Millions of businesses run entirely on Instagram — and most of them are one algorithm change away from losing everything. Here's why you need both, and how to get your website live in 60 seconds.
Instagram's strengths
Instagram genuinely excels at certain things. Understanding its strengths helps you use it smarter — alongside a website, not instead of one.
Instagram's algorithm surfaces your content to people who don't know you exist. A stunning photo of your product or service can reach thousands of new eyes organically — no ad budget needed.
Comments, DMs, polls, and stories create genuine two-way conversations with your customers. Instagram builds loyalty in a way static web pages rarely can — the interaction layer is deeply human.
A feed full of happy customer photos, before-and-afters, and glowing comments acts as instant social proof. Instagram makes trust visible in a way that's hard to replicate anywhere else.
Short-form video is Instagram's fastest-growing format. A well-made Reel can go viral in ways that blog posts simply don't — putting your brand in front of a completely new audience overnight.
The real limitations
For all its strengths, Instagram has hard limits that no business should ignore. If this is your only online presence, you're exposed.
Instagram profiles don't rank on Google for your services. When someone searches "electrician in Bristol" or "wedding photographer London," your Instagram profile will not appear. A website with proper SEO does.
Meta decides how many of your own followers see your posts. Organic reach has declined year-on-year. Your 10,000 followers? Most of them never see your content unless you pay to boost it.
Meta can delete your account, ban your profile, or shut down the platform. Every follower you've built? Gone. With a website and email list, your audience belongs to you — permanently.
Your Instagram URL is instagram.com/yourbusiness — not yourbusiness.com. A custom domain builds brand authority, looks professional in all your marketing materials, and is something only a website can give you.
Instagram bios give you 150 characters. You can't have a Services page, an About page with your full story, or a pricing breakdown that converts visitors into customers. Your website can do all of that.
Instagram Insights are basic and owned by Meta. You can't see where your best customers came from, what content drove enquiries, or how to improve your funnel. A website gives you full analytics control.
The winning combination
The most successful small businesses don't choose between a website and Instagram. They use both — and each one makes the other stronger.
A well-built website ranks on Google for searches your ideal customers are already making. That traffic lands on your site, discovers your Instagram, and follows you — growing your audience on autopilot.
When someone discovers you on Instagram and wants to book or buy, your link in bio sends them to your website — where they find pricing, services, and a contact form that converts interest into revenue.
A professional website with a custom domain instantly signals that you're a legitimate business. Instagram followers check your website before booking. Without one, you're leaving trust — and money — on the table.
Email opt-ins and contact forms on your website build a list that belongs to you — not Meta. When Instagram changes its algorithm (and it will), your email list keeps working exactly as it always did.
See which Instagram posts drove the most website visits, which pages convert best, and where your leads actually come from. Real data that helps you double down on what works and cut what doesn't.
If Instagram goes down, gets hacked, or your account is restricted, customers can still find you on Google and contact you through your website. Two channels means you're never fully exposed to a single point of failure.
How the two work together
A website and Instagram don't compete for attention — they feed each other. Here's the flywheel that the smartest small businesses use.
Customer searches for your service
Ranks, converts, and builds trust
Follows you, shares posts, stays warm
Books, buys, or contacts via your site
The risk nobody talks about
It's not a question of if Meta will change how it distributes content — it's when. Every major algorithm update leaves some businesses with a fraction of their previous reach.
ChilledSites uses AI to generate a complete, professional website in under a minute. Describe your business, and the AI builds a full multi-page site — design, copy, structure, and all. Custom domain and hosting included from £29/year.
Build my website nowCommon questions
Your Instagram audience is valuable. But a website is what converts them — and what keeps working when the algorithm changes. Get yours live in 60 seconds.