Key takeaways
- 19,663 UK listings (2.8%) link only to social media or an app, on top of 151,820 with no link at all.
- Nail salons (12.8%), barbers (12.5%), beauty salons (7.5%) have the highest shares.
- By number, beauty salons, restaurants, barbers have the most.
- Pitch a website that works with their booking or ordering app, rather than replacing it.
- Check the social bio and search the name before you call: some have a site the listing doesn't show.
How many UK businesses link only to social media or an app
Of 706,013 UK local business listings in open map data, 19,663 (2.8%) link only to a social profile, a booking app, a delivery app or a directory page: Facebook, Instagram, Booksy, Fresha, Just Eat, Yell and similar. That is on top of the 151,820 listings (21.5%) with no link at all.
These businesses are online, but they don't own their page. The platform decides what customers see, who appears next to them and what happens to their customer details.
Which businesses rely on social media and apps
Share of UK listings whose only link is a social, booking, delivery or directory page (categories with 1,000+ listings):
- Nail salons
- 12.8%
- Barbers
- 12.5%
- Beauty salons
- 7.5%
- Massage therapists
- 5.4%
- Hair salons
- 4.7%
- Pet groomers
- 3.1%
- Cafés
- 2.8%
- Restaurants
- 2.6%
- Gyms & fitness studios
- 2.6%
- Takeaways
- 2.6%
Source: NoSite Leads UK research, Overture Maps release 2026-09-23.1.
By number, the most are in these categories:
| Category | Social or app link only | Share | No link at all |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beauty salons | 4,308 | 7.5% | 42.3% |
| Restaurants | 3,100 | 2.6% | 19.3% |
| Barbers | 2,381 | 12.5% | 54.6% |
| Hair salons | 1,684 | 4.7% | 32.1% |
| Cafés | 1,576 | 2.8% | 31.4% |
| Nail salons | 1,328 | 12.8% | 45.0% |
| Takeaways | 1,193 | 2.6% | 18.4% |
| Gyms & fitness studios | 1,031 | 2.6% | 15.2% |
Why they use a platform instead of a website
- Beauty, nails and barbers take appointments through booking apps such as Booksy, Fresha and Treatwell, and show their work on Instagram. The app link is often the only one on the listing.
- Restaurants, cafés and takeaways take orders through delivery apps, so the listing links to Just Eat, Deliveroo or Uber Eats.
- Many small businesses started with a Facebook page because it was free and quick, and never moved on from it.
The platform does a job well, usually bookings or orders. What it doesn't give the business is a page it controls: prices without an app download, its name in search results pointing at itself, and customer details it keeps.
How to pitch a business that only has social media
Build the pitch around the platform they already use. Owners rarely want to give up a booking or delivery app that works.
- Keep the app. The website's main button links to their existing booking or ordering page.
- Show what the app hides. Prices, opening hours, the area they cover, and photos, on one page that loads without an app.
- Own the search result. A site with their name ranks for “[business] [town]”, where a marketplace page sits beside competitors.
- For food businesses, mention the fees. Direct ordering for regulars avoids the per-order platform fee.
Each industry guide lists what to put on a site for that kind of business.
Common mistakes
Telling the owner they have no online presence
An owner with 2,000 Instagram followers and a full booking calendar will stop listening if you open with “you aren't online”.
Solution: Start from what their page already does well, then show what a site they own adds.
Assuming a social-only listing means no website
The listing may link to Facebook while the business has a website it never added. In NoSite Leads results, these listings show as “needs verification” for that reason.
Solution: Open the social profile's bio and About section, and search the business name with its town.
Quick reference
| UK listings linking only to social or an app | 19,663 (2.8%) |
|---|---|
| Highest shares | Nail salons 12.8%, Barbers 12.5%, Beauty salons 7.5% |
| Usual platforms | Facebook, Instagram, Booksy, Fresha, Treatwell, Just Eat, Deliveroo, Yell |
| The pitch | Keep the app; add a page they own with prices, hours and a booking or order button |
| Before you call | Check the bio link and search the name with the town |
Next: the best niches for web design, how to get web design clients, or scan your area.
Common questions
How many UK businesses only have a Facebook page?
In open map data, 19,663 UK local business listings (2.8%) link only to a social profile, booking app, delivery app or directory page. Facebook-only pages are one part of that figure; booking and delivery apps are another.
Is a Facebook page enough for a small business?
It reaches existing followers, but the business doesn't control how it appears in search, and visitors need to scroll for prices or hours. A simple website the business owns answers those questions and can link to the Facebook page.
Should a salon on Booksy or Fresha have a website?
The app handles bookings well. A website adds prices without an app download, the salon's name in search results pointing at its own page, and a home that survives a switch of booking provider.
How do NoSite Leads results show social-only businesses?
As “needs verification”, because a social or booking link means the business may have a website elsewhere. Check each one before contacting it.