Short answer: yes, if you want new customers to find you on Google and trust you enough to get in touch. A Facebook page is a great place to talk to people who already know you, but it is a poor replacement for a website when strangers are searching for what you do.
Plenty of small businesses run happily on Facebook for years, so this isn’t about saying social media is bad. It’s about understanding what each one is good at, and where relying only on Facebook quietly costs you work.
What Facebook is genuinely good at
- Keeping in touch with existing customers and locals who follow you
- Sharing quick updates, specials and photos
- Reviews and recommendations from people who know you
- Messaging, for customers who prefer it
Where a Facebook page falls short
1. People searching Google often don’t find it
When someone searches “electrician near me” or “best cafe in [suburb]”, Google mostly shows websites and Google Business Profiles. Facebook pages rarely rank well for these searches. If you’re only on Facebook, you’re invisible to many of the people actively looking for your service right now.
2. Not everyone uses Facebook
Some of your potential customers don’t have an account, don’t want one, or get pestered to log in when they try to look at your page. A website opens for everyone, instantly.
3. You don’t own it
Facebook decides how your page looks, who sees your posts and what the rules are. Pages get hacked, restricted or buried by algorithm changes, and you have no say. Your website and domain belong to you.
4. It’s hard to find the basics
Opening hours, prices, service areas and a proper list of what you do are scattered across posts on a Facebook page. On a website, they’re organised and easy to find in seconds.
5. It doesn’t always look as professional
For trades, professional services and anything high-value, many customers see a business with a proper website as more established and trustworthy than one that only has a Facebook page.
Think of Facebook as your shopfront window for people walking past, and your website as the shop itself.
The best answer: use both
Most successful small businesses use Facebook and a website together. Facebook keeps your regulars engaged and sends them to your website for details. Your website catches the people searching Google and AI assistants, answers their questions and turns them into enquiries.
What this means for your business
- If most of your work comes from people searching online, a website is essential
- If you mostly serve regulars who already follow you, Facebook may be enough for now, but you are leaving new customers on the table
- If you want to look established and own your online presence, get a website
Frequently asked questions
Is a Facebook page enough for a small business?
A Facebook page can be enough for keeping in touch with existing customers, but it is rarely enough to be found by new customers searching Google, because Facebook pages seldom rank for searches like “plumber near me”.
Does a website help me show up on Google?
Yes. A website with clear page titles, service pages and local business details gives Google far more to work with than a Facebook page, especially when paired with a Google Business Profile.
Should I stop using Facebook if I get a website?
No. Use both: Facebook for engaging regulars, and your website as the place you send everyone for details, prices and enquiries.
See what your website could look like
avissoft builds websites for Australian small businesses for a flat $799, including your domain and hosting for the first year, with no monthly fees. Get a free homepage mockup first, with no obligation.
