Do you still need a website if you have Facebook?
“All my customers find me on Facebook, so why would I need a website?”
I hear this a lot, and it’s a fair question. Facebook is free, you already know how to use it, and your customers are on it. For plenty of small businesses it works well.
But it has limits that are easy to miss until they cost you. Here’s an honest look at both.
What Facebook is good at
- Word of mouth. When a happy customer tags you or recommends you in a local group, that’s hard to beat.
- Showing what’s new. Posting a new product, a finished project or a photo from today takes seconds.
- Staying in touch. People who already know you see your updates and remember you next time.
If most of your customers already know your name, Facebook may be doing the job just fine.
Where Facebook falls short
People who don’t know you yet mostly search Google. Someone looking for an accountant, a gift or a place to eat types “accountant in Ware” into Google. A Facebook page rarely comes near the top for that kind of search. A website, and a Google Business Profile, are what get you found there.
Most of your followers don’t see your posts. Facebook decides who sees what, and a business post often reaches only a small share of the people who follow the page. The rest never see it unless you pay.
You don’t own it. Facebook can change its rules, your page can be reported, or your account can be hacked or locked. It happens to real businesses, and getting back in can take weeks. Your website and your web address are yours.
Not everyone’s on it. Some customers don’t use Facebook at all, or don’t want to contact a business through it.
It can look less established. Before spending real money, many people check out a business properly. A clear, professional website with what you offer, your reviews and your contact details reassures them you’re a real business that’ll still be around next year.
So, do you need both?
For most small businesses, the best answer is to let them work together:
- Your website is your shop window. It’s where people land from Google, find out what you offer and get in touch or buy. You own it, and it’s open around the clock.
- Your Google Business Profile puts you on the map for local searches. Here’s how to set one up.
- Facebook keeps you in front of people who already know you and helps word of mouth spread.
Link them all to each other, so a customer who finds you in one place can easily find the rest. And make sure they look like the same business, with the same logo and a matching style everywhere. A social media kit makes that easy.
When you might not need a website yet
To be fair, if you’re already as busy as you want to be from word of mouth and repeat customers, a website probably isn’t urgent. It becomes important when you want to grow, reach new customers, or rely less on one platform you don’t control.
Keep it simple
A small business website doesn’t need to be big or expensive. A few fast pages that say what you do, where you are, show what you offer and make it easy to get in touch will do the job.
That’s exactly what I build for small businesses in East Hertfordshire and beyond. If you’re weighing it up, send me a message and I’ll give you an honest view on whether it’s worth it for you.