Many small businesses start with a Facebook page, and that is a sensible first step. It is free, quick to set up and great for sharing photos and news with local people. But relying on it alone has some drawbacks.
Not everyone uses Facebook
Plenty of potential customers do not have an account, or do not want to log in to see your page. A website is open to everyone.
Facebook pages are not great for search
When someone searches Google for your type of service in your town, a well-structured website with a page about that service has a much better chance of appearing than a social media post from months ago.
Information gets buried
On Facebook, your latest post pushes everything else down. Your prices, areas covered and FAQs are hard to find. On a website, that information sits in a clear, permanent place.
You do not control the platform
Social platforms change their rules, layouts and what they show people. Pages can be restricted or hacked. Your own website and domain stay under your control.
Use both together
The best approach for most local businesses is to use each for what it is good at:
- Facebook for regular updates, photos of recent jobs and community groups
- Your website as the permanent home for services, areas, reviews and your quote form
- Link them both ways, and keep your business details the same on each
When you share a post about a recent job, link to the relevant service page on your website. That brings interested people to the place where they can actually enquire.