not a choice between the two. The best set-up uses each for what it is good at.
- Your photos do double duty. The pictures you already post become the project gallery on your site.
- Your bio link has somewhere to go. Followers who are ready to enquire land on a page built for that.
- Search brings in new people, social keeps them warm. Someone finds you on Google, looks at your site, then follows you to see recent work.
Do I need a website? Common questions
Is a Facebook or Instagram page enough for a small business?
It can be when you are starting out, or when followers and word of mouth keep you busy. It stops being enough when you want to be found by people searching for your service, or when you are approaching clients who expect a professional presence.
Can I build my own website?
Yes. Website builders are a reasonable way to get a simple site online. The difficult parts are usually the words, the structure and being found on Google, more than the building itself.
How much does a small business website cost?
It depends on the size of the site and who builds it. I quote from a written proposal once I understand the business, so the cost is agreed before any work starts.
I have lots of photos but no idea where to start. Is that a problem?
No. A folder of project photos and an idea of the work you want more of is a good starting point. Sorting it into a clear site is my part of the job.
If you are thinking about your first website
If you have been running on social media and wondering whether it is time for a website, I am happy to talk it through without any obligation. I will tell you what I would build and what I would leave out.
Tell me about your business, book a 30-minute call, or message me on Instagram.