Not all that long ago, I used to tell sole traders and micro-businesses — that if they couldn’t afford to spend more than £500 on a website, they were probably better off just creating a Facebook page.
The reasoning was simple.
Building a website that actually works for you takes effort – research, design, copywriting, search engine optimisation and more – and all of that costs money.
If you didn’t have the budget to create a website properly, rather than wasting a couple of hundred pounds getting something half-baked, setting up a solid Facebook page was a good choice.
For businesses of that size, most customers are going to be local, and Facebook gave you visibility, messaging, and a contact page — all for free. For many tradespeople, hairdressers, coaches, and community-led businesses, that was more than enough.
But fast-forward to 2025, and that advice? Totally changed.
Here’s why.
The Problem With Social Media
Over the past couple of years, the social media landscape has fundamentally shifted — and not in a good way for businesses
Changing social feeds
Social media algorithms have evolved consistently over the last few years. What you see when you look at your social feeds now has shifted. Content is suppressed or promoted based on opaque decisions that you have no control over. You might have 5,000 followers. But, unless you’re paying to push your content, that doesn’t mean they’ll see what you post.
You don’t own the audience. You don’t own the platform. You’re at the mercy of the feed.
Worse still, platforms like Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and X (formerly Twitter) have increasingly shown they’ll fall in line with government policy and political tides when pushed. Users that would have previously been banned from sites are now encouraged, and dissenting views have been downvoted or blocked. Your content (whether natural or paid) may well be popping up alongside some rather unpleasant narratives, or not shown at all as it doesn’t ‘fit’.
Social has fragmented
Whether or not it’s because of the above, we’ve seen a quiet but consistent exodus from traditional social media.
Facebook is a ghost town for younger audiences and older users are abandoning it. Twitter/X has become a chaotic mess. Instagram engagement is down. TikTok is fun, but volatile. Threads… exists?
Where once social media offered a one-stop shop for customer visibility, that centralisation has fractured.
There are now too many platforms, too many formats, and not enough consistency.
If you want to use social media in place of a website – which platform do you choose?
Unless your audience is hyper-niche and already consolidated (like a wedding florist living on Pinterest, or a developer targeting GitHub), you’re going to struggle to show up in a meaningful, reliable way without spreading yourself thin.
Meanwhile, a website?
- Is always on
- Doesn’t change its algorithm
- Gives you complete control
- Is a permanent, on-brand space for your customers to land
It’s your shopfront. Your 24/7 business card, brochure, portfolio, and contact form — all in one.
It’s worth the stretch
If you can, find a little budget and invest in a simple but professionally designed website.
Choose a freelance designer or small studio who can give you a clean, brand-consistent, conversion-ready site that makes your business look credible and established. It’ll save you time, boost your confidence, and free you up to focus on what you do best.
Think of it like a shopfront. You could DIY a handwritten sign, or you could have something polished and professional above your door — something that tells people, “this is a serious business”.
You don’t need fancy animations or custom code. Just:
- Clear content
- A strong headline
- Trust signals (like reviews or testimonials)
- A solid call-to-action
A little spend goes a long way — especially when you’re building trust online.
If you can get together £750+, you’ll be able to find someone who can deliver within your budget.
But What If I Can’t Afford That?
Money’s that tight, or you’re in full bootstrap mode?
There’s still a way. Go for a lean, single-page site using tools that don’t need a load of technical knowledge. We’d suggest looking at Carrd (super lean and simple), Squarespace (beautiful templates) or Webflow (for more advanced users) as platforms that create sites that look appealing and are good for SEO.
The key things to remember are:
- Make it fast
- Make it mobile-friendly
- Keep the copy clear and benefit-led
Even the most basic self-built site can:
- Show up in Google search
- Rank for local keywords
- Act as a hub for email signups and customer reviews
- Scale with your business over time
Start small. Get the essentials right. Then upgrade when the business does.
Because having something of your own — however simple — is better than relying on platforms that can ghost you overnight.
Build Where You Have Control
In 2018, it was reasonable to say “just use Facebook.” In 2025, that’s like saying “just list your shop in the Yellow Pages.”
Social is still useful — but it’s no longer dependable. A website is.
So yes — websites are worth it. They’re more essential than ever.
Don’t build your business on someone else’s platform. Build your own.
p.s. Well, you would say that wouldn’t you!
Just in case you’re thinking, well, you’re in the website building business, of course you want us to spend money on one!
We’re not in the market for building the sort of websites that we’re talking about here. Our customers are typically businesses that are scaling and want to invest a bit more on something that will help them grow.
We do though HATE to see people make bad choices when it comes to websites and would rather steer people to make good decisions than waste money.
Got a question you want us to answer? Let us know in the comments below…