Website vs. Facebook page: what does your small business actually need?
It is the question we hear more than any other: "I already have a Facebook page, so do I really need a website too?" Social media is powerful and free, so the instinct is understandable. But the two do very different jobs, and relying only on social media quietly costs most businesses customers they never knew they lost.
What a Facebook page is good at
Let us be fair to social media, because it earns its place. A Facebook or Instagram page is excellent for staying top of mind with people who already follow you, sharing timely updates and promotions, showing personality through photos and videos, and collecting social proof through comments and reviews. For ongoing engagement, it is hard to beat, and free.
Where a Facebook page falls short
The problems show up the moment someone who does not already follow you is trying to find a business like yours:
- Google search: when someone types "plumber near me" or "best tacos in town," Google overwhelmingly surfaces websites and Google Business Profiles, not Facebook pages.
- Trust: a professional website signals an established, legitimate business. A social page alone can read as a side hustle.
- Control: you do not own your Facebook page. Algorithm changes, suspensions, or a platform falling out of favor can erase your audience overnight. You own your website.
- Conversion: a website is built to turn a visitor into a call, booking, or quote. Social feeds are built to keep people scrolling, on the platform, not contacting you.
The "rented land" problem
Here is the core issue: building your business only on social media is like building on rented land. You can decorate it beautifully, but the landlord sets the rules and can change them at any time. Reach that was free last year now costs money to "boost." An account flagged by mistake can vanish with no appeal. Your website, by contrast, is land you own outright.
Social media is where people discover you. Your website is where they decide to do business with you.
The setup that actually works
You do not have to choose. The combination that wins for almost every small business is simple:
- A fast, professional website as your home base, the place that ranks on Google, builds trust, and converts.
- A Google Business Profile so you appear in the local map pack and "near me" searches.
- Social media to stay engaged with the audience you already have, with every post pointing back to your website.
The website is the hub; social is a spoke. If you are weighing the cost of that hub, our breakdown of what a small business website should cost is a good next read.
So, do you need a website?
If you only ever want to talk to people who already follow you, a social page can stretch a long way. But if you want to be found by new customers searching on Google, look established, and own your audience, then yes, you need a website, and it should work alongside your social media, not instead of it.
The good news is that getting one no longer requires a big upfront investment. A flat $99/month covers a custom site, hosting, and updates, so the barrier that used to push owners toward "just a Facebook page" is mostly gone.