Do I Actually Need a Website, or Is Facebook Enough?

Let’s start with what Facebook actually gets right, because dismissing it entirely would be unfair.

If you’re a sole trader who’s been in business for a few years, there’s a decent chance Facebook is already doing real work for you. People share your posts, recommend you in local groups, leave you reviews, and message you directly. It’s conversational, it’s free, and for word-of-mouth businesses, it fits naturally.

So no — this isn’t a guide that’s going to tell you Facebook is worthless. It isn’t.

But it has limits. And those limits matter more the longer you’re in business.

What Facebook can’t do

You don’t own it. Your Facebook page belongs to Facebook, not to you. They can change the algorithm, reduce how many of your followers see your posts, suspend your page over a complaint, or simply change how the platform works — and there’s nothing you can do about it. A website is yours. The content, the address, the photos — all of it.

Facebook can’t get you found on Google. When someone in your town types “plumber near me” into Google, what comes up? Local business websites and Google Maps listings — not Facebook pages. If your only presence is on Facebook, you’re invisible to anyone who searches for your trade rather than knowing to look you up.

Every Facebook page looks the same. A well-established company with 20 years of experience and a sole trader who started last month have identical-looking Facebook pages. There’s no way to stand out or present your work properly. A website gives you that space.

You can’t control what people see first. Facebook decides what shows up in your feed and in what order. On a website, you decide exactly what a new visitor sees.

How Google and Facebook work differently

Facebook is where people share things with people they already know. It’s passive — someone scrolls past your post if they happen to follow you.

Google is where people search for something they need right now. It’s active — someone is actively looking for a plumber, electrician, decorator, or roofer at the exact moment they need one.

A customer who finds you on Google has already decided they need what you do. They’re looking for someone to hire — not browsing.

What customers actually do before hiring a tradesperson

Most people follow a pattern something like this: ask someone they trust for a recommendation, search online for a few options, check whoever was recommended to see if they look legitimate, then make contact. At step two, you need to be findable. At step three, you need to look credible. A Facebook page alone often doesn’t pass that second test — especially for larger jobs where the customer is spending real money.

When you might genuinely not need a website yet

Here’s the honest version: if you’re already at full capacity through referrals alone, a website is less urgent. A website becomes more important when you want to grow beyond your current referral network, target different types of work, reduce reliance on a single source of enquiries, or look more established when customers check you out online.

The case for having both

The best answer for most tradespeople isn’t website or Facebook — it’s both, doing different jobs. Facebook for community and existing customers. Website for new customers finding you on Google. They work together and neither replaces the other.

What a simple trades website actually looks like

You don’t need anything complicated. A trades website that does its job well typically has five pages: Home, Services, About, Gallery, and Contact. That’s it. Take a look at the examples page to see what that looks like for different trades.