Does a small business in India need a website?

Many small businesses in India run well on Instagram, WhatsApp and word of mouth. So is a website worth it? For most shops, clinics, salons, restaurants and service businesses, a simple one is, not instead of those channels, but as the place they all point to.

What a website does that social media doesn’t

• It answers the basic questions in one place. What do you offer, what does it cost, when are you open, where are you, how do I contact you? On Instagram that’s spread across posts and highlights.
• It helps you show up on Google. A website linked from your Google Business Profile, with your name, address and hours marked up properly, helps Google show you to people searching nearby.
• It’s yours. Your page isn’t at the mercy of an algorithm, and it doesn’t need the visitor to have an account or an app.
• It looks established. For clinics, consultants and anyone charging more, a proper site builds trust before the first call.

When you might not need one yet

If all your customers come by referral, you’re fully booked and you don’t want more enquiries, a website can wait. A good Google Business Profile and WhatsApp Business might be enough for now.

What a small business website should have

• Your services or products, with prices or “starting from” prices
• Photos of your work, your place and your team
• Opening hours, holidays and a map
• One-tap WhatsApp, call and directions buttons
• What customers say about you
• A way to send an enquiry

It does not need a blog, a shopping cart or twenty pages. Four pages (Home, About, Services, Contact) cover most businesses, plus a gallery, price list or FAQ if you need them.

What it should cost

A custom-built website from an agency can cost tens of thousands of rupees, plus yearly hosting and charges for every change. For a small business, a website builder is usually the better fit: you update it yourself from your phone and pay a small monthly fee.

A Craftpage business site costs ₹199 a month per site, with nothing to pay to build and preview it. You pick a theme, fill in a few forms and publish; you can switch themes any time without losing anything, and connect your own domain at no extra cost.

See one for your kind of business

Have a look at a sample site for a salon, a clinic, a restaurant or a shop, or browse all themes. And if you’re just getting started, read how to get your shop on Google Maps and WhatsApp in a day.