Website alternatives for small businesses give customers a place to find your services, see your work and contact you. Compare your options and find a practical starting point for your business in South Africa.
One business profile. A link you can share. No separate hosting to arrange.
You may not need a full website to take your first step online. Start with the information that helps someone decide whether to call, message or visit.
Explain your services and the customers or areas you serve.
Show useful photos and a clear, accurate business description.
Keep your contact details and opening hours up to date.
Free tools, hosted profiles and simple pages solve different problems. Compare what you get, what you manage and the limits before you choose.
For a ready-made home for your business details
Bring your services, photos, location and contact options together on a hosted profile. Share its link with customers and let people browse your business in the directory.
Explore Eyam DiscoverYou use the platform’s layout and features. Published details and gallery limits can depend on your plan.
For eligible businesses serving local customers
A free Google Business Profile helps eligible businesses manage how they appear on Google Search and Maps, with business details, photos and customer reviews.
Explore Google Business ProfileEligibility and verification apply. A Google listing has a different purpose from a standalone website.
For conversations, updates and an existing audience
Use a social business page to share your work and updates. WhatsApp Business can help you organise customer conversations and present a catalogue where available.
Customers may need to search through posts or messages for key details. Reach and available features depend on the platform.
For one link to your existing channels
Collect your social accounts, contact options and other useful links on one short page. It is a simple starting point when you already have places to send people.
A list of links may offer less space for your services, business story and work than a fuller business profile.
For a small site you want to design yourself
A builder such as Canva lets you create a simple business website. This can suit a brochure, introduction or event page when you have time to put it together.
Explore Canva business websitesCheck publishing limits, branding, domain options and which features require payment before choosing a builder.
Free plans and free offers have different limits. Check each provider’s current terms. Eyam’s free-listing offer is subject to eligibility and terms; review its duration and subscription options during signup.
Give your business a home on Eyam Discover. Bring your information together in a hosted profile, then share the link on WhatsApp, social media and your marketing materials.
Yes. A hosted business profile can serve as a small online home where customers learn about your business, explore your services and find a way to contact you. Eyam Discover brings your business information together on our platform, with a profile link you can share without arranging separate web hosting.
We are planning separate service pages alongside your business profile. The aim is to give your business the feel of a mini website on Eyam, with a main introduction and a dedicated page for each service. Individual service pages are a planned addition; your hosted business profile is the starting point available now.
Individual service pages give each offering space for a clear explanation. A cleaning business, for example, could describe home cleaning, office cleaning and once-off deep cleans separately. Customers can then understand what is included and whether the service suits their needs before making an enquiry.
To prepare your service content, use specific service names, explain the work involved and describe the areas you cover. Include relevant examples or photos you have permission to use, and make clear whether customers should request a quote. Give each service its own useful description rather than repeating the same business introduction.
Yes. You can use an Eyam business profile to introduce your services and share your profile link on WhatsApp, social pages, email and marketing materials. This gives customers a place to read about your business while you manage your information within the platform. Keep your service descriptions, photos and available contact details accurate so visitors know what you offer and how to take the next step.
Learn how to list your services online in South AfricaPublishing a page is the start. Give people useful information and a reason to visit it.
Use a clear description, your service area and accurate contact information. Choose a relevant category so visitors understand what you offer.
Add it to your WhatsApp Business profile, social bios, email signature and customer messages where relevant.
Refresh your photos and services when things change. Keep your business name and contact details consistent across your profiles.
A business profile can be a practical starting point when customers need your services, location, photos and a way to contact you.
A dedicated website may be the better choice for a full online shop, custom workflows, extensive articles or complete control over design. You can also use a website and an Eyam profile together.
Start with your business profileFollow our practical guide to choosing a category, describing your services and service area, and creating a profile customers can contact.
It depends on what customers need to do. A directory profile can present your services and contact details; Google Business Profile can support eligible local businesses on Search and Maps; social pages and WhatsApp help with updates and conversations. A link-in-bio page connects your channels, while a one-page website gives you more freedom over presentation.
Yes. Free options include Google Business Profile for eligible businesses, social business pages and some website builders. Eyam also offers a free-listing claim flow for eligible users, with no card required. Check the offer terms, duration and available plans when signing up; a free offer does not mean every feature or future subscription is free.
No. Eyam hosts your Discover profile and gives you a shareable profile link. You do not need to arrange a separate domain or hosting to use that profile.
A free website builder can be a starting point for a simple business introduction. Before publishing, check whether the free plan includes hosting, uses a provider-branded address or displays adverts. Also check whether connecting your own domain, taking payments or removing branding requires a paid plan. If customers only need your services and contact details, compare a hosted business profile with building a site yourself.
Start with the smallest setup that lets customers find your information and contact you. Compare a business profile, social page and one-page website before paying for custom web design. Include ongoing costs in your comparison: domain renewal, web hosting, subscriptions, maintenance and any paid features you need. The lowest starting price may not give you the lowest ongoing cost.
Try creating a sample page with your own service description, photos and contact details. Check that you can edit it easily, preview it on a phone and understand the publishing process. Compare templates, domain options, support and ongoing costs. If managing a website feels unnecessary for the information you need to share, a ready-made business profile may be a simpler fit.
The time depends on your content and the setup you choose. Prepare your business description, services, photos, opening hours and contact details first. A hosted profile or a simple template page involves fewer design decisions than a custom website. Allow additional time for any platform approval, domain setup, payment configuration and checks that customers can use the page on a phone.
A business profile may be enough if customers need to view your work, ask for a quote or contact you before ordering. If they need to choose products, pay online and arrange delivery without messaging you, compare dedicated ecommerce solutions. When considering alternatives to Shopify in South Africa, check support for your payment methods, delivery needs, stock management and total fees. An Eyam profile can introduce your business alongside a separate online shop.
A profile can be enough when customers mainly need your services, photos, location and contact options. Consider your own website when you need a custom design, a full online shop, extensive content or integrations that your profile does not provide.
It can be a useful starting point if your customers already use Facebook. Keep your key details easy to find and consider a business profile link alongside it so customers have a clear place to check your services and contact options.
No. A listing gives people a place to learn about and contact your business, but enquiries and search visibility are not guaranteed. Use accurate details, useful photos and a clear description, and share your link with your existing customers.
Choose List your business to open the listing flow. Sign in or create an account, add your business information and select an available plan. If you use Claim your free listing, eligibility and the offer terms apply. Contact options and photo limits depend on your subscription.
Ready to give your business a place online?
List your businessYou can use a business profile, social pages and your own website together. Choose the next step around your customers and the information you can maintain.
Start with a hosted business profile when customers need your services, area, work examples and available contact details in one place.
Explore an Eyam business listingCheck the listing allowance, contact features, offer duration and ongoing access. A temporary free offer and an ongoing free plan have different conditions.
Compare Eyam listing optionsConsider a dedicated website or specialist platform for your own checkout, custom design or complex workflows. Confirm the provider's current costs and features before choosing.
An Eyam listing is a profile in Eyam Discover with a shareable link. A Google Business Profile manages an eligible business's presence on Google Search and Maps. Creating an Eyam profile does not create or verify a Google Business Profile. Check Google's business eligibility guidance separately; remote-only businesses should not assume eligibility.
Use the same recognisable business name and accurate contact details across the channels you choose. Update services, location and availability when they change. For a home-based business, decide which location information you want public before copying it between profiles.
