Facebook is free and takes 20 minutes. A website takes more effort and costs money every month. So it’s fair to ask whether a Facebook page is enough — or whether you’re missing out by not having your own site.
Short answer: they do completely different jobs. Facebook is where existing customers refer you. A website is where new customers find you. Relying only on Facebook means missing the majority of people actively searching for a tradesperson right now.
Here’s the full breakdown — what each platform gives you, what it costs, and how to decide where to put your time and money.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook reaches people who know you; a website reaches people who are searching for a tradesperson but don’t know you exist yet
- According to BrightLocal’s 2024 Local Consumer Review Survey, 98% of UK consumers use the internet to find local businesses — most of that search activity happens on Google, not Facebook
- Facebook business pages now reach just 1–5% of followers organically, according to Meta platform data — your posts aren’t being seen by most of your audience
- A website generates enquiries 24/7 and costs nothing per lead; Facebook posts require regular effort to maintain visibility
- Managed trade websites start from £49/month with Digital Tradies — no setup cost, live in three working days
The Core Difference: How Customers Find Tradespeople
To understand which platform wins, you need to understand how your customers actually behave when they need a tradesperson.
Most homeowners follow one of two paths:
Path 1: They ask someone they know. A neighbour had their boiler replaced last year. They ask who did it and get a name. This is referral — and Facebook can help here. If you post your work and stay visible in local groups, you’re more likely to be the name that comes up.
Path 2: They search Google. They type “roofer near me,” “electrician [town],” or “kitchen fitter Glasgow.” They look at websites, read reviews, and call someone. This is where most new customers come from — and it’s where Facebook is completely absent.
Searches for local tradespeople happen millions of times every month across the UK. A Facebook page doesn’t appear in those results. A website does.
What Facebook Actually Gives You
Facebook has over 35 million UK users (Statista, 2024). That’s real reach in theory. In practice, what a trade business page actually gives you is more limited:
- Somewhere to post photos of completed jobs and collect reviews
- A presence in local community groups, which genuinely drives referrals
- A basic contact page that’s mobile-friendly and easy to share
- An informal way for existing customers to tag you or recommend you
Facebook works well as a trust signal and a referral tool. If someone is thinking of recommending you to a neighbour, being able to share your Facebook page makes it easy. Your photos and reviews are visible before anyone calls.
Where Facebook falls short:
Organic reach has collapsed for business pages. Meta has shifted to prioritising paid content, personal posts, and suggested content. Your average post now reaches 1–5% of people who follow you. A page with 400 followers might have 4–20 people see each post.
Facebook doesn’t surface your business in Google searches. Someone typing “plasterer Edinburgh” will see websites — not Facebook pages.
And unlike a website, you don’t own your Facebook presence. Meta can change the algorithm, restrict your reach, or suspend your account. You’re building on rented land.
What a Website Gives You That Facebook Can’t
A website is the only way to capture customers actively searching on Google. Here’s what that means in practice:
- Google visibility: a well-structured website with your trade and location will appear in local search results for people searching right now
- 24/7 lead generation: your website works while you sleep — enquiry forms, click-to-call buttons, and WhatsApp links capture leads at any hour
- Credibility: 75% of consumers judge a business’s credibility by its website (Stanford Web Credibility Research) — showing up without one costs you jobs you never know you lost
- An asset you own: a website compounds over time as Google indexes more pages, collects more reviews, and builds authority; Facebook gives nothing you keep when you stop posting
For more on what a trade website should include to convert visitors into calls, see what every tradesman’s website needs.
The longer a website is live and active, the better it performs. A Facebook page requires constant fresh content to stay visible. A website can generate enquiries from a post you wrote two years ago.
Cost and ROI: Side by Side
Here’s how the two platforms compare over 12 months for a typical sole trader or small trade business:
| Factor | Facebook Page | Your Own Website |
|---|---|---|
| Setup cost | Free | £0 upfront (Digital Tradies) |
| Monthly cost | Free (organic) | From £49/month |
| Annual cost | £0 | £588/year |
| Cost per lead | £0 (but reach is limited) | £0 after monthly fee |
| Reach | 1–5% of followers organically | Anyone searching Google in your area |
| Lead intent | Low to medium (referral-based) | High (actively searching) |
| Works without ongoing effort | No — needs regular posting | Yes — Google traffic is passive |
| You own it | No | Yes |
| Builds over time | Limited | Yes — SEO compounds |
A single job won from Google search can cover months of website costs. A plumber or electrician charging typical UK rates (£50–£80/hour for most trades) needs one or two enquiries per year to break even on a £588 annual website spend.
The Buying Journey: Where Customers Actually Look
Let’s trace where a homeowner in Manchester goes when they need an emergency plumber at 8pm on a Tuesday:
- They search Google: “emergency plumber Manchester”
- They look at the map pack (Google Business Profile) and organic results
- They click on one or two websites, look at the service pages and contact details
- They call the number on the site
Facebook isn’t part of that journey. The tradesperson who gets the call has a website and a Google Business Profile — not just a Facebook page.
This isn’t an edge case. It’s the dominant pattern for new customer acquisition among tradespeople in the UK. Research from Google’s own data consistently shows that 78% of local searches on mobile lead to a purchase or enquiry within 24 hours.
When Facebook Works Best
Facebook isn’t useless — it just does a different job. It works best for:
- Building a local reputation before you have website traffic
- Referral amplification: making it easy for happy customers to share your work
- Community groups: posting in local Facebook groups can generate genuine leads, especially for landscaping, painting, and smaller domestic jobs
- Social proof: a Facebook page with 50+ reviews supports your credibility when someone checks you out after a referral
The problem is treating Facebook as your only online presence. Tradespeople who do this are invisible to anyone searching Google — which is most new customers.
The Right Approach: Both, With Different Roles
The tradespeople who generate the most consistent work use both — but they understand what each does.
Facebook’s job: Stay visible to existing customers and their networks. Post finished jobs. Collect reviews. Be findable when someone recommends you.
Website’s job: Capture people searching on Google. Convert enquiries. Be credible when someone looks you up. Build long-term organic traffic. Read more about how a website gets tradespeople more work.
If you’re just starting out and can’t afford both right away, start with Facebook — it’s free and helps you get early referrals. But get a website as soon as possible. A managed trade website from Digital Tradies starts from £49/month with no upfront cost and goes live in three working days. The sooner it’s live, the sooner Google starts indexing it, and the sooner you start appearing in local searches.
Most tradespeople who have both say the same thing: Facebook brings them work from people who already know them; their website brings them work from people who’ve never heard of them. That second category is where the growth is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a website if I already get enough work from Facebook? If your current workload is full, a website isn’t urgent. But Facebook leads are fragile — they depend on the algorithm showing your posts, and you can’t control that. A website builds a parallel channel that works passively. Most tradespeople who add a website find it brings in enquiries from a different type of customer to Facebook.
Can’t I just use Google Business Profile instead of a website? Google Business Profile is worth setting up regardless — it’s free and puts you on the map pack. But it works best when it links to a real website. A profile without a website loses credibility and ranks less strongly in competitive areas. See our guide to Google Business Profile for tradespeople to get that set up alongside your website.
How long before a website starts bringing in leads? Typically three to six months before you see consistent Google traffic, depending on your trade and location. Less competitive towns can show results sooner. The key is getting it live as early as possible — the clock starts ticking from the day Google first indexes your site.
What’s the difference between a Facebook business page and a personal profile? A Facebook business page is a separate account from your personal profile, set up specifically for your trade. It lets customers leave reviews, shows business hours, and has analytics. Always use a business page for trade work — mixing personal and business content looks unprofessional and limits your features.
