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Do You Really Need a Website in 2025? Here's the Minimum That Works

Koen Gees
Koen Gees
8 min read AI-drafted, expert reviewed
strategy minimalism social-media
Do You Really Need a Website in 2025? Here's the Minimum That Works

What's the Minimum Website You Need in 2025?

Let's be honest about something: it's 2025, and you might be wondering if you even need a website. You're on Instagram, LinkedIn, maybe TikTok. People can find you there. You have a Facebook page for your business. Your work is on Behance or GitHub. Do you really need to add "build a website" to your already-long to-do list?

The answer isn't a simple yes or no. It depends on what you're trying to do. And if you do need a website, it's probably way simpler than you think.

Let me walk you through when you actually need a website, when you probably don't, and what the absolute minimum looks like when you do.

When Social Media Is Actually Enough

Let's start with the scenarios where you genuinely might not need your own website:

You're a content creator whose platform IS your product

If you're a YouTuber, TikToker, or Instagram creator, and your content lives entirely on those platforms, you might not need a separate website. Your YouTube channel or Instagram profile effectively IS your website.

Sure, a simple landing page with all your links is nice to have, but it's not critical. Your @ handle gets people where they need to go.

You only work through an existing platform

If you sell exclusively through Etsy, offer services only through Fiverr or Upwork, or your business happens entirely within another platform's ecosystem, you might not need your own site.

The platform handles discovery, transactions, and credibility. Your profile there is sufficient.

You're purely social and don't sell anything

If you're just a person existing online, sharing your life with friends and family, you don't need a website. Your social profiles are plenty.

You work locally through word-of-mouth

Some local businesses genuinely get all their customers through referrals and local reputation. If that's you, and you're booked solid without any online presence, maybe you don't need a website.

Though even here, a simple "yes, we're real and here's how to reach us" page is helpful.

When You Really Do Need a Website

But for most people and businesses, not having your own website creates problems:

You need to look legitimate

When someone Googles your business name and finds nothing, or only social profiles, it raises questions. A website,even a simple one,signals "this is a real business."

This especially matters for:

  • Professional services (consulting, coaching, therapy, law, accounting)
  • B2B businesses
  • Anyone asking clients to trust them with money or important decisions

You're building something you own

Social platforms can change algorithms, ban accounts, or shut down. If your entire presence is on platforms you don't control, you're one policy change away from losing everything.

A website is yours. Your domain, your content, your rules.

You need to be searchable

Social profiles don't always show up in Google searches the way websites do. If you want people who don't know your exact username to find you, you need a website.

This matters for:

  • Local businesses (people search "plumber in Portland")
  • Professional services (people search "career coach for teachers")
  • Anyone who wants to be found by strangers, not just existing followers

You need to share complex information

Social posts are limited. If you need to explain your services, share detailed information, provide resources, or present options, a website gives you space to do that properly.

You want to control the experience

On social media, you're competing with infinite distraction. Your post is surrounded by memes and arguments and ads. On your website, you control what people see and the path they take.

For conversion (getting people to hire you, buy from you, sign up), websites usually win.

You want professional credibility

Rightly or wrongly, having a website makes you look more established and professional. "Visit my website" sounds more legitimate than "check my Instagram."

The Absolute Minimum Website That Works

If you've decided you do need a website, here's the good news: "website" doesn't mean what it used to mean. You don't need multiple pages, a blog, complex navigation, or weeks of work.

Here's the minimum that actually works in 2025:

Version 1: The Single Page

What it is: One simple page with:

  • Your name or business name
  • What you do (one clear sentence)
  • How to contact you (email, phone, social links)
  • Optionally: a photo, a short paragraph about you, links to your work

Who it's for: Anyone who just needs people to be able to find them and know they're real.

Time to build: 30 minutes to 2 hours

Cost: Free to $20/year

Platforms: Carrd, About.me, even a simple Google Site

This is enough for:

  • Freelancers who get work through referrals
  • People who want a home base for all their social links
  • Anyone who just needs to look legitimate when someone Googles them

Version 2: The Service Explainer

What it is: One page with:

  • Clear headline about what you offer
  • Who you help and how
  • Your services or products listed simply
  • How to get in touch or book a call
  • Brief about section
  • Testimonials if you have them

Who it's for: Coaches, consultants, freelancers, solo service providers

Time to build: A few hours to a day

Cost: $10-30/month typically

Platforms: Squarespace, Wix, WordPress with a simple theme

This is enough for:

  • Anyone selling services
  • Coaches and consultants
  • Freelancers who need to explain what they do
  • Small service businesses

Version 3: The Portfolio

What it is: One page with:

  • Your work displayed clearly (3-6 projects)
  • Short descriptions of each project
  • Brief about section
  • Contact information

Who it's for: Designers, photographers, developers, writers, any creative professional

Time to build: A few hours to a day

Cost: Free to $30/month

Platforms: Behance or Dribbble (not technically your own site, but functions as one), Cargo, Adobe Portfolio, Wix, Squarespace

This is enough for:

  • Anyone who needs to show their work to get hired
  • Creative professionals
  • Anyone who works project-based

Version 4: The Local Business Page

What it is: One page with:

  • Business name and what you do
  • Location and hours
  • Services offered
  • Phone number prominent
  • Embedded map
  • Maybe a few photos

Who it's for: Local businesses, shops, restaurants, service providers

Time to build: A few hours

Cost: $15-30/month typically

Platforms: Squarespace, Wix, even a well-optimized Google Business Profile might be enough

This is enough for:

  • Coffee shops, restaurants, retail
  • Local service providers (plumbers, electricians, cleaners)
  • Any business serving a local area

What You DON'T Need

Let's clear up what you can skip:

A blog - Unless you actually want to write regular posts (and most people don't), skip this. An abandoned blog looks worse than no blog.

Multiple pages - You probably don't need separate pages for Home, About, Services, Blog, Contact, etc. One scrolling page works great.

E-commerce if you don't sell products - If you're a service provider, you don't need shopping cart functionality. A contact form or booking calendar is enough.

Fancy animations - These slow down your site and honestly, visitors don't care. Simple and fast beats fancy and slow.

A custom design - Templates exist for a reason. Use one. Nobody judges you for using a template.

Perfect copywriting - Your website doesn't need to sound like a marketing agency wrote it. Clear and honest beats polished and generic.

The Hybrid Approach (What Most People Should Do)

Here's what I actually recommend for most people in 2025:

Have a simple website as your home base. This is your legitimacy anchor, your SEO presence, your owned property.

But do most of your actual activity on social platforms. Post content, engage with people, build audience where people already are.

Use your website as the place you send people for next steps. Your bio link points there. When people Google you, they find it. When you need to share everything about yourself in one place, you share your website.

Think of your website as your permanent home address, and social media as where you hang out most of the time. You need both.

How to Decide What You Actually Need

Ask yourself these questions:

1. What's the main action I want people to take?

  • Contact me → Simple contact page
  • Hire me for services → Service explainer page
  • See my work → Portfolio
  • Find my location/hours → Local business page
  • Find all my links → Social hub page

2. How do most people find me?

  • Social media → Maybe just a landing page
  • Google search → Need a proper website
  • Referrals → Simple legitimacy page is enough
  • Platforms like Upwork → Might not need a website at all

3. What's my credibility situation?

  • Need to look professional → Need a website
  • Already have strong social proof → Simple page might suffice
  • Unknown/starting out → Website helps establish credibility

4. How much time can I realistically put into this?

  • An hour → Super simple one-page site
  • A day → Proper service or portfolio page
  • Ongoing → Only then consider a blog or regularly updated site

Be honest about question 4. Most people overestimate how much they'll maintain their website.

Starting Today

If you've decided you need a website, here's your action plan:

1. Decide which type you need - Single page? Service explainer? Portfolio? Local business?

2. Choose one platform - Don't research for days. Pick Carrd for super simple, Squarespace or Wix for anything more substantial.

3. Choose the simplest template - Seriously, the simplest one.

4. Fill in the basics - Name, what you do, contact info. That's your version 1.

5. Add one more thing - Maybe a photo. Maybe your services listed. Just one more element.

6. Publish it - Don't wait for perfect. Get something live.

7. Improve it later - Once you have something up, you can refine it over time.

The biggest mistake is waiting for the perfect time or the perfect version. Good enough live beats perfect in your head.

The Real Question

The question isn't really "do I need a website in 2025?" It's "what's the minimum online presence I need to achieve my goals?"

For some people, that minimum is just active social profiles. For most people, it's those social profiles plus a simple website that serves as a home base and credibility anchor.

The good news? That website can be way simpler than you think. One page, clear information, easy to contact you. That's often all you need.

You don't need a blog, you don't need five pages, you don't need custom design. You need clarity about what you do and an easy way for people to reach you.

That can be live this week. Today, even.

Stop overthinking it. Figure out which type of simple site matches your needs, pick a platform, use a template, fill in your basics, and publish. You can always improve it later.

But get something up. Because in 2025, not being findable is worse than having an imperfect website.

Start simple. You can always build from there.

Specific Guides for Your Situation

Now that you know whether you need a website, here are specific guides for different needs:

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