Do I need my own website?

Do I need a website if I use social media?

Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn are good channels for reaching people. But the profiles do not belong to you: the platform decides who sees your posts, can change features and, if in doubt, can suspend an account. Anyone who builds their entire online presence on someone else's channel becomes dependent – and does not reach people who have no account there at all.

On top of that, people looking for a provider often start with Google. There, websites with service pages, opening hours and ways to get in touch appear. A website bundles everything a prospect needs to make a decision and links to your profiles. Social media generates attention, the website turns it into inquiries – the two work best together.

When your own website is worth it

A website is worth it whenever people want to find you, vet you or contact you. The trade business looking for skilled workers, the practice that wants to schedule appointments online, the service provider whose customers want to see references before inquiring: in all these cases, the website works for you around the clock – even when the phone is not staffed.

The website also plays a role in credibility. Many prospects google a provider before they call – even when they come via a referral. If all they find is an outdated business directory listing, it quickly looks less professional than the competitor with an up-to-date website. A solid presence is therefore often also a question of trust.

• Win new customers via Google
• Convince job applicants
• Accept inquiries, appointments or orders online
• Showcase services and references
• Take pressure off the phone and back office

When a simple solution is enough

Not every business needs an extensive website. If you are booked out for months, mainly look after regular customers and are not recruiting staff, a compact one-pager with services, contact details and legal texts can be entirely sufficient. What matters is that it is up to date, easy to read on a smartphone and technically clean – in this case, nothing more is needed.

For a single campaign, product or event, a landing page can also be the right way to go: one page with a clear goal, such as a sign-up or an inquiry. A website can always grow later. Anyone who starts small and builds cleanly saves themselves a complete rebuild when the business grows.

What does a website need to do to be worth it?

A website is only worth it if it fulfills a goal. For most businesses that means: visitors immediately understand what you offer and for whom, quickly find the path to an inquiry and trust you enough to get in touch. That takes clear copy, a good presentation on smartphones, short load times and clearly visible ways to make contact.

Beyond that, the website should be findable on Google and legally sound in Germany – with a legal notice (Impressum), a privacy policy and correctly integrated cookies. We describe what makes a good website in detail in the guide “What does a good website need to have?” For your decision, what counts most: better a few pages that convince than many that nobody reads.

What does a website cost per month – and is it possible without monthly costs?

No website reachable under its own domain is entirely free of ongoing costs. At a minimum, domain and hosting cost money regularly; depending on the solution, maintenance, updates, security and possibly licenses come on top. Free site builders do exist, but they often show ads, use an address belonging to the provider or restrict features and settings.

You can still save: a lean, technically clean website with few extensions causes less maintenance effort than an overloaded site with many plugins. We describe which monthly items apply in detail in the guide “How much does a website cost per month?” For the build, our packages offer guidance: Starter from €2,500, Professional from €8,000, Enterprise priced individually.

Google Business Profile, business directory, website: what do you really need?

The Google Business Profile is a must for local businesses: it shows address, opening hours and reviews directly in search and on Google Maps. Business directories and review portals additionally strengthen findability. Ideally, all these listings point to a website where prospects can learn more about your services and get in touch directly.

The best combination for most businesses: your own website as the hub, a maintained business profile for local search and one or two social media channels that fit your target audience. Together with our partner agency LOMA DESIGN, we can take care of everything from a single source if you wish – from the website to online marketing and social media.