Plenty of local businesses run on a Facebook page and do fine. It's free, it's easy to update and your regulars may already follow you there. So is a website really necessary? For most businesses that want new customers, the honest answer is yes. But you probably need less website than you think.
What a Facebook page does well
- Posting quick updates, specials and photos
- Staying in touch with existing customers who follow you
- Events, messages and community groups
- Getting started at no cost
Keep your Facebook page. It's a good channel. The problem is relying on it alone.
Where a Facebook page falls short
You don't own it
Your page lives on someone else's platform, under their rules. Accounts get hacked, locked or restricted, sometimes by mistake, and getting help can take a long time. If your page is your only presence online, a lockout means you've effectively disappeared.
Many customers never see your posts
Facebook decides what appears in people's feeds, and organic reach for business pages is often low. Some of your potential customers don't use Facebook at all, or don't log in to look up businesses.
Search works differently
When someone searches "plumber near me" or "brunch in Pompano Beach", Google shows your Business Profile and websites. A Facebook page can appear in results, but a website lets you build pages for each service, explain where you work and answer common questions, all of which help Google understand what you do.
It's harder to take action
A website can let people book, order, request a quote or pay a deposit in a few taps. Facebook can link to those things, but the experience is usually clunkier, and you have less control over how it looks.
It looks less established
Many customers check for a website to confirm a business is real and still open. A clean site with clear hours and contact details builds trust, especially for higher-priced services like home repair, healthcare or events.
What a small business website actually needs
You don't need dozens of pages. A good starter site usually has:
- A home page that says what you do, where, and how to contact you
- A services or menu page with honest details (and prices if you like)
- A contact page with a click-to-call button, a form, a map and your hours
- Real photos of your work, your team or your space
- HTTPS (the padlock), fast loading and a layout that works on phones
- Links to your Google profile, Facebook and Instagram
How they work together
The strongest setup for most local businesses is all three: a Google Business Profile so you show up on Maps, a website you control that turns visitors into calls, bookings and orders, and Facebook and Instagram to stay in front of people between visits. Each one sends people to the others.
When Facebook alone might be enough
If you're just testing an idea, you're fully booked through referrals, or you sell only at markets or pop-ups, a Facebook page and a Google Business Profile may be enough for now. Just keep your contact details current, and plan for a website when you want to grow beyond word of mouth.
Next steps
Curious what your business would look like with a proper website? We'll build a free demo so you can see it before deciding. Already have a site? Request a free website audit, or see pricing.
General information, not legal advice. Platform policies change; check Google's current review and Business Profile policies before acting.