Website vs a Facebook page: which does your business need?
"I already have a Facebook page, why would I pay for a website?" It is one of the most common questions we get, and it is a fair one. Plenty of businesses run for years on a Facebook page alone. So let us compare them properly, job by job.
They are not the same tool
A Facebook page and a website do different jobs. Comparing them is like comparing a market stall to a shopfront. One is great for chatting to people who already follow you. The other is where people who have never heard of you find you and decide to trust you.
| Job | Facebook page | Your website | | --- | --- | --- | | Show up on Google search | Barely | Yes | | Reach people not on Facebook | No | Yes | | You control it | No | Yes | | Look like an established business | Sometimes | Yes | | Post quick updates to followers | Yes | Not really |
Where Facebook genuinely wins
Facebook is good at keeping in touch with people who already know you. Quick photos of a recent job, a notice that you are closed for the public holiday, replies to regulars in the comments. If you have a following and you enjoy posting, keep doing it. It has real value.
What it cannot do is get you found by a stranger at the moment they need you. When someone searches "electrician near me," Facebook pages do not show up the way a website and a Google listing do. That stranger is the customer a website wins.
Where a website wins
- Google. Search results rank websites and Google listings. This is the big one. No website, no result when someone googles your trade in your area.
- Everyone, not just Facebook users. A lot of your potential customers, especially older ones, are not on Facebook or will not click into it.
- Trust. A customer comparing two businesses will usually go with the one that has a proper website over the one with only a social page.
- Control. Facebook can change its rules, throttle your reach, or lock your page overnight. Your website is yours.
This is the same reasoning we lay out in do tradies actually need a website, and it applies just as much to a cafe or a salon.
The honest answer: use both, for what each is good at
You do not have to choose. The smart setup is:
- A website as your hub: services, area, hours, reviews, and a way to book or call. This is what Google sends people to.
- A Google Business Profile so you show up in local searches and maps. If you only had time for one thing, it would be this: how to get your business on Google.
- A Facebook page for staying in touch with the people who already follow you.
The mistake is treating Facebook as your whole online presence. It is one channel, on rented ground, that strangers cannot find through search.
What it costs to do it properly
The reason people lean on Facebook alone is usually that it is free and a website feels like hassle and cost. Fair. But a website does not have to mean a big upfront bill or managing hosting yourself. We cover what a sensible budget looks like in how much a website should cost.
If you want the website, Google listing and the lot handled for a set monthly amount, that is exactly what we do. Book a free chat and we will tell you whether you even need more than the Facebook page you have.