Do you really need a website for your business, or is a Facebook page enough? If people look you up before they call, you need a website. And they do: in BrightLocal’s 2026 survey of US consumers, 97% read reviews for local businesses, and 54% go on to visit the business’s website after reading positive ones. Reviews get you considered. Your website is where people decide.
That doesn’t mean every business needs one today. Below is what the research says, when you can get by without a site, and what a good one needs.
Why a website is important for a small business
It comes down to what customers do before they call you. Picture someone who just heard your name from a friend, or found you on a map. Here’s what the 2026 data says happens next:
- They read your reviews. 97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses.
- Then they check your website. 54% visit a business’s website after reading positive reviews, up from 32% in 2019. Most people (66%) keep researching after the reviews instead of calling straight away.
- More and more, they ask AI. Use of ChatGPT and other AI tools for local recommendations jumped from 6% to 45% in a year. Those tools can only recommend you on what they can find about you.
If that search turns up nothing, or a dead page, many of those people simply call the next name on the list.
What it costs you not to have one
Without a website, other sites tell your story: directories, old listings, social pages you haven’t touched in a while. That’s risky. In BrightLocal’s 2023 research, 62% of consumers said they would avoid a business if they found incorrect information about it online, like the wrong hours or an old phone number.
Your own site fixes that. It’s the one place you control, and people trust it: a business’s own website is the third most trusted way consumers find information about a business.
“I get all my work from referrals”
That’s true for a lot of businesses. In Clutch’s 2025 survey of 406 US small business owners, businesses without a website got 39% of their leads from referrals. Businesses with a website named search engines as their top source, at 40%.
A referral still has to find your number and decide to call. A clean website with your services, your area and your reviews makes that an easy yes, and it brings in the people nobody referred.
Facebook pages and Google profiles are a start, not a website
- A Facebook page is good for people who already follow you. It’s a weak first impression for a stranger comparing three businesses, and the platform sets the rules.
- A Google Business Profile is free and worth having. It puts you on the map with your hours and reviews. It’s a summary, though. Your website is where people check the details and decide.
The best setup is all of them pointing to one place you own: your website.
When you can skip a website (for now)
Should every business have a website? Not necessarily. Some owners don’t see the point: in the same Clutch survey, 34% of small businesses without a website said it’s not relevant to their industry. You can reasonably wait if:
- you’re fully booked from referrals and don’t want new customers right now, or
- you sell only through a marketplace that brings you the buyers.
If you want to grow, charge more, or stop depending on one source of work, a website is the cheapest place to start.
The benefits of having a website
- New customers can find you, not just the people who already know you.
- You control the facts: your hours, prices, phone number and service area, in one place you can update.
- You look like a business people can trust, with your work, your reviews and a clear way to reach you.
- It works after hours. People can read about you, send a request or book while you’re on a job.
- Search engines and AI assistants get the right information about you, instead of guessing from old listings.
What a good small business website needs
You don’t need a big site. You need the answers people are looking for, easy to find on a phone:
- What you do and the area you serve, in plain words.
- Your phone number and a contact form, on every page.
- Your hours, and photos of real work.
- Your reviews, or a link to them.
- A fast, phone-friendly design, because a lot of people will look you up from their phone.
What it costs
In a 2026 survey of web development companies, a basic website was estimated at $1,000 to $3,000. Our full breakdown of build costs, monthly fees and what pushes the price up is in our guide: How much does a small business website cost?
Our own prices are public: Starter sites are $1,500, live in 7 days, with Google Business Profile setup included. You pay half to start and half when it’s live, and the domain is in your name from day one.
Common questions
Do I need a website if I have a Facebook page?
A Facebook page helps people who already follow you. A website is what people find when they look you up: in a 2026 survey, 54% of consumers said they visit a business’s website after reading positive reviews. You also own your website, while a social page runs on someone else’s rules.
Is a Google Business Profile enough?
It’s a great start, and it’s free. But a profile shows a short summary; your website is where people check your services, prices and work before they call. The two work best together, and every Soft4sure site includes Google Business Profile setup.
Can I run a business without a website?
Yes. Many businesses run on referrals: in Clutch’s 2025 survey, businesses without a website got 39% of their leads from referrals. If you’re fully booked and don’t need new customers, you can wait. If you want people who don’t know you yet, a website is how they check you out.
How much does a basic website cost?
Web firms estimated $1,000 to $3,000 for a basic site in a 2026 survey. Our Starter site is $1,500, live in 7 days.
Sources
- BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026. 1,002 US adults; published February 11, 2026.
- BrightLocal, Local Business Discovery & Trust Report 2023. 1,138 US consumers; September 2023.
- Clutch, The State of Small Business Websites in 2025. Survey of 406 US small business owners, August 2025.
- GoodFirms, Website Development Cost 2026. Survey of 300+ web development companies; updated September 7, 2026.