I’m not here to slag off social media. It works.

Local trades can do really well from it:

• a roofer posts a “before and after” and gets shared around town
• a cleaner gets tagged in a “Can anyone recommend…?” post
• a removals company puts up a last-minute availability slot and fills it the same day

It’s brilliant when it’s flowing.

The problem is… you don’t control any of it.

One day, you’re getting loads of reach. The next day, your posts barely get seen.

Or worse — you wake up, and something’s happened to your account.

Locked.

Restricted.

Removed.

No explanation!

No one to speak to. You’re just sitting there refreshing your phone like it’s going to magically fix itself.

That’s not a business plan. That’s hoping for the best.

A website is the one thing you actually own

Your website isn’t rented space. It’s not depending on a platform deciding whether you’re “allowed” to show up this week.

It’s yours. Properly yours.

You can put your prices on there. Your service areas. Your gallery/before & after photos. Your FAQs. Your offers. Your reviews. Your contact details. The list is endless…

And it’s always there, 24/7 — even when you’re busy, on a job, or switched off for the weekend.

People still check websites before they commit

Even if someone finds you on social media first, most people still do the same thing next:

They go looking for something that reassures them.

And in 2026, for a lot of customers, that reassurance looks like:

• a clear website
• real photos
• proper reviews
• a service list that makes sense
• a contact page that doesn’t feel sketchy

Because customers don’t just want to know you exist…

They want to know:

Are you legit?

Are you consistent?

Will you turn up and be reliable?

Will you do a decent job?

If you’re asking someone to spend decent money — bathroom fitting, landscaping, physio sessions, new windows, whatever — they want to feel safe choosing you.

A Facebook page alone doesn’t always give that feeling.

Google still sends the highest intent leads

Social media is brilliant for being seen.

Google is where people go when they need something now.

You know the sort of searches:

• “blocked drain repair near me”
• “best garage doors in [town]”
• “emergency plumber open today”
• “osteopath Essex”
• “removals company Billericay”

That person isn’t browsing for entertainment. They’re hunting.

And most of the time, the businesses that show up strongest are the ones with:

• a decent website
• a clear service page
• local SEO basics in place
• fast loading pages
• reviews and trust signals

Social might get you attention… but Google often gets you the customer who’s ready to book.

Your website is where the decision happens

Social media gets someone interested. Your website is what helps them decide.

It’s the place where you can answer the questions people always ask, like:



• “How much do you charge?”
• “Do you cover my area?”
• “Can you do weekends?”
• “How quickly can you start?”
• “Are you insured?”
• “What happens next?”

And instead of replying to the same DMs over and over, your website can do the heavy lifting for you.

Even better — you can build pages that match what people actually want, like:



• “Prices”
• “What’s included”
• “Recent work”
• “Reviews”
• “About us”
• “Get a quote”

Simple. Clear. No messing.

It’s not “website OR social” — it’s both doing different jobs

This is the bit people miss. Social media is the shop window that piques people's curiosity. Your website is the front desk that takes the booking.

They work really well and best together when you use them properly:

✅ Social = visibility, posts, trust, community

✅ Website = clarity, confidence, enquiries, control

If someone sees your Instagram post, likes the vibe, and then visits your website and it’s clean, clear, easy to navigate and professional…

That’s when they think:

“Yep. These are the ones.”

So… do you still need a website in 2026?

In my opinion?

Yes — if you want consistency.

Not because websites are trendy. But because:

• customers still trust them
• Google still relies on them
• they convert better when people are ready
• and they protect you from being too dependent on one platform

Social media is brilliant — keep it ticking over.

But if you’re serious about getting steady enquiries and looking like the real deal…

a decent website is still one of the smartest assets your business can have.