Do I need a website if I have a Facebook page?
Written by Carl, the person who builds every site. Updated 14 October 2026.
Not always. If all your work comes from word of mouth and people only need your number, a Facebook page plus a free Google Business Profile can be enough. You need a website when people search Google for what you do and compare you with others, when you want to show prices or take bookings, or when you do not want your business to depend on a platform you do not control.
Do this first, whatever you decide
Set up a free Google Business Profile. It is what puts you on Google Maps and in the box of local businesses at the top of a search. For most small businesses it brings in more calls than anything else, and it costs nothing. If you only do one thing after reading this, do that.
When a Facebook page is enough
- Almost all your work comes from referrals and repeat customers.
- You are fully booked and not trying to grow right now.
- People only need to see that you exist and find your number.
When you need a website
- People search Google for what you do in your area, and your competitors show up and you do not. Facebook pages rarely rank for those searches.
- Customers compare before they call. A website lets you show your prices, your work and why you, in your own order.
- You want people to book, order or pay without phoning you.
- You want to look established. For many customers, no website reads as not serious.
- You do not want to depend on Facebook. You do not own your page: an algorithm change, a hacked account or a ban can take it away overnight. A website on your own domain is yours.
Facebook page
- Free
- Owned by Facebook, not you
- Rarely ranks in Google searches
- Your page sits next to your competitors' adverts
Your own website
- A once-off cost
- Yours, on your own domain
- Built to be found on Google
- Only your business on the screen
Use them together
It is not one or the other. The best setup for most small businesses is a website as home base, a Google Business Profile pointing to it, and a Facebook page for keeping in touch with people who already know you.
Common questions
- Is a Google Business Profile free?
- Yes. It is free to set up and free to keep. You can list your service area without showing your home address.
- What is the cheapest proper website?
- With me, a 4 to 5 page site is R5,500 excluding VAT, with the domain and every login in your name.
Work out your own number
Nine questions, two minutes, and a PDF breakdown in your inbox. No call needed.