Do I Really Need a Website, or Is Social Media Enough?
These days, many small business owners run their operations through social media, from posting updates to taking orders via direct messages. For businesses of their size, this approach works well, it's fast, easy, and free. While everything may seem to be going smoothly, it's often suggested that businesses should still establish a proper website. This raises a practical question: Is having a website truly necessary?
In this post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of using social media as your business’s sole online presence, why you should invest in a website instead, and what you need to know about setting up a website for your business.
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What Social Media Does Well
There’s no denying that social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedInare powerful business tools. They are free, easy to use, and very popular among the general public and businesses alike, especially those in the F&B, retail, and service sectors. Because of social media’s large user base, your business has the potential to go viral overnight. A good video or reel can be all you need to reach a large audience of potential customers quickly.
Social media also provides many great opportunities for businesses to interact with their audience. Users can comment on your posts to enquire about your services, message you directly and privately to order your products, and participate in your polls to give you feedback or suggestions.
Many micro businesses start their online presence on social media, and that’s perfectly fine. However, relying solely on social platforms has its limits.
Limitations of Social Media-Only Presence
1. You don’t own your audience
Social media platforms can change how their algorithms work suddenly and quietly, and suddenly your videos and posts just aren't doing well anymore. These platforms can also suspend, shadowban, or straight-up ban your account without warning if they think your account activity is suspicious or unsuitable for advertisers. If that happens, you have no direct way to reach your followers outside the platform because you can’t export your followers’ contact information into an email list.
2. You lack search visibility
If a customer is searching for “[service] near me” on Google, they won’t find your business easily. Social media pages rarely rank high in local search results, but what they will find instead is review sites, listicles, and a map of local businesses that do the same things as you. So you'd better hope that you stand out among them somehow.
3. You are seen as less credible
To bigger companies, investors, and even higher-paying customers, having no website may make them feel that your business is “small-time”. Having a business website signals your legitimacy, stability, and long-term commitment. It also shows that you have invested in your brand infrastructure rather than relying entirely on third-party platforms.
What Websites Do That Social Media Can’t
1. It’s Your Digital Home
All your business information will be in one place, such as your services or products provided, customer testimonials, case studies, and detailed contact information. All this information will always be accessible and under your control.
2. Easier E-Commerce And Payments
Websites allow you to set up checkout pages, appointment booking systems, and payment gateways such as Stripe or HitPay. This creates a smooth purchasing experience while reducing friction and human error compared to social media DMs or manual bank transfers.
3. SEO And Discoverability
Content on websites is longer-lasting compared to on social media. This allows your site to attract consistent organic traffic over time after doing SEO (search engine optimisation). By incorporating relevant keywords, HTML elements, and backlinks, your websites will naturally rank higher on the Google search results.
4. Lead Generation
Websites allow you to capture leads through the use of forms, booking inquiries, and integrated email newsletters, in order to systematically grow your database of customer contacts. Unlike social media followers, these leads can be easily developed into customers through targeted advertisements, follow-ups, and automated emails.
What Else To Consider
Use a website that ends with “.com.sg” or “.com.my”. These domains are regulated by their respective governments and are reserved for registered companies, adding to consumers’ trust in your website and business. A company website also allows for easier online payments, which helps you tap into the global market via cross-border e-commerce.
In Singapore, applying for the EDG (Enterprise Development Grant) offered by the government can support your business’s website development by offsetting the cost. In Malaysia, implement multiple language choices such as English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil to accommodate the diverse local audiences.
Advice from an Accountant’s Perspective
“A business website is a business asset. In the beginning, your company may be using social media when its scale is still small, but as it expands, upgrade to a website. If doesnt need to be fancy immediately, a one-page site with key info with contact form is a great first step. Having a business website makes your business easier to verify, partner with, and fund. It also allows you to build customer databases, run promotions, and integrate with accounting tools like Xero.”
Final Thoughts
Social media is a powerful tool for businesses. However, it’s like a rented property, it doesn't completely belong to you and won’t be worth it in the long run. Meanwhile, a website is like a property paid upfront, a bit more costly in the short term, but you can do more with it.
When you're ready to move from hustle to brand, start simple and ask for assistance from a trusted business advisor if you need it. It doesn’t need to be perfect right away, it just needs to present the necessary information about your business clearly to your customers. Because when customers ask, “Where can I learn more about your business?”, the answer shouldn’t be “Just check our Instagram.”
Website or Social Media? Get the Answer
Stop Losing Customers—Download the Checklist
