"Why do I need a website? I have Instagram." It's a fair question, and the honest answer isn't "you must have everything." Here's how to think about it.
What social media does brilliantly
Reach and conversation. People discover you through shares and hashtags, message you in one tap, and see that you're active. It's free, and posting takes minutes. For some businesses — a food truck announcing today's location, a nail artist showing this week's work — a lively page genuinely carries the business.
The part nobody mentions: you're a tenant
Your page lives on someone else's platform, under their rules. The reach of your posts depends on an algorithm that changes without notice. Accounts get locked by automated systems — sometimes wrongly, with no phone number to call. And your years of followers can't be packed up and taken elsewhere. None of this means "don't use social media." It means: don't make rented ground the only ground your business stands on.
What your own website adds
- You're findable by search. "plumber near me", "wedding cakes [your town]" — those people are ready to buy, and they're searching Google, not scrolling feeds. Social pages rank poorly for this; websites are built for it.
- You control the experience. Prices, booking, opening hours, your whole story — arranged your way, with no competitor ads next to it.
- It signals being established. Fairly or not, many customers still check whether a business has "a real website" before trusting it with bigger purchases.
- It's yours. Platforms rise and fall; your address and site move with you for as long as you renew them.
The honest recommendation
Just starting out, selling through conversation and photos, no budget? A well-kept social page is a fine start — genuinely. Once the business is real and you want search customers and independence, add a simple website: even one page with your services, photos, and contact button does the job, and your social pages then link to ground you own. When that day comes, here's the step-by-step path.