The honest answer is no, not every business does. Plenty of trades run for years on word of mouth and a full book. But the question people usually mean is whether they are losing work by not having one, and for most businesses the answer to that is yes — for reasons that have less to do with looking professional than most advice suggests.
What a website does that a social profile cannot
A Facebook or Instagram page is rented ground. You do not control the algorithm, the reach, or whether the platform still exists in five years. More practically, social profiles do not rank for the searches your customers actually make.
- You cannot rank for “electrician in [suburb]” through a social profile the way you can with a website
- You do not own the audience — reach can be reduced or removed without notice
- You cannot track where enquiries come from, so you cannot tell what marketing works
- Business email on your own domain requires a domain, which usually comes with the site
When you genuinely do not need one
If you are fully booked from referrals, not trying to grow, and not competing on search, a website may be a low priority. Some sole traders in this position do fine with a Google Business Profile alone. That is a legitimate position, and anyone telling you every business must have a website is selling websites.
Do I need a website to run Google Ads?
Effectively yes. Google Ads needs somewhere to send the click, and sending paid traffic to a social profile wastes most of it. You can run ads to a single landing page rather than a full site, which is a reasonable starting point if budget is tight.
Do I need a website to sell on Shopify or use Stripe?
Shopify provides the storefront, so a separate website is optional — though many businesses want a site that does more than sell. Stripe requires a web presence that clearly shows what you sell, your terms and your contact details, which usually means at least a basic site.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a website in 2026?
If you want to be found in search, control your own audience, or measure where enquiries come from, yes. If you are booked out on referrals and not growing, it is less urgent than most advice suggests.
Do I need a website to have a business email address?
You need a domain, which is typically bought alongside a website. You can buy a domain and set up email without building a site, though most businesses do both together.
Is a Google Business Profile enough on its own?
For some local sole traders, it can be. It will not let you rank for service pages, run ads effectively, or measure what works, but it is genuinely better than nothing.
How much does a basic business website cost?
It varies with scope. A focused site for a small business sits well below a larger multi-service build. We quote a fixed number before anything starts.
Related reading
Related: Does website design affect SEO?, 9 signs you need a website redesign
Worth reading: What is marketing automation?, What is a good conversion rate?
Get in touch
If you want an honest view on your own situation, tell us what your website is meant to do and what it is doing instead. We will come back within one business day.