Website or Social: Where to Start with a Limited Budget

With limited resources, the first choice weighs heavily. Investing in the wrong direction doesn't just cost money: it costs months, and leads to the wrong conclusion that digital doesn't work.

The deciding question: how do people look for you today?

If people actively search for what you offer, the website comes first: that's where they'll end up when they search. If instead your product needs to be discovered, because nobody searches for it by name, social channels come first.

When to start from the website

• Demand already exists: people search for the service.
• The evaluation cycle is long and in-depth information is needed.
• You work with other companies, which evaluate before contacting.
• You need to look credible before the first contact.

When to start from social

• The product shows well and is understood by looking at it.
• Purchase is impulsive or in any case quick.
• The audience is broad and reachable by interest.
• You can produce content consistently.

The middle path

Often the best option is an essential but solid website — a few pages done well — with the remaining resources focused on content production. A minimal site that explains things properly is worth more than a sprawling site full of empty pages.

The website isn't an online catalogue: it's where the person evaluating you decides whether to get in touch. Build it for that purpose.