You probably already know your Vancouver business should have a website. But if you have been managing without one, you might wonder if you actually need it. The truth is, not having a website costs your business more than most owners realize. Here is what that looks like in practice.
Updated February 2026.
When someone hears about your business and looks you up, what do they find? If the answer is nothing, or just a social media page, most of them will quietly move on.
Studies consistently show that over 80 percent of customers check a business website before calling or visiting. Without one, your business appears less established than a competitor who has even a basic professional site. That credibility gap costs you customers you never knew you lost.
In Vancouver, people use Google to find nearby services constantly. Restaurants, plumbers, contractors, realtors. If you do not have a website, Google cannot properly surface your business in local search results.
When someone types 'best pizza in Yaletown' or 'experienced plumber near me', your competitors with websites show up. You do not. Those customers never know your business exists, and you never get the chance to earn them.
Customers want to quickly see your services, check your hours, or book an appointment without picking up the phone. Without a website, you are forcing them to take extra steps that most will not bother with.
Convenience is a competitive advantage. If a customer cannot find what they need from you in under 30 seconds, they will find it from someone else in under 10.
Referrals and social media are valuable, but they are fragile as your only channels. Social platforms change their algorithms constantly and can limit your reach without warning. Referral volume is unpredictable and hard to scale.
A website is digital real estate you own outright. It is always available, always under your control, and does not depend on a platform's rules or a friend mentioning your name at the right moment.
Every day a competitor with a proper website is getting found on Google, earning reviews, and winning customers who might otherwise have chosen you. The gap compounds over time. A business that started building its online presence two years ago now has domain authority, review volume, and ranking history that takes time to match.
Starting later does not mean starting at a permanent disadvantage, but it does mean the sooner you start, the sooner you close that gap.
Think about what you lose without a website. Every customer who could not find your contact details and called a competitor instead. Every referral who looked you up, found nothing professional, and went elsewhere. Every Google search for your service in your neighbourhood that you did not appear in.
A professional website in Vancouver typically costs between $2,500 and $5,000 upfront and $200 to $300 per month to maintain. If it generates even two or three new customers per month, it pays for itself many times over. For most trades and service businesses, the math is not close.
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Many Vancouver business websites look fine but never show up in search results. Here are the most common reasons why and exactly what to do about each one.
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