How to sell a website to a business that only has Instagram
By ULeads team · Published · 6 min read
In our data, 7% of local businesses on Google Maps link an Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp page where a website should be — about one in three of the 21% without a website. They are the easiest to sell to: they already invest in being online. Lead with what a feed can't do — prices, a booking button, answers to the same questions — not with replacing Instagram.
How common are Instagram-only businesses?
Across 18,032 businesses in 28 countries, 7% linked only a social page. It depends a lot on the country:
| Country | Businesses | Only a social page | No website at all |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 2,933 | 19% | 43% |
| Poland | 154 | 18% | 35% |
| Pakistan | 242 | 17% | 55% |
| Portugal | 444 | 12% | 30% |
| Spain | 176 | 11% | 30% |
| Kazakhstan | 166 | 11% | 43% |
The trade matters too. In Brazil, 35% of coffee shops and 32% of beauty salons link only a social page: their customers already follow them, so the feed feels like enough. The full numbers by country are in our data on businesses without websites.
What does Instagram not do for them?
- Prices and services in one place. A feed buries them under posts; people ask the same questions in messages every day.
- Bookings without the owner. A booking page takes appointments at night and between clients.
- Google.People searching “barber near me” see the Google listing first. A website opens for anyone; Instagram often asks visitors to open the app or log in to keep browsing.
- Ownership. A profile can be restricted or lost; a domain and a site stay theirs.
What should the first message say?
Acknowledge the Instagram — it is working — and offer what it can't do. For example: “Hi! I came across Bella Hair on Google Maps — 4.9 stars from 87 reviews, and your Instagram is lovely. Your listing links to Instagram rather than a website, so people searching on Google can't see your prices or book. I build simple booking sites for salons; can I send you a free one-page mockup?” ULeads writes this version automatically for every business it flags as “Instagram only”, and the free message generator does the same for a business you describe.
How do you answer the usual objections?
| They say | You say |
|---|---|
| “Instagram works fine for us.” | “It clearly does — you've got the followers. The site doesn't replace it; it's where people who find you on Google see prices and book, and where your Instagram can send them.” |
| “People just message us.” | “That's great when you can answer. A booking page answers at 11 pm while you sleep, and the messages you get are the ones that need you.” |
| “We can't afford it right now.” | “Then let's start with one page: prices, hours, a booking button, linked from your bio. We can add the rest later.” |
| “My nephew is making one.” | “Good — if it stalls, I'm happy to help. Here's an example of what a one-page site for a salon looks like, so you can compare.” |
Pricing a small first step for them is covered in how much to charge a small business for a website.
Common questions
Why are Instagram-only businesses good prospects?
They already spend time and sometimes money on being found online, so you don't have to convince them that online matters. What they lack is a page that shows prices, answers the same questions every day and takes bookings without them.
How do I find businesses that only have Instagram?
On Google Maps, open each listing and check whether the website link points to instagram.com or facebook.com. ULeads flags these automatically as “Instagram profile only” or “Facebook page only”, and counts them as businesses without a website.
Should I message them on Instagram?
You can, but direct messages from strangers often land in a requests folder. The phone or WhatsApp number on their Google listing is usually read faster; mention their Instagram in the message so they know you looked.
ULeads searches a city and a trade on Google Maps, keeps going past the first page until it finds real prospects, and ranks every business by how weak its online presence is.