The plumber who bet everything on Instagram

A plumber in my area has 1,200 Instagram followers. Nice before-and-after shots, the occasional reel. His problem: when someone has a burst pipe at 10 PM and searches “plumber near me,” he doesn’t show up. Because Instagram profiles are virtually invisible in local Google search results. The job goes to his competitor who has a straightforward five-page website.

I see this pattern constantly. Business owners ask me whether they really still need a website — they’ve got Instagram, a Google Business Profile, maybe a Linktree. My answer is always the same: yes, you do. Not for sentimental reasons. For strategic ones.

The problem with rented platforms

Every platform you don’t control is rented ground. Instagram can lock your account tomorrow — no warning, no explanation, no appeals process worth mentioning. This doesn’t just happen to influencers posting questionable content. It happens to tradespeople, consultants, restaurant owners. One algorithmic false flag, one reported review, one compromised password — and your entire online presence vanishes.

Google Business Profiles are similarly fragile. A restaurant that exists only through its Google listing has no menu under its own control, no booking system it actually owns, and no way to reach regulars directly. Google decides which information gets displayed prominently — and which doesn’t.

Your domain is your universal address

Your domain name is the one thing in the digital world you actually own. Not metaphorically — literally. You pay the registration, you control the DNS records, you decide where it points. smithplumbing.com works on a business card, in an email signature, on a van wrap, in a podcast mention, as a QR code on a flyer. Try that with instagram.com/smith_plumbing_official_2.

A domain is platform-agnostic. It works in every browser, on every device, in every country. It’s the simplest point of entry you can give someone. No app download, no account required, no algorithm standing between you and your visitor. Someone types your address and lands on your turf. No other digital channel is that direct.

Linktree and the illusion of control

Linktree is a fascinating phenomenon. It solves a problem that shouldn’t exist: Instagram’s one-link-in-bio limitation. So the solution to a platform problem is — another platform. That’s like fixing a leaky roof by building a second leaky roof on top of it.

A consultant I worked with had her entire funnel running through Linktree. Booking link, portfolio, contact form — all behind that one intermediary. When Linktree went down for several hours, she was unreachable. No bookings, no inquiries, nothing. Her business stalled because a service she didn’t control had a technical issue.

On her own website, she would have hosted all those links herself. If her hosting goes down, she can switch providers. If Linktree goes down, all she can do is wait.

What a website actually does

A website isn’t a marketing channel. It’s the infrastructure that every other channel depends on. It’s where your Google Ads campaign points to, what your Instagram profile links to, what your email signature references. Without it, every other effort floats in mid-air.

In practical terms:

  • Search engines: Your website ranks in Google for terms your customers actually search. Your Instagram profile doesn’t.
  • Credibility: Over 70% of consumers trust a business less if it doesn’t have a website. A professional domain signals: this business is real and takes itself seriously.
  • Data ownership: On your website, you know where visitors come from, what they look at, where they drop off. On Instagram, you get likes. There’s a difference.
  • Longevity: Websites I built in 2019 still generate leads today. Instagram posts from 2019 have disappeared into the algorithmic void.

The non-obvious point

Most arguments for websites revolve around visibility and control. But there’s one aspect almost nobody mentions: a website forces you to clarify your offer. When you have to write a homepage, you have to decide what you actually do. When you need an about page, you have to articulate why someone should hire you. That process alone is more valuable for many business owners than the website itself.

On Instagram, you can hide behind beautiful images. On a website, you have to say what you mean.

The bottom line

You don’t need an elaborate website. You don’t need twenty subpages, animations, or a chatbot. You need a clear domain, a comprehensible homepage, a way to get in touch, and a minimum of information about what you do and who you do it for. That’s achievable in a day. And it gives you something no social media profile in the world can replace: a digital space that belongs to you.