Why Your Business Deserves More Than Just a Facebook Page

Right, let's have a proper chat about something that's been bugging me for ages. I keep meeting brilliant tradespeople and service providers who are absolutely awesome at what they do, but they're missing out on loads of work because they think a Facebook page is enough for their business online.

Just last week, I was talking to Dave, a sparky from Coventry who's been doing electrical work for fifteen years. really good at his job, never had a complaint, but he was scratching his head wondering why he wasn't getting the emergency call-outs that his mate Steve was landing. Turns out Steve had a website, Dave didn't. Simple as that.

Look, I get it. Facebook seems like the easy option, doesn't it? It's free, everyone's on it, and you can set up a page in about ten minutes flat. But here's the thing - and I'm going to be straight with you - if that's all you've got, you're basically invisible to most potential customers. And that's costing you money every single day.

The Facebook Problem Nobody Talks About

Here's what nobody tells you about Facebook: it's not really free anymore. Not if you actually want people to see your posts.

My mate Gary runs a plumbing business in Southampton. Cracking plumber, never leaves a job half-done. He's got about 600 followers on his Facebook page, built up over three years of posting photos of his work. But when he puts up a post now, maybe 20 or 30 people see it. That's it. Facebook wants him to pay to reach the rest of his own followers.

"It's like having a shop window that only opens when you slip the landlord a tenner," Gary told me. And he's not wrong.

The thing is, Facebook isn't a charity. They're a massive company making billions by selling advertising. Your free page? You're not the customer - you're the product they're selling to advertisers. The moment it suits them to change how things work, they will. And there's nothing you can do about it.

Why People Don't Trust Facebook-Only Businesses

Let's be honest about something. When you're looking for a tradesperson - let's say your boiler's packed up on a Sunday night and you need someone quick - what do you do? You probably Google "emergency plumber near me" or something like that.

Now, imagine two results come up. One's got a proper website with their qualifications, insurance details, call-out charges clearly listed, and loads of real reviews. The other one? Just a Facebook page with a few photos and some comments from their mates.

Which one are you calling?

I thought so.

Sarah runs a cleaning business in Leeds, and she found this out the hard way. She'd been doing brilliant work for two years, all through Facebook and word of mouth. But when she tried to get contracts with some of the bigger offices in town, they kept asking for her website. She didn't have one.

"They basically told me I didn't look professional enough," she said. "One office manager actually said she wasn't sure if I was a proper business or just someone doing a bit of cleaning on the side."

That stung, but it was the kick up the backside Sarah needed. Six months after getting her website sorted, she'd landed three office contracts worth more than she used to make in a year.

Google Doesn't Care About Your Facebook Page

Here's something that might shock you: when someone searches for "builder in Blackpool" or "gardener Guildford," your Facebook page probably won't even show up. Google's got no reason to show it.

Facebook pages are rubbish for search engines. They're designed to keep people on Facebook, not to help customers find your business. So while your competitors with proper websites are showing up when people search for what you do, you're nowhere to be seen.

Take Tony, who does kitchen fitting around Birmingham. For three years, he relied on Facebook and recommendations. Work was steady, but not exactly booming. Then his nephew (bit of a tech head) showed him something that proper opened his eyes.

They searched "kitchen fitter Birmingham" on Google. Tony's business didn't appear anywhere in the first five pages of results. His main competitor? Right there at the top.

"I couldn't believe it," Tony said. "This bloke's been doing kitchens for half as long as me, but every time someone searches, they find him first."

Within four months of getting his website up and running, Tony's phone was ringing twice as much. Same quality work, same prices, but suddenly visible to everyone looking for kitchen fitting in his area.

You Don't Own Your Facebook Page

This is the big one, and it's something most people don't think about until it's too late.

Your Facebook page isn't yours. It's Facebook's. They can change the rules whenever they want. They can suspend your account. They can charge you to reach your own customers. And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Mark runs a landscaping business in Cornwall. Built up a lovely Facebook page over four years - nearly 1,000 followers, regular posts showing off his work, bookings coming in nicely. Then one day, someone reported one of his posts as spam (it wasn't). Facebook suspended his account while they "investigated."

For three weeks, Mark had no way to contact his customers. No way to show his work. No way to take new bookings. Three weeks of lost business because someone clicked the wrong button and Facebook's robots decided he was guilty until proven innocent.

"I felt sick," Mark told me. "My whole business just disappeared overnight. All those customers I'd built up, all that work I'd put into the page - gone."

That's when it hit him: he'd built his entire business on land he didn't own. If Facebook decided tomorrow that they didn't want trades on their platform, what would he do?

Your website, though? That's yours. Your name, your rules, your content. Nobody can take it away from you or change how it works without your say-so.

Making It Easy for Customers to Find What They Need

Think about your own Facebook page for a minute. If someone lands on it and wants to know your prices, how do they find that information? They've got to scroll through weeks or months of posts, hoping you mentioned it somewhere.

What about your opening hours? Your service area? Whether you're available for emergency call-outs? Same thing - it's all buried in your timeline somewhere.

Now imagine you're a customer with a burst pipe at 11 PM on a Thursday. You need a plumber now, not in twenty minutes after you've scrolled through their entire Facebook history trying to work out if they do emergency work.

Lisa runs a dog grooming business in Manchester. She used to handle everything through Facebook messages. Nightmare, it was. People asking the same questions over and over: "Do you do nail clipping?" "How much for a full groom?" "Can I book for next Tuesday?"

She was spending more time answering the same questions than actually grooming dogs.

Her website changed everything. All the common questions answered clearly on one page. Prices listed properly. Online booking so people can see what slots are available and book themselves in. She went from spending two hours a day on messages to maybe twenty minutes.

"Best thing I ever did," Lisa says. "Customers are happier because they get answers straight away, and I get to spend my time doing what I'm actually good at."

Your Customers Are Already Looking for You Online

Here's the thing: your customers aren't just browsing Facebook hoping to stumble across a good electrician. They're actively searching for what you do.

Every day, thousands of people in your area are typing things like "reliable builder near me" or "best plumber in [your town]" into Google. If you haven't got a website, you're invisible to all of them.

But if you have got a website - a proper one that Google likes - you can be right there when they're looking.

Jenny does house cleaning around Bath. Before her website, she was getting maybe two or three new customers a month through Facebook and word of mouth. Nothing wrong with that, but she knew she could do more work if she could find it.

Her website changed everything. Now when people search "house cleaner Bath" or "domestic cleaning service," Jenny's business comes up on the first page (it did take some time and SEO ) . She's gone from two or three new customers a month to fifteen or twenty.

"It's mental," she says. "People are literally looking for what I do, and now they can actually find me."

Showing Off Your Work Properly

Facebook's rubbish for showing off your work, isn't it? Photos get lost in the timeline, you can't organise them properly, and good luck finding that brilliant kitchen you fitted six months ago when someone asks to see examples.

A website lets you create a proper gallery of your best work. Before and after photos, different types of jobs, organised so people can find exactly what they're looking for.

Pete's a decorator from Norwich, and his before-and-after photos are genuinely impressive. On Facebook, they were just mixed in with everything else. On his website, he's got them organised by room type, job size, everything. Customers can see exactly what he can do for them.

"It's like having a portfolio that never gets dog-eared or coffee stains on it," Pete says.

Getting Found for Emergency Work

This is huge for trades. When someone's got an emergency - burst pipe, power cut, locked out - they're not browsing Facebook. They're straight onto Google: "emergency plumber [location]" or "24 hour electrician near me."

If you're not showing up for those searches, you're missing out on some of the best-paid work going.

Rob's an emergency locksmith covering Essex. His website makes it crystal clear that he does 24-hour call-outs, covers the whole county, and what his charges are. When people search for emergency locksmiths at 2 AM, he's right there.

"Emergency work pays double, sometimes triple normal rates," Rob explains. "Before the website, I was getting maybe one emergency call a week. Now it's more like one a day."

Customer Reviews That Actually Count

Facebook reviews are all well and good, but Google reviews carry more weight. When your website shows up in search results, Google shows your star rating right there. Five stars next to your business name? That's gold dust.

Plus, you can collect reviews from customers who don't even use Facebook. Lots of people, especially older customers, aren't on social media but they'll happily leave a Google review.

Michelle runs a care service for elderly people in Devon. Her Google reviews are absolutely glowing - proper heartfelt stuff from families grateful for the care she's provided. Those reviews, displayed prominently on her website, bring in more work than any Facebook post ever could.

Staying in Touch with Customers

Here's something Facebook doesn't let you do: collect your customers' email addresses properly. If Facebook disappeared tomorrow (remember MySpace?), you'd lose touch with all your followers instantly.

A website lets you build up a proper mailing list of people who've used your services. Christmas cards, special offers, reminders about annual services - you can stay in touch with customers without relying on Facebook's ever-changing rules about who sees your posts.

The Money Side of Things

"But websites cost money!" I hear you say.

Well, yes, they do. But let's talk about what Facebook actually costs you.

First, there's the hidden cost of Facebook advertising. If you want people to actually see your posts now, you're looking at spending £200-300 a month minimum. That's £2,400-3,600 a year just to reach people who already follow your page.

Then there's the opportunity cost - all the customers you're not getting because you don't show up in Google searches. How much work are you losing every month because people can't find you?

Compare that to a website that costs £99 upfront and works for you 24/7, bringing in new customers without any ongoing fees to Facebook.

Do the maths. It's a no-brainer.

What About "I'm Not Technical"?

Look, you don't need to be technical. You don't need to learn coding or design or any of that nonsense. That's what we are for.

You're a plumber, electrician, builder, cleaner - whatever. You're brilliant at what you do. Let someone else handle the technical bits while you get on with running your business.

Steve's a roofer from Cardiff who can barely send a text message, let alone build a website. But he knows a good investment when he sees one.

"I can't even work the timer on my oven," Steve laughs. "But I don't need to. I know about roofs, they know about websites. Same as I wouldn't expect them to fix their tiles - why would I try to build my own website?"

Steve's website brings him about £2,000 worth of new work every month. He's not bothered about how it works - he just cares that it does work.

Local Area Searches

This is where websites really shine for local trades. When someone searches "plumber Peterborough" or "electrician Exeter," Google wants to show them local businesses with proper websites.

Your website can target exactly the areas you cover. Maybe you're based in Swindon but you'll travel to Marlborough, Devizes, and Chippenham. Your website can be set up to show up for searches in all those areas.

Ian's a heating engineer who covers a big chunk of Yorkshire. His website has separate pages for each main town he covers - Leeds, Wakefield, Barnsley, Huddersfield. When people in any of those areas search for heating repairs, Ian shows up.

"It's like having shop fronts in every town I cover," Ian says. "Except I don't have to pay rent on any of them."

Qualifying Customers Before They Call

One of the best things about a website is that you can answer all the common questions before people even pick up the phone. Your prices, what areas you cover, what services you offer, how quickly you can get there.

This means when people do call, they're already qualified leads. They know what you charge, they know you cover their area, and they're ready to book.

Kevin's a gardener in Surrey who used to spend half his time on the phone explaining that no, he doesn't do tree surgery, and no, he won't travel to Brighton for a lawn cut. His website makes it crystal clear what he does and where he does it.

"Now when people call, they actually want what I'm offering," Kevin says. "Saves me hours every week, and the people who do call are much more likely to book."

Building Trust Before You Meet

Your website is like sending a CV ahead of you. Customers can see your qualifications, your insurance details, examples of your work, and what other customers think of you. By the time you turn up for the quote, they already trust you.

That makes a massive difference to your conversion rate. Instead of spending the first ten minutes of every meeting convincing people you're legitimate, you can get straight down to talking about their job.

24/7 Marketing That Never Takes a Day Off

Your website works while you sleep. While you're doing a job. While you're on holiday. It's out there 24/7, answering questions, showing off your work, and collecting enquiries.

Facebook posts disappear into the timeline after a day or two. Your website stays there, working for you constantly.

Paul's a tiler from Preston who went on holiday to Spain for two weeks. Came back to find eight new enquiries waiting for him from his website. People had found him through Google, liked what they saw, and got in touch.

"It's like having an employee who never sleeps, never calls in sick, and never asks for a pay rise," Paul grins.

Standing Out from Cowboys

Every trade has them - the cowboys who do shoddy work and disappear when things go wrong. Having a professional website immediately separates you from that crowd.

Customers know that someone who's invested in a proper website and put their face and qualifications online isn't going to vanish after doing a bad job.

"It's about accountability," says Andrew, who runs a small building firm in Kent. "Anyone can knock up a Facebook page in five minutes. A proper website shows you're serious about your business."

Future-Proofing Your Business

Social media platforms come and go. Remember Friends Reunited? Bebo? Even MySpace was massive once. But websites? They've been around since the early days of the internet and they're not going anywhere.

Your website is an investment in your business's future. As you grow, as technology changes, as your customers' needs evolve, your website can grow and change with you.

Common Worries (And Why They're Nonsense)

"I don't have time to update a website" You don't need to. Once it's set up, it mostly runs itself. Unlike Facebook, where you need to post constantly to stay visible, a website just sits there doing its job.

"All my customers use Facebook" Some of your current customers might, but what about all the potential customers who are searching on Google? You're missing out on loads of work from people who don't even know you exist.

"I don't know what to put on a website" The information's probably already in your head or scattered around your Facebook posts. A good web company will help you organise it properly.

"What if I don't get any more work from it?" Honestly? That's almost impossible if it's done right. Every single tradesperson I know who's got a proper website has seen more enquiries. The only question is how many more.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long before I see more enquiries? Most tradespeople start getting extra calls within a few weeks. The website starts showing up in Google searches pretty quickly, and once it does, the enquiries follow.

Do I need to choose between Facebook and a website? Not at all! Keep your Facebook page - it's good for staying in touch with existing customers and showing a bit of personality. But let your website do the heavy lifting for finding new work.

What if I'm rubbish with computers? Doesn't matter. You don't need to touch the technical side. A good web company sorts all that out. You just need to answer the phone when new customers call.

How do I know it's working? You can see exactly how many people are visiting your website, what they're looking for, and where they're coming from. Much more detailed than anything Facebook gives you.

What about customers who don't use the internet much? They still find tradespeople through Google when they need them. And having a website makes you look more professional even to people who prefer to communicate by phone.

Can I update prices and services myself? Yes, good websites are built so you can make simple changes yourself. Or most web companies will do small updates for you if you prefer.

What happens if something goes wrong with the website? That's what web companies are for. They keep an eye on things and fix any problems. It's not your worry.

How do I get my website to show up in Google? That's part of what a good web company does - they set it up so Google can find it easily. Much easier than trying to figure it out yourself.

Taking the Next Step

Look, I could go on all day about why you need a website, but the proof's in the pudding. Every successful tradesperson and service provider I know has made this move, and none of them regret it.

The question isn't whether you need a website - it's how much longer you're going to wait while your competitors snap up all the customers who can't find you online.

Your phone should be ringing more than it is. You should be turning work away, not scraping for every job. You should be the tradesperson that people find first when they search, not the one they never know exists.

The good news is, it's easier than you think to sort this out. You don't need to become a web expert or spend a fortune. You just need to take the first step.

Ready to stop being invisible online?

The 99 Quid Website Company gets it. We work with tradespeople and service providers just like you every day. We know you don't want technical nonsense or fancy features you'll never use. You want a website that brings you more work, simple as that.

We'll handle all the technical bits. We'll help you work out what to put on your website. We'll make sure it shows up when people search for what you do. And we'll do it all for £99 - less than most people spend on Facebook advertising in two weeks.

Don't spend another month watching competitors get work that should be coming to you. Don't let another customer give up trying to find your contact details buried in your Facebook timeline.

Get in touch today. Let's have a chat about getting your business the visibility it deserves. Because you're brilliant at what you do - it's time people could actually find you when they need you.

Your next customer is probably searching for you right now. Make sure they can find you.