Starting a business comes with a very long list of things you suddenly feel like you should have.
A logo. Branding. Social media. Professional photographs. A mailing list. A CRM. A website.
And when you’re still finding your feet, it can feel as though you need to have everything perfectly in place before you can really call yourself a business.
The good news is, you don’t.
But if you’re wondering whether a website is something worth investing in when your business is still new, my answer is usually yes — just perhaps not the huge website you think you need.
Do you need a website straight away?
You can absolutely start a business without a website.
Lots of creative businesses begin on Instagram, Facebook or through word of mouth, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
But there usually comes a point where social media alone starts to feel limiting.
Perhaps someone asks for your website and you have to send them to Instagram instead.
Maybe you find yourself typing out the same information about your services again and again.
Or perhaps your business is starting to feel established, but your online presence doesn’t quite reflect that yet.
That’s often the point where a website starts to become really useful.
It gives your business a permanent home online and somewhere you can confidently send potential clients.
Why relying on Instagram alone can become limiting
Instagram is brilliant for showing your work, sharing behind the scenes and building a connection with your audience.
But it was never designed to replace a website.
People have to scroll to find information, posts disappear quickly, and important details can easily get lost among reels, stories and older content.
You’re also relying on a platform you don’t own.
A website gives you somewhere where you control the layout, the information and the experience someone has when they discover your business.
Instead of hoping they find the right post, you can guide them through exactly what they need to know.
What does your first website actually need?
This is where I think new business owners can make things unnecessarily complicated.
Your first website doesn’t need ten pages.
It doesn’t need an enormous portfolio.
And you certainly don’t need to create content for services you might offer three years from now.
Your website simply needs to answer the questions a potential client is likely to have.
Who are you?
What do you do?
Who do you work with?
What does your work look like?
What does it cost, or where can they find out more?
How do they take the next step?
If your website can answer those questions clearly, it’s doing its job.
For many new and growing businesses, that can all fit comfortably on one carefully designed page.
Why one page can be enough
A one-page website doesn’t have to feel basic.
The important thing is how the information is structured.
A well-designed one-page website can include:
- An introduction to your business
- Your services
- Pricing or investment information
- A portfolio or gallery
- Testimonials
- Your process
- Frequently asked questions
- A clear way to enquire
Someone can move naturally through the page, get a good understanding of your business and decide whether they’d like to work with you.
That’s much more useful than having lots of separate pages simply because you feel like a “proper” website should have them.
Your website doesn’t have to stay small forever
One of the biggest worries I hear is:
“What if I outgrow it?”
And that’s a completely fair question.
Your first website should support the business you have now, not try to predict exactly what your business will look like in five years.
If it’s built on a flexible platform like Showit, you can add new pages and sections later.
Your one-page site might eventually become a larger website with individual service pages, a more extensive portfolio, case studies or additional resources.
But you don’t need all of that on day one.
You can start with what your business needs now and build from there.
The gap between DIY and bespoke
This is actually why I created my Starter Site.
I kept seeing businesses reach the same point.
They had outgrown relying on social media alone, but investing in a fully bespoke website didn’t quite make sense yet.
There was this gap between trying to do everything themselves and investing several thousand pounds in a custom website.
The Starter Site is designed to sit right in that middle ground.
It gives you a professional, strategic website without committing to a full bespoke build.
How the Starter Site works
The Starter Site is a one-page Showit website created using my collection of carefully designed sections.
I tailor the site using your branding, copy and imagery so it still feels completely like your business.
Your site can include everything you need to get started, including your introduction, services, portfolio, testimonials, investment information and contact details.
A blog is also included, giving you somewhere to start creating useful content and building your visibility over time.
The website is designed and built in one week, with one round of revisions included.
The investment is £595 inc VAT.
Start with what you need now
Your first website doesn’t need to be enormous.
It just needs to be clear, professional and easy for your potential clients to use.
Start with the business you have today.
Give people somewhere to learn about you.
Give them a reason to trust you.
And make it easy for them to take the next step.
You can always grow from there.
If you’re ready to move beyond relying on social media and finally give your business a professional home online, you can explore the Starter Site and see exactly what’s included.
