Why Your Algarve Business Still Needs a Website in 2025

We hear it all the time from Algarve business owners: "I've got Instagram and Facebook. Do I really need a website?"

The short answer: yes. The longer answer involves understanding how tourists and locals actually find businesses in the Algarve - and it's not just through social media.

Social Media Is Rented Land

Your Instagram account belongs to Meta. Your Facebook page can be suspended. The algorithm changes constantly, and your posts only reach about 5-10% of your followers unless you pay for promotion.

A website is yours. You control the content, you own the domain, and nobody can shut it down or change the rules overnight. For a business in Lagos, Albufeira, or Faro that relies on seasonal bookings, that control matters.

How Tourists Actually Find Algarve Businesses

Most tourists planning a trip to the Algarve start with Google. They search for "best restaurants in Vilamoura" or "boutique hotels Lagos" or "surf lessons Sagres." If you don't have a website, you're invisible in those searches.

Social media is great for engagement and pretty photos, but it's terrible for search discovery. Instagram doesn't appear in Google search results for your business. A website does.

Here's the reality: a couple in Manchester planning their Algarve holiday isn't scrolling through Instagram hoping to stumble upon your cafe. They're searching "breakfast cafes Albufeira" on Google. If you only have social media, they'll never find you.

Reducing Commission Fees

If you're a hotel or vacation rental relying entirely on Booking.com or Airbnb, you're paying 15-20% commission on every booking. A restaurant using Uber Eats or Glovo is losing 30% of each order.

A website with direct booking capability means customers can book with you directly. Even if only 20% of your bookings shift from Booking.com to your website, that's thousands of euros back in your pocket each season.

For a small hotel in Tavira with 10 rooms charging an average €100 per night over a 150-day high season, shifting just 20% of bookings from Booking.com to direct bookings saves €6,000 in commission fees. That pays for your website multiple times over.

Credibility and Professionalism

A well-designed website signals legitimacy. When someone is deciding between two restaurants in Portimão - one with a professional website showing their menu, photos, and opening hours, and one with just an Instagram account - they'll choose the one with the website.

This is especially true for higher-value services. If you're a luxury spa in Quinta do Lago or a real estate agent selling million-euro properties, relying on social media alone undermines your professional image.

Practical Information at Your Customers' Fingertips

Instagram stories disappear. Facebook posts get buried. A website gives you one permanent place to put all the essential information customers need:

• Opening hours (with seasonal variations)
• Full menu or service list with prices
• Location with parking information
• Contact details and booking options
• Multi-language support for international customers
• FAQs about accessibility, dietary options, payment methods

A tourist in a rental apartment in Luz at 10pm deciding where to have breakfast tomorrow morning isn't going to DM you on Instagram to ask if you're open. They'll Google "breakfast near me," find your website, check your opening hours, and show up at 9am.

The Algarve Business Landscape in 2025

The Algarve tourism market is more competitive than ever. There are hundreds of restaurants in Albufeira, dozens of surf schools in Sagres, countless vacation rentals across the region.

The businesses that succeed are the ones tourists can actually find when they search. That means appearing in Google Maps, Google search results, and TripAdvisor - all of which work better when you have a website backing up your business information.

A website also allows you to capture email addresses for newsletters, promote special offers, showcase your best reviews, and build a brand that exists beyond the chaos of social media feeds.

It Doesn't Have to Be Complicated or Expensive

The biggest objection we hear is cost. "I can't afford a website" or "websites are too complicated to maintain."

But a simple, effective website for a cafe or service business can cost as little as €450. For a restaurant or small hotel, €650-1,200. Compare that to one month of Instagram ads or the commission you're paying on just a few bookings, and it's a bargain.

And you don't need to understand code or web hosting. A good local web designer will build you something simple that you can update yourself - change your menu, add photos, update your opening hours - without needing a developer on speed dial.

The Bottom Line

Social media is important. You should absolutely have an active Instagram showing off your beautiful Algarve location, your food, your rooms, your services. It's great for engagement, building community, and staying top-of-mind.

But social media alone isn't enough in 2025. Tourists searching for businesses in Lagos, Faro, Albufeira, and across the Algarve are using Google. They're comparing websites. They're looking for direct booking options to avoid third-party fees.

If you want to compete, you need a website. Not a complicated one. Not an expensive one. Just a clear, professional online presence that you control - one that appears in search results, provides the information customers need, and captures bookings without giving 20% to a middleman.

That's what works in the Algarve in 2025. Social media for engagement, website for discovery and bookings. Both working together.