A website does not need to be large to be useful

Small businesses often begin with the tools that are easiest to reach. A social media account, a WhatsApp number and recommendations from existing customers may be enough to start building a client base.

This can work well. It can also leave important information scattered across several places.

A website gives a business one reliable place to explain what it does, who it helps and how someone can take the next step. It does not have to be large. A clear, well-considered page may be more useful than a complicated website that is difficult to maintain.

Underneath the question of whether to have a website are three more practical ones, which are rarely asked in those terms.

Someone hearing about a business for the first time will usually have a few practical questions. Is this the service I need? Where is the business based? Can I see examples? How much might it cost? How do I make an appointment or ask a question?

Without a website, the answers may be divided between an Instagram biography, old posts, Google Maps, direct messages and information sent privately to previous customers. The visitor has to assemble the picture.

A website brings that picture together. It can explain services in more detail than a social profile allows, show essential information in a predictable place, and answer common questions before an enquiry begins.

The website does not replace a personal conversation. It gives that conversation a better starting point.