Does a small business need a website if it has a Facebook page?
Many small businesses start with a Facebook page: it is free and takes an evening to set up. That is a sensible start. The question is whether it is enough when you want more customers from Google search and more trust.
What a Facebook page gives you
- A free start and easy posting of news, photos and offers.
- Contact with your followers and quick messages.
- A place where customers see that the business is alive and active.
What you miss without your own website
- Control. Facebook changes its rules and the way it shows posts without asking you.
- Google search. People who search for a service on Google reach a website more easily than a Facebook post.
- Organised information. On a site the prices, services, working hours and contacts are in clear places, not among old posts.
- Functions. A booking calendar, a chat on the site, an inquiry form and a gallery, arranged the way you want.
- Trust. For some customers a website is a sign that they are dealing with a serious business.
The two work best together
The website is your home on the internet: the information there is organised and always yours. Facebook is the place for conversation and news. Put a link to the site in your profile and posts, and add a link to your page on the site.
What a small business website should have
- A phone number and working hours in a visible place.
- Services with prices or starting prices.
- Photos of your work.
- Reviews from real customers.
- A clear way to reach you: a form, a chat or online booking.
- The city or area where you work.
What happens when a customer searches on Google
A person who types "hairdresser near me" or "air conditioner repair" sees results from websites, maps and profiles. A Facebook page rarely appears among them for such searches, especially if it is new or has few posts. Your own site with clear services, a city and contacts has a much better chance to be shown.
The most common worries
- "It is expensive". A subscription of 29 € a month does not require a large investment at the start and you can stop it.
- "It is complicated". The admin panel is made for people without technical knowledge and works from a phone.
- "I have no time". The site is online within 24 hours, and you add photos and prices when you have time.
- "I have nothing to write". Your services, prices, photos of your work and a phone number are enough.
First steps for one day
- Describe in a few lines what you offer and for whom.
- Prepare 6 to 10 photos of your work.
- Write down the prices or starting prices of the main services.
- Put the link to the site in your Facebook and Instagram profiles.