83% of Small Businesses Now Have a Website. Here Is What the Rest Are Losing

Your competitors have mostly made this decision already. In 2018, about two out of three small businesses had a website. Today, it's more than four out of five.

According to Clutch's 2025 report, the main thing keeping the remaining 17% offline isn't cost. It's misconceptions. Over a third of them believe a website just isn't relevant to their business and rely on social media or marketplaces instead. And 28% of businesses without a site have no online presence at all.

If that's you, here's the honest case for changing your mind.

Why a Facebook page isn't enough

Facebook is great, and you should probably be on it. But there are real limits to depending on it alone:

• You don't own it. Accounts get hacked, restricted and locked. If your only presence disappears overnight, so does your business's front door.
• Not everyone's there. Pew found about 71% of US adults use Facebook. That's a lot, but it means many of your potential customers aren't on it.
• You don't control what's next to you. Your page can show ads and suggestions for other businesses, including your competitors.
• It's weak for search. Your own website, with your services and your town on it, gives Google something real to show when someone searches for what you do.
• It looks less established. When a customer's comparing two contractors for a big job, the one with a professional website simply looks like the safer choice.

Having a website isn't enough, though

A bad website can do real damage, and the two biggest problems are ones owners rarely see, because they look at their site on a big screen with a fast connection.

Problem 1: It doesn't work well on phones

In the US, nearly half of web traffic now comes from phones and tablets. Worldwide, phones have already passed desktops. And for a local business it can skew even higher, since so many searches for a nearby business happen when someone's out and needs something now. Look at your own visitor stats to see your real number.

Problem 2: It's slow

This research is older, from 2017, and today's phones and networks are faster. But the lesson hasn't changed: every extra second gives people a reason to hit the back button. Nobody waits around for a plumber's website to load when three others are one tap away.

The 60-second phone test

Pull out your phone, switch off Wi-Fi, and open your website. Then check these:

1. Did it load in about three seconds?
2. Can you read everything without pinching to zoom?
3. Can you tell what the business does and where it is right away?
4. Does tapping your phone number actually start a call?
5. Can you find your hours and prices without hunting?
6. Are your photos of your real work, and are they recent?

Every "no" is probably costing you customers. The good news is that each one has a simple fix, and the first few are usually the most valuable.

What every small business website needs

• A clear headline: "Family plumbing in Tampa, available 24/7" beats "Welcome to our website."
• A big, tappable phone number or booking button at the top.
• Your services, in plain words, with starting prices if you're able to share them.
• Real photos of your work and your team.
• Reviews from real customers.
• Your location and service area, so both Google and customers know where you work.
• A simple contact form that goes straight to your email.

It doesn't have to be expensive anymore

This is where the old objection really falls apart. Clutch credits easy website builders for much of the growth, and a professional site no longer takes a big budget or a developer. A simple site can be running in an afternoon for less than a few dollars a week.

So whatever you do this week, take the 60-second phone test. If you don't have a website yet, your first job is simply to start one. Your customers are already looking.