Guide
Do I need a website for my small business?
Updated 1 October 2026 · 4 minute read
Plenty of tradespeople get by without a website, and some are busy for years on word of mouth alone. So is it worth having one? Here's an honest answer, with the numbers.
What a website does that nothing else does
- It's where people check you out. Someone given your number by a neighbour will usually search your name first. A website shows them your work, your reviews and that you're a real business.
- It can show up for the jobs you do. A page about "boiler servicing" or "patio laying" can appear when people search for exactly that. A Facebook page is one page.
- It's yours. No algorithm decides who sees it, no lead site puts competitors next to you, and no platform can change the rules on you.
What the numbers say
- Ofcom found that 82% of UK adults use Google Search.
- In our UK Trades Website Study of 55,654 trade listings on Google Maps, 39.1% had no website. In some areas and trades it's over half.
- Listings without a website also tended to have fewer reviews: a median of 0, against 4 for listings with one. That's a link, not proof that one causes the other.
- Socialinsider's analysis found Facebook pages with 1,000 to 5,000 followers reach about 4 in every 100 followers per post, so a Facebook page alone reaches fewer people than it seems.
When you might not need one
If you're booked up months ahead from repeat customers and referrals, and you don't want more or different work, a website matters less. Even then, a simple one helps people who've been recommended to you check you're real, and keeps you findable if the referrals slow down.
What about Facebook or Checkatrade instead?
Both can bring work, and you should keep them if they do. They do different jobs from a website. See our guides on whether a Facebook page is enough and websites and Checkatrade.
If you decide to get one
It doesn't need to be complicated: a page for each job you do, your number and WhatsApp easy to tap, your areas, your reviews and photos of real work. Our website checklist covers the essentials, and our cost guide covers what you should pay.
See what yours would look like
We'll build a website for your business from your Google listing, free. You only pay £199 if you want to keep it.
Sources
- Ofcom: how the UK goes online in 2025 (Dec 2025)
- Hi-Vis Web: UK Trades Website Study 2026
- Socialinsider: social media reach study (Sept 2026)
Prices change. Figures were checked on the date above; check the provider's site for today's price.