Websites
What a website is for (and when it is not worth building)
A website does three jobs: get you found, explain your offer, and take a request without intermediaries. Miss one and the site costs money.
Key points
- A site does three things: be found, explain, receive enquiries.
- When the audience lives only on a marketplace or a social network, the site is still the base you own.
- A site with no maintenance and no content stops doing its job after a few months.
A website does three jobs: get you found, explain what you do and take a request without an intermediary. When one of the three is missing, the site is not working: it is just online.
The three functions, in order
| Function | Question it answers | How to measure it |
|---|---|---|
| Be found | Will people who search for what I do find me? | Impressions and clicks from Google, brand searches |
| Explain | Does a visitor get what I offer in 10 seconds? | Time on page, scroll, path to contact |
| Take requests | Can someone contact me without friction? | Forms, phone, email, bookings |
A site nobody finds is a leaflet in a closed drawer. A site that gets found but explains nothing is a receipt. A site that explains but offers no way to get in touch is a museum.
When a website earns its place
- You offer a service people search for by name or by problem.
- You must explain something that does not fit in a post: prices, processes, case studies.
- You want the enquiry to stop depending on a social network's algorithm.
- Several people are involved: the site is the shared version of your offer.
When you do not need one yet
If you sell a single product on a marketplace that already brings traffic, a full site can wait: one page that says who you are and points to the shop is enough. If the offer is still unclear, a site amplifies the confusion instead of fixing it.
What it costs to go without
Without a site every enquiry runs through a direct message or a directory that keeps the contact. The cost is not the price of the site: it is the lead that never arrives, or arrives already tired.
To see what the site must contain, read what a company website must have.
Frequently asked questions
What is a website for?
To be found, to explain the offer and to receive direct enquiries. When one of the three functions is missing, the site is not working.
Do I need a site if I already have Instagram?
Yes, if you want to own the channel and the contact. Social brings attention; the site collects the enquiry and stays yours.
How many pages do I need?
For a local service, home, service, about and contact are enough. Add pages only when they answer a real question.
Website or social page?
The site is the base, social is distribution. Start with the site if the offer is clear, with social if you are still learning the audience.
When is a rebuild worth it?
When the content no longer matches the offer, or when speed and accessibility fall below the threshold. Not because of fashion.