Lots of businesses on the Fylde coast started with a Facebook page, and plenty still run on one. It’s free, it’s quick, and it’s where many local customers already spend their time. So is a website really worth it? Here’s my honest take.
What a Facebook page does well
- It’s free and you can set it up in an afternoon.
- Local people are already there, in community groups and on their feeds.
- It’s great for news, like offers, new stock or a fully booked weekend.
- Reviews and messages are easy for customers to leave.
If you’re just starting out or testing an idea, a Facebook page is a sensible first step.
Where a Facebook page falls short
You don’t own it
Your page lives on Facebook’s land, under Facebook’s rules. Accounts get hacked, locked or restricted, sometimes with no warning and no one to call. If that happens, your page, your reviews and your messages can disappear overnight.
Most of your followers won’t see your posts
Facebook decides who sees each post, and it’s usually a small share of your followers, unless you pay to boost it. Posting more doesn’t always fix that.
Google rarely shows Facebook pages
When someone searches “electrician Blackpool” or “cafe in Lytham”, Google mostly shows business profiles and websites. A Facebook page rarely appears for searches like these, so you miss people who don’t already know your name.
Not everyone uses Facebook
Some of your customers aren’t on it at all, and some won’t log in just to look you up. A website opens for everyone, on any phone.
The important details get buried
Your prices, services and opening hours sit in a feed, under last week’s posts. On a website, they’re one tap away, laid out the way you want.
It can’t do the work for you
A website can take bookings, payments and enquiries while you’re busy, and send them straight to you. A Facebook page mostly leaves you replying to messages one by one.
The best answer is usually both
You don’t have to choose. Think of your website as your shop and Facebook as your shop window:
- Your website is the home base. It’s where Google sends people, where your prices and services live, and where people book or enquire.
- Facebook is where you chat, share news and point people to your website.
Link them both ways. Put your website on your Facebook page, and your Facebook page on your website.
Signs it’s time for a website
- People ask the same questions in your messages every day.
- You’re losing work to competitors who show up on Google.
- You want people to book or buy without messaging you.
- You’d like to look as established as you really are.
If a few of those sound familiar, it’s probably time. My websites start at £1,500, or £300 to start then £125 a month. You can work out a guide price in about a minute, or ask me anything. No pressure, just an honest answer.
