It’s rarely one or the other. The right order depends on how your customers find you and what they need before they buy.
Many small businesses start with an Instagram page because it’s free and quick. That’s a reasonable start. The question is what comes next, and the answer depends on how your customers actually behave.
Social media is great for being seen
Social platforms help people discover you, see your work and get a feel for your brand. They’re strong for businesses where visuals sell: food, beauty, fashion, interiors. But you don’t control the platform, and a feed isn’t a great place to explain services, prices or policies in detail.
A website is where people check you out
When someone is close to deciding, they often look for a website to confirm you’re real, find details and get in touch. A website is yours, it can be found in search, and it can hold the information a feed can’t.
A simple way to decide
- If most customers search for your service (“dentist near me”, “interior designer near me”), prioritise a website and local SEO.
- If most customers discover you by browsing and you sell visually, put more into social content first, with at least a simple website behind it.
- If you run ads, you need somewhere clear to send people. That’s usually a landing page or website, not just a profile.
The connected approach
The best setups use both: social to get attention, a website to answer questions and capture enquiries, and consistent details across both. Start with whichever matches how your customers find you, then connect the other.