Guides

Do I need a website if my business is on Facebook?

Plenty of trades and local businesses run on a Facebook Page and word of mouth, and some do very well on it. So why pay for a website when the Page is free?

This guide sets out what Facebook does well, where it falls short, and how to decide. We build websites, so we have a view, but we will give you both sides.

The short answer

You do not strictly need a website. If you are fully booked from referrals and your Page, you may be fine for now.

But a Facebook Page is something you use, not something you own. A website, a Google Business Profile and a Page each do a different job. Most local businesses that rely on being found by new customers are better off with all three, linked together.

What Facebook does well

• It is free to set up. You can have a Page live in an afternoon.
• It is good for regular updates. Photos of finished jobs, a new menu, a day off, a last-minute slot.
• Messages are easy. Customers can send a question without picking up the phone.
• Local recommendations. Community groups are where many people ask "can anyone recommend a plumber?", and a Page makes you easy to tag.

None of that goes away if you have a website. The question is whether Facebook should be your only place online.

The risks of relying on Facebook alone

You don't control the account

Meta's terms say that if it decides you have "clearly, seriously or repeatedly" breached its rules, it may suspend or permanently disable your access and delete your account (Meta Terms of Service). Its help pages say Pages can be taken down or limited if they don't follow its Community Standards, and that you can appeal if you think it was a mistake (Facebook Help Centre).

Most businesses never have a problem, but getting a Page back can be slow. Small Business UK has written about owners whose Pages were unpublished without a clear reason, and how it can take months to get accounts reinstated (Small Business UK).

Hacking is the other risk. If the only admin's personal account is compromised or disabled, the business Page can become inaccessible too (Leadsie). If your Page is your whole online presence, that is your whole online presence gone until it is sorted.

A website on a domain registered in your name does not depend on any one platform's decision.

Posts get buried

A Page is a feed. Last spring's patio job is a long scroll down. Someone checking you out wants to know quickly what you do, where you work and how to get a quote. A feed is not built for that.

Not everyone looks on Facebook

Many people looking for a local business start on Google, not Facebook. When they search "electrician near me", they see Google Business Profiles on the map, and those profiles have a button for your website (Google Business Profile Help). You can put a Facebook link there, but then the person tapping it lands on a feed rather than a page that answers their questions.

It is harder to take enquiries properly

A website can have a simple quote form that asks the questions you need answered: what the job is, the postcode, a photo, the best time to call. That arrives in your inbox in the same shape every time. Facebook messages tend to arrive in pieces, and are easy to lose among personal notifications.

What a website does that a Page can't

• Sets out your services and areas on pages that don't move down a feed.
• Gives Google something to read. Page titles and descriptions help Google understand what you do and where.
• Takes enquiries in a set format, with a form and a clear call button.
• Belongs to you. Your domain, your content, your choice of who hosts it.

A website does not replace Facebook. Keep posting there if it works for you, and link the two.

A simple setup that works

1. A Google Business Profile, kept up to date with your hours, areas, photos and website link. It is free.
2. A small website. Five pages is plenty for most trades: home, services, areas, reviews, contact. Fast on a phone, with a call button and quote form near the top.
3. Your Facebook Page, for updates and messages, linking to the website.
4. More than one Page admin. Add a trusted second person so you are not locked out if one account has a problem.
5. Fast replies. Whichever way an enquiry arrives, answer it quickly. Someone who hears nothing for two days will probably try the next name on the list.

When Facebook alone might be enough

If you are booked weeks ahead from repeat customers and referrals, don't want more work, and would not mind losing the Page for a while, a website can wait. Start with a free Google Business Profile.

If you want new customers who don't already know you, especially from Google, a website is worth having.

How Support Labs can help

We build websites for UK trades, shops, restaurants and local services, and small automations such as automatic replies to enquiries. A website starts from £395 setup, then £29 a month, with no VAT to add. The monthly fee covers hosting, your domain, up to 3 small changes a month and fixing faults. Your domain is registered in your name, and if you stop you keep your website.

We set up what Google reads, including page titles, descriptions and a link to your Google Business Profile. Nobody can promise a top spot on Google, so we don't. Full prices are on our pricing section, or get in touch and we will reply by email within 1 working day.

FAQ

Can I use my Facebook Page as my website? You can link to your Page instead, but a Page is a feed you don't control. A website keeps your services, areas and quote form in one place, on a domain you own.

Is a Google Business Profile enough without a website? It is free and very useful, so set one up either way. A website adds room for full service details, photos and a quote form, and your profile has a website link for people to tap.

What happens if my Facebook Page gets hacked or disabled? You can appeal through Facebook, but it can take time. Add a second trusted admin and turn on two-factor authentication. Having a website means customers can still find you while you sort it out.

Should I stop posting on Facebook if I get a website? No. Facebook is good for updates, photos and messages. Link it to your website so each one sends people to the other.