Does Your Pub Need a Website? What Actually Works in 2026

"We just use Facebook."

It is the most common answer when you ask a pub landlord about their online presence. And honestly, five years ago it was a reasonable response. Facebook was free, everyone was on it, and the algorithm actually showed your posts to people who followed you.

That world does not exist anymore.

Facebook organic reach for business pages has dropped consistently year on year. Your post about tonight's live music might reach 5 to 10 percent of your followers on a good day. Meanwhile, when someone searches "pub near me" on Google, your Facebook page is competing against thousands of other results, and Google does not prioritise it the way a proper website or Google Business Profile would.

This is not about spending thousands on a fancy website. It is about making sure the people looking for a pub like yours can actually find you.

Do You Actually Need a Website?

The honest answer: yes, but it does not need to be complicated or expensive.

Here is the reality. When someone new to your area searches for "pub near me" or "Sunday roast Staines," they are not opening Facebook. They are using Google. And Google wants to show them businesses with clear, structured information: a website, a Google Business Profile, consistent contact details, and reviews.

A website is your digital shopfront. You own it. No algorithm decides who sees it. No platform can change the rules overnight and tank your visibility.

That said, a website alone will not fill your pub. It is one piece of a bigger picture that includes your Google Business Profile, your social media, and your reputation online. Think of it this way:

• Your website is your shopfront window. It tells people what you are about.
• Google Business Profile is your street sign. It gets you found on the map.
• Social media is your megaphone. It keeps you front of mind with people who already know you.

You need all three working together. But if you had to pick one to sort first, it would be Google Business Profile. More on that in a moment.

What Your Pub Website Must Include

Keep it simple. Nobody is browsing your pub website for entertainment. They want specific information, quickly.

The essentials:

• Opening hours — updated and accurate, including bank holidays
• Menu — a readable page, not a PDF that takes thirty seconds to download on mobile
• Location and directions — an embedded Google Map, your full address, nearest station or car park
• Contact details — phone number and email, clearly visible
• Booking — whether that is an online form, a link to your booking system, or simply your phone number with "call to book"
• Events calendar — what is on this week, updated regularly

Nice to have but not critical:

• Photo gallery showing the space, food, and atmosphere
• A brief "about" section covering your story
• Links to your social media profiles
• A blog or news section (useful for SEO if you can maintain it)

The number one rule: every page should make it obvious how to visit you. Address, hours, and a booking link should be reachable from anywhere on the site.

Google Business Profile: Often More Important Than Your Website

If you do one thing after reading this article, make it this: claim, verify, and properly optimise your Google Business Profile.

When someone searches "pubs in [your town]" or "pub near me," the map results that appear at the top of Google — that box with three listings and a map — are pulled from Google Business Profile. Not from websites. Not from Facebook.

How to optimise your Google Business Profile:

1. Claim and verify your listing at business.google.com
2. Complete every section — hours, address, phone, website, category (set it to "Pub"), attributes (dog friendly, beer garden, live music, etc.)
3. Upload photos regularly — aim for new photos every week or two. Food, drinks, events, the beer garden, staff. Google rewards active profiles.
4. Respond to every review — every single one, good or bad. Thank people for positive reviews. Address negatives professionally. If you need help with review management, our guide on handling negative reviews covers the full playbook.
5. Post updates — Google Business Profile has a "posts" feature. Use it for events, specials, and seasonal offers. It is free and it signals to Google that your business is active.
6. Keep hours accurate — especially bank holidays, Christmas, and any temporary changes. Wrong hours are one of the fastest ways to lose trust.

A well-maintained Google Business Profile with strong reviews will do more for your visibility than a beautifully designed website that nobody finds.

Local SEO Basics: Getting Found in "Near Me" Searches

Local SEO is just the practice of making sure your pub shows up when people search for things in your area. It sounds technical, but the basics are straightforward.

NAP consistency — your Name, Address, and Phone number should be identical everywhere: your website, Google Business Profile, Facebook, TripAdvisor, Yelp, Yell.com, any directories you are listed in. Mismatches confuse Google and can hurt your ranking.

Local keywords — if you have a website, mention your location naturally. "The Anchor is a family-friendly pub in Stanwell Moor, near Staines" is better than just "we are a pub." Think about what people actually search for: "pub with beer garden Staines," "Sunday roast near Heathrow," "quiz night Stanwell."

Reviews matter — the number of Google reviews you have, your average rating, and whether you respond to them all affect where you appear in local results. Encourage happy customers to leave a review. A simple card on tables or a follow-up message works well.

Mobile first — the vast majority of "near me" searches happen on phones. If your website is slow or hard to read on mobile, people leave. Google notices that too.

For a deeper dive into local strategies, our local pub marketing guide covers the community-building side of things.

Social Media vs Website: They Do Different Jobs

This is where a lot of pub owners get confused. Social media and a website are not interchangeable. They serve different purposes at different stages of the customer journey.

Social media is for people who already know you. It keeps you in their feed, reminds them you exist, and builds that sense of community and FOMO that makes someone say, "Let's go to the pub tonight." It is brilliant for events, specials, and behind-the-scenes content. Our social media strategy guide has a weekly system you can follow.

Your website is for people who do not know you yet. It is where someone lands after searching Google. They are already interested — they are looking for a pub. Your job is to give them what they need (hours, menu, how to get there) so they convert from a searcher into a visitor.

The risk of relying only on social media:

• You do not own the platform. Facebook and Instagram can change their algorithms, restrict business page reach, or even shut down features with no warning.
• Social media is poor for search. If someone Googles "best pub food in [your area]," your Instagram posts will not appear in those results.
• Information gets buried. Your opening hours are in a post from three weeks ago. Your menu is in a story that expired. People give up.

Use social media to engage your existing audience. Use your website and Google Business Profile to attract new ones.

How Much Should a Pub Website Cost?

Let us be realistic about budget. A pub website does not need to be a custom-built masterpiece. It needs to be clear, fast, mobile-friendly, and easy to update.

Realistic budget ranges:

• DIY with Squarespace or Wix — from around 12 to 30 pounds a month. Good templates, easy to update menus and hours yourself. Total first-year cost: 150 to 400 pounds.
• WordPress with a freelancer — 500 to 1,500 pounds for setup, then 10 to 30 pounds a month for hosting. More flexible, but you need someone to maintain it.
• Professional agency build — 1,500 to 3,000 pounds for a solid pub site. Anything above that for a single-site pub is probably overkill.

Red flags to watch for:

• Anyone quoting five figures for a basic pub website
• Long-term contracts that lock you in for years
• "SEO packages" that cost hundreds a month with vague deliverables
• Sites built on proprietary platforms where you cannot take your content with you

The most important thing is not how much you spend. It is whether you can keep the site updated. A cheap site with current hours and menus beats an expensive one that was last updated eighteen months ago.

DIY vs Professional: When Each Makes Sense

DIY makes sense when:

• Your budget is tight and you would rather spend money behind the bar
• You are comfortable with basic tech (if you can post on Facebook, you can use Squarespace)
• Your needs are simple: hours, menu, location, booking link, events
• You have time to set it up properly (allow a weekend)

A professional makes sense when:

• You want online ordering, complex booking systems, or e-commerce
• You need integration with your EPOS or reservation system
• You do not have the time or inclination to learn a platform
• You want to compete on food-related searches in a competitive area

Platforms worth considering for DIY:

• Squarespace — beautiful templates, easy to use, good for pubs that want to showcase food and atmosphere
• Wix — more flexible, wider range of features, restaurant-specific templates
• WordPress — most flexible, but needs more technical knowledge or a freelancer for setup

Whichever route you choose, make sure you own your domain name (yourpubname.co.uk) and can take your content with you if you switch platforms.

The Number One Thing Most Pub Websites Get Wrong

No clear call to action.

You would be amazed how many pub websites make it hard to actually do the thing you want visitors to do. The menu is buried three clicks deep. The phone number is only on the contact page. There is no booking link at all.

Every page on your site should answer one question for the visitor: "What do I do next?"

• On the homepage: "See our menu" and "Book a table"
• On the menu page: "Book a table" and "Find us"
• On the events page: "Book tickets" or "See you there — here's how to find us"
• On every page: your phone number and address in the footer

Think about the last time you searched for a restaurant on your phone. You wanted to know if it looked good, check the menu, and figure out if you could get a table. If any of those steps took more than a few seconds, you probably moved on. Your customers are no different.

A Simple Digital Presence Checklist

You do not need to do everything at once. Here is a priority order:

Week 1: Google Business Profile

• Claim and verify your listing
• Complete every section
• Upload ten to fifteen good photos
• Respond to all existing reviews

Week 2: Review your Facebook and Instagram

• Make sure hours, address, and menu link are current
• Pin a post with essential information
• Set up a basic posting rhythm

Week 3-4: Website

• Choose a platform or brief a professional
• Get the essentials live: hours, menu, location, contact, booking
• Make sure it works well on mobile

Ongoing:

• Upload fresh photos to Google Business Profile every couple of weeks
• Respond to every new review within 24 hours
• Keep hours updated across all platforms, especially for holidays
• Post on social media at least three times a week

How Orange Jelly Can Help

We are not a web design agency. We are pub people who understand digital. At Orange Jelly, we help licensees figure out what actually works for their specific situation, without the jargon or the oversized invoices.

Whether you need help setting up your Google Business Profile, getting your social media into a manageable rhythm, or figuring out whether that website quote you have received is reasonable, we can advise.

We work at 75 pounds an hour plus VAT, with a 30-day guarantee. No retainers, no long contracts. Just practical help from people who run a pub ourselves.

If you want to talk through your digital presence, get in touch. We will tell you honestly what you need and, just as importantly, what you do not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Facebook page enough for my pub?

Facebook is great for engagement and events, but you do not own it. Algorithm changes can slash your reach overnight. A website gives you a permanent shopfront that Google can index, customers can bookmark, and you control completely.

How much should a pub website cost?

A solid pub website should cost between 500 and 2,000 pounds. DIY platforms like Squarespace start from around 12 pounds a month. Avoid anyone quoting five figures for a basic pub site. You need clarity and speed, not bells and whistles.

What is the most important thing to have on a pub website?

Your opening hours, menu, location with a map, and a clear way to book a table or get in touch. These four things answer the questions people actually search for. Everything else is secondary.

Do I need to pay for SEO for my pub?

Not necessarily. A properly set up Google Business Profile with regular updates, photos, and review responses covers most local SEO needs for a single-site pub. Paid SEO makes more sense for pub groups or if you are targeting competitive food-related searches.

How do I get my pub to show up on Google Maps?

Claim and verify your Google Business Profile. Add accurate opening hours, upload fresh photos every week or two, respond to every review, and make sure your name, address, and phone number match across your website and all directories.

Can I build a pub website myself with no technical experience?

Yes. Platforms like Squarespace and Wix are designed for non-technical users. If you can manage a Facebook page, you can build a basic website. Allow a weekend to set it up, focus on the essentials first, and you will have something functional that you can improve over time.

How often should I update my pub website?

At minimum, update your menu whenever it changes and your hours for every bank holiday or seasonal adjustment. Ideally, update your events section weekly. A website that looks abandoned does more harm than having no website at all.