This is one of the questions I get asked most often by local businesses in Albania , especially car rentals, tourist services, and seasonal businesses . The short answer?
It depends on your goal.
But the correct answer comes only when we see it from real experience , not from theory.
How do real customers search today?
Customer behavior in Albania is more structured than it seems at first glance. Instagram is used primarily for inspiration, ideas, and visual comparison, but the moment the real need arises to purchase a service , behavior changes.
When a person has a specific need — for example, a rental car , a hotel , a clinic , or a professional service — they usually turn to Google. They search there, open two or three different pages, read the information, and try to figure out which business seems the most serious and trustworthy.
This process is not impulsive. It is rational. The client seeks:
- clear information
- TRANSPARENCY
- structure
- and signs of faith
On Instagram, contact happens mostly in DMs, and that’s where the problem lies. Private messages don’t provide the same context, security, and trust that a structured website would. Many customers are hesitant to make decisions based solely on a DM conversation, because not everything is trusted in DMs .
Precisely for this reason, Instagram helps in the attention stage, while the website directly influences the customer’s final decision .
Instagram – strong for attention, weak for trust
Instagram is very effective for businesses that offer few services and where the order can be made quickly, usually with a single message. The customer’s decision in these cases is impulsive and emotional, as is often the case with food, aesthetics, or influencer-based services.
However, in my experience, Instagram has clear limitations when it comes to trust. Customers don’t feel completely safe just by looking at a profile, they don’t have a place to read detailed information, and there’s no structure to help them make a clear decision.
Instagram is a communication channel, not the basis of a business.
Do you want to know how to use your Instagram profile for more sales?
We have a guide on how to use your Instagram profile for more sales at BOS.
Website – the basis of trust and serious customers
A properly built website :
- provides complete information
- builds trust
- works for you 24/7
- brings in customers even when you don’t post anything
If you’re not convinced you don’t need a website, check out 10 reasons why your business needs a website .
Case Study: Car Rental in Albania
A car rental business I worked with initially only had an Instagram page. Customers came mainly during the tourist season and traffic was inconsistent, dependent on posts and ads.
After creating a properly structured and Google-optimized website, the situation changed significantly. The business began to receive direct requests from search engines and, most importantly, continues to provide customers even outside the tourist season.
This clearly shows the difference between:
“someone saw me” and “someone asked for me.”
The most common mistake I see in businesses
Many businesses:
- they design without strategy
- without SEO
- without UX
- without thinking about the customer’s path
A website is not just “I have it too”.
A website is a sales tool , if built as such.
“Instagram is free, the website is not”
This sentence is heard often.
But the reality is this:
- Instagram requires time, posts, ads
- Website requires smart construction once
- then it works for you continuously
Instagram is a rental .
The website is the property of .
Real comparison
| Website | |
|---|---|
| Attention | trust |
| pulse | DECISION |
| Platform rules | Total freedom |
| DM | Form / phone / booking |
| You post today, you forget tomorrow. | Found after months |
My professional conclusion
Instagram is for attention, website is for customers.
If you have a local business in Albania and want to:
- to look serious
- to be found on Google
- to get clients even in the off-season
A website is not a luxury. It is a necessity.
If you are convinced that you want to grow your business, see how to choose a marketing agency .
