I hear this question a lot, especially from small business owners: "I already have an Instagram profile – isn't a website an extra, unnecessary cost?" The answer is less obvious than it might seem.
Your social media profile doesn't belong to you
That might sound blunt, but it's true – you're operating on the platform's terms. The algorithm can cut your reach overnight, accounts can get blocked by an automated system, and your entire "client base" in the form of followers stays on the platform, not with you. Your own website is a space where you set the rules.
Social media isn't indexed by Google the way a website is
When someone searches Google for "hairdresser Bristol" or "web designer Manchester," a regular website has a far better chance of appearing there than an Instagram profile. A website works for your visibility long-term; a social profile mainly works in the moment, when someone is actively browsing it.
Professionalism and trust
Some clients – especially business ones – simply check whether a company has a website before deciding to reach out. Having no website of your own can be read as a sign that a business is small, uncertain, or just starting out – even when that's not the case.
It's not an either/or question
The best setup combines both: social media to build relationships and reach in the moment, and your own website as a solid "home" that social media drives traffic to – where that traffic actually turns into enquiries, not just likes.