Do I actually need a website if I already have a Facebook page?

A lot of small business owners run their entire online presence from a Facebook page. You post photos of finished work, take messages from customers, and get most of your bookings through it. It works, most of the time, which makes it easy to assume you do not need anything else. But relying on Facebook alone comes with a few risks that are worth understanding before you decide to skip a website altogether.

A Facebook page is something you rent, not something you own

Your Facebook page lives on Facebook's platform, under Facebook's rules. If the algorithm changes and your posts stop reaching people, there is nothing you can do about it. If your account gets flagged or restricted, even by mistake, you can lose access to your customer messages and your business history overnight. None of this is likely to happen, but it does happen, and when it does, business owners often have no quick way to appeal it. A website is something you control. Nobody can suspend it, change its rules, or decide it should show up less often.

Not everyone finds you through Facebook

Think about how you search for a local business when you need one. Many people go straight to Google and search for something like "electrician near me" or "hair salon in town". Google can show your Google Business Profile in those results, but it also favours businesses with an actual website, especially beyond the very top local results. If you only have a Facebook page, you are invisible to a large group of people who are actively looking for what you do and never think to check Facebook.

A website makes you look more established

When a customer is comparing a few businesses before choosing one, a website still carries weight. It is not about having something flashy. Even a simple one page site signals that a business is set up properly and intends to stick around. Some customers, particularly for higher value jobs like renovations, weddings, or anything involving a deposit, will look for a website specifically and feel uneasy if all they can find is a Facebook page.

You do not have to choose one or the other

This is not an argument for abandoning Facebook. It is genuinely useful for the things it is good at: quick updates, photos, direct messages, and reaching people who already follow you. The strongest setup for most small businesses is both. Facebook for engagement and community, and a simple website as the place that shows up in Google searches, holds your reviews and contact details, and belongs to you regardless of what any platform decides to do next.

What a basic website actually needs

You do not need dozens of pages or a big budget. A single well built page usually covers it: what you do, who it is for, where you are based, a few photos of real work, a couple of reviews, and a clear way to get in touch. That is enough to show up in searches, build trust, and give people somewhere to land when a Facebook link is not enough.

If you already have a website and are not sure whether it is doing its job, or you want to see exactly where it stands before adding one, a free scan will show you.