A lot of trades run on Facebook alone. It is free, it is quick to post a photo, and local groups can send real work your way. We are not here to knock it. But if Facebook is your only online presence, you are building on land that belongs to someone else.
What Facebook is good at
- Showing off finished jobs quickly
- Staying in touch with past customers
- Local community groups and recommendations
- Cheap, targeted adverts if you want to run them
Keep doing all of that.
What Facebook is not
It is not searchable in the way a website is. Plenty of people searching Google for a tradesperson never end up on Facebook, and some do not use it at all. A website can show up for searches like “roofer in your town” in a way a page rarely does.
It is not yours. Pages can be restricted, hacked, reported or changed. The way posts are shown to people changes, usually so that you reach fewer followers unless you pay. You do not control the rules.
It does not look as established. A tidy website with your own domain and email address says you are a proper business. A page can look like a side project, fairly or not.
It is hard to organise. On a website, each service and each area gets its own clear page. On Facebook, your best work scrolls away down the feed.
What a website gives you that nothing else does
- A home on the internet in your own name
- Pages that can be found on Google for each service and town
- A professional email address
- A place to put prices, process, guarantees and reviews permanently
- A link you can put on your van, your invoices and your business card
How they work best together
Use Facebook as your shop window and your website as your shop. Post your latest jobs on social media, then link to the website for people who want to know more or get a quote.
Social media is rented space. Your website and domain are the only online assets you really own.
Getting started
If you only have a Facebook page today, a simple, sharp website is the next step. See what we offer or get in touch.