Why a website is still essential for a local business
Your Google listing covers the basics: address, hours, reviews. But before coming in or booking, many customers want to know more: the menu and prices, photos of the place, your services, how to book. Without a website they hesitate ("is it still open?", "is the menu up to date?")… or go elsewhere.
How much does a website for a local business cost?
Typical price ranges in France:
- A freelancer (WordPress site): often €800 to €3,000 to build, plus monthly hosting and upkeep (updates, security).
- A local agency: often €3,000 to €8,000, plus a monthly hosting and maintenance fee.
- A do-it-yourself site builder (Wix, Squarespace): €15 to €40 a month, but you build everything and handle search visibility yourself.
- Voxtya: €29 a month, hosting and updates included, site pre-filled from your Google listing. No setup fee, no commitment.
The 5 must-haves of a local business website
- Readable on a phone: that's where most "near me" searches happen.
- Hours, address and phone visible right away, with one-tap call and directions.
- An up-to-date menu or list of services, with prices.
- A way to book or request a quote directly on the site, without a platform taking a commission.
- Proof: your Google reviews and real photos of your business.
How Google ranks a local business
Google explains it itself: it looks at relevance (do your website and listing match what the customer is looking for?), distance and prominence (your reviews, your rating, mentions of your business elsewhere online). A Voxtya website handles the technical side for you: your business details in a format Google understands, a sitemap sent to search engines, an English version, fast pages on phones.
How long until you show up on Google?
It usually takes a few days to two weeks for Google to discover a new website, then a few months to rank well on the searches that matter to you. A complete Google listing, recent reviews and an up-to-date site speed things up noticeably. There's no guaranteed timeline: it depends on your town, your trade and your competitors.
A website in French and English
If your customers include visitors, expats or English-speaking regulars, a site in one language loses some of them before they even call. A Voxtya website can be published in French and English: visitors switch language in one tap, and your menu, services and opening hours read naturally in both. It is a simple way to welcome tourists in Paris, Lyon or Nice, or French-speaking customers if most of your clientele speaks English.
Learn more: our pricing (€29 per service) · commission-free bookings · review collection · the free audit of your Google listing · all features