Do I Really Need a Website if I Have Facebook?

"We've got 2,000 Facebook followers, why would we need a website?" A café owner in Watchet asked me this last month, genuinely puzzled why they'd spend money on something they thought Facebook already provided. It's a fair question — and one I hear almost weekly from businesses across Somerset.

Here's the short answer: Facebook is rented land. Your website is your property.

Let me explain why that matters for your business.

You Don't Own Your Facebook Page

Remember when Facebook changed its algorithm in 2018? Overnight, business pages saw their organic reach plummet by 52%. A B&B owner in Minehead watched their post engagement drop from hundreds of views to barely a dozen. They hadn't done anything wrong — Facebook simply decided to prioritise personal content over business posts.

When you build your entire online presence on Facebook, you're at the mercy of:

• Algorithm changes that hide your content
• Policy updates that restrict what you can post
• Account suspensions (often automated and incorrect)
• Platform outages — remember the October 2021 crash?

Not Everyone Uses Facebook

Here's something that might surprise you: only 68% of UK adults use Facebook regularly. That figure drops to 41% for the over-65s — a demographic with significant spending power in Somerset.

I recently helped a plumber in Taunton analyse his customer base. We discovered:

• 32% of his new enquiries came through Google search
• 24% typed his business name directly into their browser
• Only 18% found him through Facebook

By relying solely on Facebook, you're invisible to roughly a third of your potential customers. That's leaving money on the table.

The Professional Credibility Factor

When did you last trust a business that only had a Facebook page? I've seen potential customers actively avoid businesses without proper websites. It's about credibility — a website shows you're established, professional, and here to stay.

Google Prefers Websites to Social Media

Want to know what appears when someone searches "café Watchet" or "plumber Taunton"? I'll tell you what doesn't appear — individual Facebook posts.

Google shows:

1. Local business websites
2. Google Business Profile listings
3. Review sites like TripAdvisor
4. Directory listings
5. Facebook pages (occasionally, but rarely at the top)

Your website can rank for dozens of search terms. Your Facebook page? It might rank for your business name — if you're lucky.

I helped a garden centre near Wellington optimise their website for "garden plants Somerset" and "landscaping supplies Wellington". Within three months, they saw a 150% increase in enquiries. Try achieving that with just a Facebook page.

Control Your Customer Journey

On Facebook, you're competing with cat videos, political rants, and your customer's aunt's holiday photos. The average Facebook user spends just 1.7 seconds looking at a post on mobile.

On your website, you control:

• The message: No distractions, just your content
• The design: Branded exactly how you want
• The user journey: Guide visitors from interest to enquiry
• The data: Install Google Analytics and understand your visitors

What About Facebook's Limitations?

Try doing any of these on Facebook:

• Create a detailed service page with prices
• Build an email list you actually own
• Set up proper e-commerce with inventory management
• Display customer testimonials prominently
• Optimise for local search terms

You can't. These basic business features require a proper website.

The Smart Approach: Website + Facebook

I'm not saying abandon Facebook — that would be daft. Use it for what it's good at:

• Quick updates and announcements
• Building community engagement
• Sharing photos and videos
• Running targeted ads
• Customer service and messaging

But make your website the hub. Drive Facebook traffic to your website, not the other way round.

What This Means for Your Business

A website doesn't need to cost thousands. For most small businesses in Somerset, a professional 5-10 page website costs between £800-£2,500. That's less than many businesses spend on Facebook ads in a year — but unlike ads, your website keeps working 24/7.

Here's what I recommend:

1. Start simple: Homepage, about, services, contact, and testimonials
2. Focus on mobile: 76% of local searches happen on phones
3. Include clear calls-to-action: Make it easy to enquiry or buy
4. Set up Google Business Profile: Links perfectly with your website
5. Add basic SEO: Target your location + service keywords

Yes, maintain your Facebook presence. But build your business on foundations you control. In my 40 years building websites, I've never seen a business regret investing in their own online property. I've seen plenty regret relying entirely on platforms they don't own.

Your customers are looking for you online right now. Make sure they find a business they can trust — not just another Facebook page.

Sources

• Ofcom News Consumption Survey 2023 — UK social media usage statistics
• Statista UK Social Media Statistics — Platform usage by demographic
• UK Digital Strategy 2022 — Government data on business digitalisation

About the Author: Marcus Knapman has been designing websites since the mid-1980s. Based in Williton, Somerset, he runs Exmoorweb — helping small businesses across Minehead, Watchet, Taunton, Bridgwater, and the wider South West build their online presence. With a BSc (Hons) and over 40 years of hands-on experience, he combines technical expertise with practical business sense.