They Google you, and find someone else
Someone searches “barber near me” or “best brunch in Houston”. Google shows websites and business profiles, not Instagram posts. Without a website, the business with one gets the click.
Why a website
Social media gets you noticed. A website gets you paid.
If your business lives only on Instagram, Facebook, Booksy or delivery apps, you’re renting your customers. Here’s what that quietly costs you, and what changes when customers can find you, trust you and book you directly.
Where customers slip away
Five moments you lose a customer.
They message at 11 p.m. and hear nothing
“DM to book” only works when you’re awake and free. By the time you reply in the morning, many have already booked elsewhere.
“DM for price” makes them do the work
Most people won’t message a stranger just to ask a price. If your services, prices and hours aren’t easy to see, they quietly move on.
The app shows them your competitors
Booking and delivery apps list other businesses right next to yours, and charge you a commission for the customers they send.
No website feels like a risk
Before paying, people look for a real website. A business that only has a social page can look small, new or temporary, so they choose the one that looks established.
Is this happening to you?
Our free audit checks your website, or the lack of one, in about a minute.
Run my free auditCost calculator
What is it costing you?
Move the sliders to match your business. These are your own numbers, so be honest. Even small numbers add up fast.
What one booking, order or sale is worth to you.
People who couldn’t find you on Google, didn’t wait for a DM reply, or left a slow page.
Customers that a platform sends you and charges commission on.
DoorDash delivery is 15–30% depending on plan. StyleSeat charges 30% of a new client’s first service, up to $50.
Missed customers a year$7,020
App commissions a year$1,350
Total you could keep each year$8,370
A Starter website from $1,200 would pay for itself in about 8 weeks.
Book a free call to talk it throughThis is an estimate based on the numbers you enter, not a guarantee. A website doesn’t win every missed customer back. App commissions are simplified: some apps cap the fee or charge only on a client’s first visit.
Side by side
Your website vs renting attention.
| Your own website | Social media only | Booking & delivery apps | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shows up when people search Google | Yes | Rarely | Under the app’s name |
| No commission on your bookings | Yes | Yes | Commission per order or new client |
| Only your business on the page | Yes | Ads and other accounts | Competitors listed next to you |
| Takes bookings and orders 24/7 | Yes | Only when you reply | Yes |
| You keep the customer’s details | Yes | Limited | Shared or restricted |
| Your brand, your design, your rules | Yes | Template profile | Template listing |
| Safe if an account is hacked, banned or the rules change | Yes | No | No |
15–30%DoorDash commission on delivery orders, depending on plan.Source: DoorDash pricing
30%StyleSeat fee on a new client’s first service, up to $50 per client.Source: StyleSeat
Up to $150Booksy Boost commission on a new client’s first appointment.Source: Booksy
Fees as published by each platform at the time of writing. Check the platform for current rates.
You don’t have to quit the apps
Use them for discovery. Own the relationship.
Instagram, Booksy and DoorDash are good at helping new people discover you. The problem is depending on them for everything, including the customers who already love you.
- Send repeat customers to book or order directly on your website, with no commission
- Keep your Booksy, Square or OpenTable calendar, connected to your own site
- Add your website link to your Instagram, Google profile and receipts
- Collect emails and phone numbers so you can bring customers back with offers
- Show up on Google for the searches that apps never send you
What you get
A website that earns its keep.
Found on Google
Set up with Google Search Console, your Business Profile and pages written for what your customers search.
Direct bookings and orders
Book, order or buy buttons on every page, so customers come straight to you.
Trust at first glance
Real photos, reviews, prices and hours, presented so people feel safe choosing you.
Fast on every phone
Built mobile-first and tested for speed, because most of your customers are on their phones.
Customers you keep
Email and SMS sign-ups, WhatsApp and contact forms that land in your inbox.
Handled from start to finish
Domain, hosting, security and launch done for you. You get the keys to a site that already works.
Questions
Still deciding?
Do I need a website if I already have Instagram?
Instagram is great for being discovered and showing your work. A website is where people book, pay and trust you, and it’s what Google shows when people search for your type of business nearby. The two work best together.
I already use Booksy, StyleSeat or DoorDash. Why pay for a website?
Those apps charge commission on the customers they send and show competitors next to you. Your own website lets repeat customers book or order directly, and helps new customers find you on Google without paying a commission.
Can my website connect to the booking app I already use?
Yes. We can connect Booksy, Square, Vagaro, Fresha, Calendly, OpenTable and most online ordering tools, or set up booking that runs directly on your site.
How quickly does a website pay for itself?
It depends on your prices and how many customers it brings in. Try the calculator above with your own numbers. For many local businesses, a few extra customers a month covers it.