Do I need a website if I already have a Facebook page?

Short answer: maybe not yet, and maybe yes. It depends on what you want your online presence to do.

I should say up front that I build websites, so I'm not a neutral party. I'll try to be fair anyway, because plenty of small businesses start on Facebook and that's a perfectly reasonable place to start. I'm Tyler, a student here in Gainesville, and I build these sites myself.

What a Facebook page does well

• It's free and quick to set up. You can have a page running in an afternoon.
• It's easy to post updates, share photos and answer messages.
• You can put your hours, address and phone number on it.
• A lot of your customers probably already have an account, so they don't need to learn anything new.

For a new business or a side project, that's a lot of value for no cost.

Where a Facebook page falls short

• It's someone else's platform. They set the rules and the design. They can change how pages work and what people see, and you don't get a say.
• You can't make it look or work exactly how you want. Your page looks a lot like everyone else's page.
• It's hard to do your own things there, like a quote calculator or a booking page set up the way you like.
• Some of your customers don't use Facebook, or don't want to log in to read about a business.
• Information gets buried. A post about your hours or your prices can scroll out of view quickly.

What a website does well

• It's yours. You choose the look, the wording and what goes where. After final payment you own the finished website. You own your domain. Third Hand AI can manage it on your behalf.
• It's one place for everything: services, hours, prices, photos and a way to contact you.
• It can do jobs for you. A quote calculator, a booking page, a contact form, and a chat assistant that answers common questions are all things I build.
• Anyone with a browser can see it, whether or not they have an account anywhere.
• It can link to your Facebook page, so the two work together.

On the Home page of my own site I cite one survey, and it's worth repeating here with its source: "Businesses with a website are seen as 41% more trustworthy than those without one." That's from the DreamHost 2026 Local Business Trust Index. It compares having a website to not having one. It doesn't say anything about Facebook pages specifically, so take it for what it is.

Where a website falls short

• It costs money. My Starter website starts at $500, and Third Hand Care is $75 a month after the included period.
• It takes some work from you. You need to gather your logo, photos and a list of your services.
• It doesn't bring in people on its own. You still have to tell people it exists, and linking to it from your Facebook page is a good first step.
• It needs a little upkeep, like changing hours or adding a new service.

Using both

For most small businesses I think the best setup is both. Your website is your home base, where everything lives and where you control the details. Your Facebook page is where you chat with people and share what's happening this week. Each one links to the other.

One note: I don't manage Facebook pages. My social media service is Instagram. So if you want help with Facebook posting, that's not something I offer, and I'd rather say so than leave you guessing.

A few questions to help you decide

• Do customers ask you the same questions over and over?
• Would you like people to ask for a quote or book a time without calling you?
• Do you want people who aren't on Facebook to find you?
• Would you rather not depend on one company's rules for how customers see your business?
• Is a starting cost of $500 realistic for you right now?

If you said yes to the first few, a website is probably worth it. If the last one is a no, that's okay too.

If you're not ready yet

Keep your Facebook page in good shape in the meantime. Fill in your hours, phone number and a short description of what you do, and pin a post that explains your main services. A tidy page beats an abandoned one.