Why Small Businesses Need a Website

A question we hear time and time again, from founders and small business owners young and old, is "Do I really need a website?". And while it can depend on your business, for 95% of business owners, the answer is yes.

We get it. When you're first starting out, you already have a bunch of expenses with uncertain income. Do you really need to pay for a web hosting package, or spend weeks building a website (and then giving up and hiring a web designer like us *wink wink*)? Can't you just use social media which is free and be done with it?

For some businesses, yes, that could be enough. But we would argue that is for a very small number of them. For most of us business owners out there, yes, you need a website. But the reasons may not be what you think. Have a read to discover why exactly you need a website, and our examples that prove the case.

1. Authority and Reassurance

Think about your own habits. If someone tells you about a new brand or business, what is the first thing you're most likely to do? Google it (or use a search engine of your choice). So it is imperative you have some form of business presence online to show that you exist as a legitimate business, and you can be trusted.

Furthermore, 75% of people judge a company's reputation based on its website. If that stat is for businesses who have a website, no matter how well or poorly designed it is, what does that say about those businesses that don't have a website at all? Once upon a time, perhaps it was fine. But we now live in an age where many people want to see the menu on a restaurant's website before booking a table. Websites provide reassurance to new visitors, which is vital to making a sale and gaining customers and clients.

2. Your website is your hub

We had a client who had a strong consulting business with no website and just an email address. She had a very strong reputation in the industry, and got her business through word-of-mouth recommendations (the best form of marketing, so huge credit to her), so she believed she didn't need a website.

We asked her how she provides proof and reassurance to seal the deal with new prospective clients, and she showed us the email she would send them. It was long, packed with loads of information like price, reviews, previous clients and so on; if you were to print the email out, it would be 3 pages long. It contained the information needed, but wasn't presented and packaged in the most visual or inspiring way.

After we created and launched her website, she got 4 enquiries from new clients in a month. Why? Not only could people now Google her to check she was legitimate and trustworthy (back to Point 1), her website contained all the information prospective clients would need to make a decision, but segmented logically and formatted in a visually exciting and inspiring way. People who prioritised the importance of case studies could quickly find what they needed, clients who preferred social proof such as reviews could find the section easily. No more scrolling through pages of emails to find the reassurance they needed; all the important information was on the website.

So why do businesses and even solo entrepreneurs need a website? A website can serve as your hub, to present and market you and your business in the best possible light. If designed and segmented properly, it holds all the information you need to advertise your business in an inspiring, professional and streamlined way.

3. It helps with efficiency

Yes, a website initially takes a lot of effort and love to get right. But once it's live and launched, it can save you so much time, because all the information customers will need is already answered. If the correct content is shown onsite, it saves you from having to make the sales pitch every time a new enquiry comes, or answer the same few questions over email. This then frees up your time to actually run your business.

Take our aforementioned client. With every new enquiry, she could either direct them to the website to learn more about her packages or read her latest case studies, rather than having to find her email template, update it with the latest reviews and prices, and send them over. She went from sending a 3-page email to one URL. And if the client was interested in signing, she could dedicate her time to making the quote bespoke. A website can make your marketing funnel much more efficient, as it can act as a catch-all for upper funnel enquiries, giving you time to focus on converting the lower funnel queries.

4. It's available worldwide, 24/7

Let's flip the scenario. Say you didn't have a website, and only a phone number and email address for potential customers to contact you. You could miss the call if you don't hear your phone, or you're otherwise occupied. You could miss the email if it accidentally goes to spam. And that could mean you lose a potential customer, because if they can't learn more about you when their mind is focused on it, they will likely go elsewhere.

With a website, it is available 24/7, wherever in the world. You don't have to repeat the same pitch, or answer the same questions with every enquiry. A website can take care of all that, and it is available whenever the customer is looking for answers.

5. Discoverability

You may have heard of a little thing called SEO. This is Search Engine Optimisation, and it is what makes results appear on Google. What does Google (and other search engines) list in their results? Websites. Therefore, without a website, you are basically invisible to Google. People who already know your name might be able to find your Instagram, but what about people who have never heard of you? If someone is searching for “plumber in Bristol” or “best wedding cakes in Manchester”, how will they find you if you don’t have a site?

Yes, web searches can also serve up social media accounts, and yes, social media is powerful, but it’s not built for discoverability in the same way. Posts vanish down feeds in a matter of hours, and you’re relying on the right person happening to see them at the right time. This means you have to constantly post to stay top-of-mind for the casual user. A well-structured website, on the other hand, can work its way up search results and keep bringing new people to your business, long after you hit publish.

6. You own it

Social media platforms are borrowed ground. Algorithms change. Features disappear. Whole platforms come and go (RIP Vine, anyone?). Just look at all the drama around TikTok in the USA. If all your eggs are in that basket, you’re building your business on someone else’s land.

Your website, however, is yours. You own the domain. You decide how it looks, how it works, and what content sits there. It’s not subject to an algorithm or a CEO’s sudden pivot. That means your website is a long-term investment — a space you control, that can grow and evolve with your business.

So, do you really need a website? For a tiny fraction of businesses, maybe not. But for the rest of us — the 95% — it’s the difference between being trusted or being overlooked, between chasing enquiries or letting them come to you, and between relying on borrowed platforms or building something you own.

A website is not just a “nice to have” — it’s your shop window, your business card, your marketing hub, and your proof that you’re the real deal. And once you have it, it can work for you 24/7, while you get back to running your business.

Ready for your new web site?

Have we convinced you to go for a new website? Or do you have a website already, but want a revamp to modernise it for today? Get in touch today to learn more about website design services and how we can help you launch your digital identity today.