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What a Google profile or social page already does well
A free Google Business Profile is the most important listing for most local businesses. Set it up whether or not you have a website.
- It can appear in Google Maps and local results, ranked by relevance, distance and prominence [1].
- It shows hours, phone, directions, photos and reviews in one place.
- A Facebook or Instagram page is good for regular updates and conversation with existing customers.
What a website adds that a profile can't
A profile is a listing on someone else's platform; a website is yours, and it does several things a listing can't.
- Room to explain: each service, your process, what affects the price, answers to common questions.
- A place for ads and print to point to: a flyer, a truck wrap or a Google Ads campaign needs a destination you control.
- Forms that fit your business: quote requests with the details you need, booking links, order forms.
- Your own address and email (yourbusiness.com), which looks established and stays yours if a platform changes its rules.
- More for Google and AI assistants to read: Google's guidance on AI features stresses crawlable text and structured data that matches the page [2].
- A profile field to fill: Google Business Profiles have a website field, and a real site gives that link somewhere useful to go.
When it's fine to wait
Not every business needs a website on day one, and spending money too early is a real cost.
- You're fully booked by referrals and not trying to grow yet.
- You're testing an idea and a profile plus a social page is enough to see if anyone calls.
- Your customers only ever find you through one platform, such as a marketplace app.
Even then, claim your domain name early so it's available when you're ready.
When you should get one now
Some situations make a website clearly worth it, because the profile alone leaves money on the table.
- You do jobs worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, where customers research before they call.
- You plan to advertise, online or in print.
- You need customers to send details before you quote: photos, sizes, dates.
- You serve customers in more than one language.
- You're a nonprofit applying for Google Ad Grants, which send people to your website.
What it costs to start
A basic website costs less than many owners expect, though prices range widely by approach.
Website builders run about $17 to $39 a month on common plans, freelancers often charge by the hour, and agencies usually start in the thousands; our 2026 website cost guide has the sourced numbers. Our own prices start at $99 for a landing page and $249 for a one-page site, one time, with a free preview first. The website cost calculator estimates a site like yours.
Questions about needing a website
The follow-up questions owners usually have.
Is a Facebook page enough for a small business?
It can be a start, but you don't control how Facebook shows your page, and many customers search Google first. A Google Business Profile plus a simple website covers far more ground.
Will a website get me more customers?
Nobody can promise that. A clear website helps people who find you decide to call, and gives search engines more information about what you do.
What's the smallest website that's worth having?
One page with what you do, where, your hours, prices or price guidance, photos, and a phone number and form. That's our Starter Site.
Can I build it myself?
Yes. Builders like Wix, Squarespace and GoDaddy are made for that. Our comparison pages explain when that's the better choice.
Keep reading
Related pages for the same kind of business, plus the guides and free tools that go with this one.
Sources
Every outside fact on this page comes from the sources below, read on the date shown. Prices and plans change; check the source before you decide.
- Google Business Profile Help, "Tips to improve your local ranking on Google" (read October 26, 2026). Local results are based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence.
- Google Search Central, "AI features and your website" (read October 26, 2026). Important content in textual form; structured data that matches the visible text.