Do I really need a website if I already have Google and Facebook?

Yes — even with a Google Business Profile and an active Facebook page, a UK small business still needs its own website in 2026. Social profiles and listings are rented ground: they're valuable, but you don't control them, and they can't do several things a website does. A website is the only online asset you actually own.

What a website does that rented platforms can't

• You own it. Facebook can change its algorithm, restrict your reach or suspend an account overnight. Your website answers to no one but you.
• It ranks on Google. Google gives businesses with a proper website a real edge in local search — including the map pack. A Facebook page rarely competes for those searches.
• It sells on your terms. Your services, your prices, your booking flow, your story — laid out to convert, without a feed of competitors and distractions around it.
• It builds trust. Fair or not, buyers judge a business by whether it has a real website. No site, or a broken one, reads as “not quite established.”
• It feeds AI recommendations. Assistants like ChatGPT pull from structured, verifiable websites — a Facebook page alone won't get you cited.

“But all my customers are on Instagram / Facebook”

Some are — and social media is a fine way to reach people. But reach isn't the same as convert. Social is where people discover you; your website is where they decide. The strongest setup is both: social to get attention, a website to turn it into bookings and enquiries, with links flowing from one to the other. Relying on a rented platform alone means building your business on land you don't own.

When you can wait (and when you can't)

If you're testing an idea this month with no budget, a Google Business Profile and an Instagram page are a reasonable start. But the moment customers are searching for what you do, comparing you to competitors, or judging whether you're legitimate, a website stops being optional. For most established local businesses, the honest answer is: you needed one yesterday, and the cheapest time to start is now.

Next steps: how to get a website for your business, what it costs, and how to get found on Google once it's live.

Common questions

Do I need a website if I have a Facebook or Instagram page?

Yes. Social pages are great for reach but you don't own them, they rarely rank in Google's local results, and AI assistants don't reliably recommend from them. A website is the asset you own and the one that converts and ranks — social feeds into it, not the other way around.

Isn't a Google Business Profile enough on its own?

It's essential, but not enough. Google itself favours profiles backed by a strong website, and a profile can't tell your full story, host your service pages or sell on your terms. The two work best together.

I'm just starting out — can I wait on a website?

If you're testing an idea with no budget, a Google profile and a social page are a fair start. Once customers are searching for what you do and comparing you to rivals, a website stops being optional.

What's the simplest website I can start with?

A well-built one-page site (from £490 with us) covering who you are, what you offer, proof and how to contact you — fast, mobile-first and built to rank. You can grow it into a multi-page site later without starting over.