Website vs Facebook Page: Do You Need Both?

Plenty of small businesses run entirely off a Facebook page — and for a while, it works. It’s free, people are already there, and you can post your work. So do you actually need a website as well? Here’s the honest answer, including when a website isn’t worth it.

What Facebook does well

Let’s be fair to Facebook: it’s genuinely useful. It’s free, it’s where a lot of your customers already spend time, it’s great for showing work-in-progress and building a following, and messaging makes it easy for people to reach you. If you’re just starting out, a Facebook page is a sensible first step.

The catch: you don’t own it

Here’s the part that matters. Your Facebook page isn’t yours — it’s Facebook’s. That has real consequences:

• The algorithm decides who sees your posts. You might have 800 followers and only 40 see a post. Reach has been quietly throttled for years to push paid ads.
• It can vanish. Pages get suspended, hacked, or restricted with no warning and no one to call. If your entire online presence is one page, that’s a real risk.
• It barely shows up on Google. When someone searches “painter in Stockport”, Facebook pages rarely rank. A website can.
• It looks less established. Rightly or wrongly, a business with only a Facebook page can read as smaller or less serious than one with its own site.

What a website gives you that Facebook can’t

• It’s an asset you own and control — no algorithm deciding who sees it.
• It shows up on Google for the searches your customers actually make.
• It works around the clock as your shop window, with your services, prices, reviews and contact details laid out the way you want.
• It builds trust — people often check Facebook and a website before deciding, and a professional site closes the gap.

The honest verdict

You don’t need to choose — they do different jobs. Facebook is great for engagement and staying in front of existing followers. A website is your owned, searchable home base. The strongest small businesses use Facebook to build relationships and a website to get found and convert.

When is a website not worth it yet? If you’re brand new, have no budget, and you’re getting all the work you can handle from word of mouth and Facebook — then wait. Don’t let anyone pressure you. But the moment you want to grow, be found on Google, or stop being at the mercy of the algorithm, a website built for your business is the move.

Want a straight opinion on whether it’s the right time for you? Have a chat with us — we’ll tell you honestly, even if “stick with Facebook for now” is the answer.

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Frequently asked questions

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

Not always immediately — but if you want to be found on Google, look more established, and own your online presence rather than rely on Facebook’s algorithm, then yes. The two work best together.

Why doesn’t my Facebook page show up on Google?

Facebook pages rarely rank for local service searches because Google favours websites for those results. A website is how you appear when someone searches for what you do.

Is a website better than Facebook for getting customers?

They’re different. Facebook is good for engaging people who already follow you; a website is better for being discovered by people searching on Google and for converting researchers into enquiries.

Can’t I just pay to boost Facebook posts instead?

You can, but you’re renting reach — the moment you stop paying, it stops. A website is an asset you own that keeps working, and good SEO brings visitors without a per-click cost.

What’s the risk of only having a Facebook page?

If the page is suspended, hacked or restricted, your whole online presence can disappear overnight with no recourse. Owning a website protects you from that single point of failure.