We get this question a lot: "I've got a Facebook page, do I really need a website as well?" The short answer is yes. Here's the longer version.
What Facebook is good for
Facebook is brilliant for a few things. Showing off your work with photos and videos. Getting recommendations from past customers. Staying visible to people who already follow you. Running local ads if you want to pay for them.
If you're active on Facebook and you're getting work from it, that's great. Keep doing it. But don't rely on it as your only online presence.
The problem with Facebook-only
You don't own it. Facebook can change the rules anytime. They've tanked organic reach before, meaning your posts only get shown to a fraction of your followers. They can disable your page for violating terms you didn't know existed. We've seen it happen to legitimate businesses. One day the page is there, next day it's gone.
It doesn't show up well in Google. When someone searches "plumber in Sunderland", Google wants to show them proper websites with clear information. A Facebook page might show up, but it'll be buried under competitors who have actual websites. You're basically invisible to anyone who doesn't already know your name.
It looks less professional. Fair or not, a business with a proper website looks more established than one with just a Facebook page. When someone's choosing between two plumbers and one has a clean, professional website with their services listed and the other has a Facebook page with random posts, who are they going to call?
You can't control the experience. On your own website, you decide what people see first. You can guide them from "here's what we do" to "here's how to get in touch". On Facebook, they land on your timeline and see whatever you posted last. That might be a photo of a great job, or it might be a shared meme from three weeks ago.
What a website gives you that Facebook doesn't
- Google visibility. Your website can rank for searches like "roofer near me" or "electrician in Durham". Facebook pages almost never rank for these.
- Professional first impression. A clean website with your services, photos, and contact info builds trust instantly.
- Control. You decide what's on there. No algorithm deciding who sees what.
- A contact form. People can send enquiries at midnight without having to message you on Facebook and hope you see it.
- Permanence. Your website is yours. Nobody can take it away or change the rules on you.
The ideal setup
Use both. Your website is your home base. It's where serious enquiries come from and where Google sends people. Facebook is your noticeboard. Post your work, chat with customers, stay visible. Link your Facebook page to your website so people can find both.
Think of it this way: Facebook is for people who already know you. Your website is for people who don't know you yet. You need both if you want to keep growing.