This is the number one thing I hear from business owners in Sedalia. "I already have a Facebook page. Why would I pay for a website?"
And honestly? It\'s a fair question. I\'m not going to sit here and tell you that every single business needs a website right this second. That would be dishonest, and I don\'t do dishonest.
But I am going to tell you what Facebook can\'t do for you. And then you can decide for yourself.
Facebook Is a Great Starting Point
Let me be upfront about this. If you\'re a solo operator just getting started, maybe doing lawn care on weekends or selling baked goods from your kitchen, a Facebook page is perfectly fine for now. It\'s free, it\'s easy to set up, and most people in Sedalia are already on Facebook. You can post photos of your work, interact with customers, and get the word out without spending a dime.
I\'ve seen plenty of small businesses around town doing just fine with a Facebook page and word of mouth. If that\'s working for you and you\'re not looking to grow much beyond where you are, I\'m not going to pressure you into buying something you don\'t need.
That said, there\'s a ceiling. And most businesses hit it faster than they think.
Facebook Doesn\'t Show Up on Google
This is the big one. When someone in Sedalia searches "powder coating near me" or "best mechanic in Sedalia," Google shows them websites, Google Business Profiles, and map listings. Your Facebook page? It almost never shows up in those results.
Think about how you find businesses. You Google them. You don\'t open Facebook and search. When I built the website for Lemko Coating here in Sedalia, one of the main reasons Nathan wanted a site was exactly this. He had a Facebook presence, but when people searched for powder coating services in the area, he wasn\'t showing up. Now he does.
If someone hears about your business from a friend and Googles your name, what do they find? If the answer is just a Facebook page (or nothing at all), you\'re losing people right there.
You Don\'t Own Your Facebook Page
This one is important and most people don\'t think about it. Facebook is not your platform. It\'s Meta\'s platform. They own it, they control it, and they can change the rules whenever they want.
They\'ve done it before. Multiple times. Organic reach for business pages (meaning how many of your followers actually see your posts without you paying for ads) used to be around 15 to 20 percent. Now it\'s under 5 percent. Some studies say it\'s closer to 2 percent. That means if you have 500 followers, maybe 10 to 25 of them see any given post.
Facebook did that on purpose because they want you to pay for ads. And that\'s their right. It\'s their platform.
But your website? That\'s yours. Nobody can throttle your reach. Nobody can change an algorithm and make your content invisible. Nobody can disable your page because of some automated policy violation. I\'ve heard stories from business owners who woke up to find their Facebook page disabled for no clear reason, and the appeal process took weeks.
First Impressions Matter
I talk to business owners across all kinds of industries. And here\'s something I\'ve noticed: for certain types of businesses, a Facebook page as your only online presence looks unprofessional. Not for everyone. But if you\'re a contractor bidding on a $20,000 project, or a professional service provider, or any business trying to attract higher-value customers, people expect a real website.
When I maintain the website for Phillips Automotive here in Sedalia, part of the value is that when someone looks them up, they find a professional site that matches the quality of work they actually do. It builds trust before the customer even walks through the door.
A Facebook page says "I have a business." A website says "I\'m serious about my business."
You Can\'t Control the Layout
On Facebook, every business page looks the same. Same layout, same structure, same design. You can\'t highlight what makes you different. You can\'t organize your services in a way that makes sense for your customers. You can\'t put your phone number front and center where people can\'t miss it.
Your best content is buried in a timeline that people have to scroll through. Your portfolio is scattered across photo albums. Your business hours are in one spot, your services in another, and your contact info in a third. And all of it is surrounded by ads for your competitors.
That last part is worth repeating. Facebook will show ads from businesses just like yours right next to your page. You\'re literally driving traffic to a platform that promotes your competition.
What Facebook Is Good For
I\'m not anti-Facebook. It\'s a great tool when used correctly. Here\'s what it does well:
- Community engagement: posting in local groups, responding to comments, building relationships with customers in Sedalia
- Sharing updates: new services, special offers, photos of recent work
- Social proof: reviews and recommendations from real customers
- Paid advertising: if you have the budget, Facebook ads can be effective for local targeting
The key is that Facebook works best as a supplement to your website, not a replacement for it. Use Facebook to engage with your community and drive people to your website, where you control the experience.
The Honest Answer
Here\'s my actual advice, depending on where you are:
If you\'re just starting out and money is tight, use Facebook. Build your reputation, get some reviews, start posting photos of your work. That\'s a perfectly fine starting point.
If you\'re established and trying to grow, you need a website. Not a complicated one. Not a 20-page monstrosity. A clean, fast, mobile-friendly site that tells people what you do, shows them your work, and makes it easy to contact you. That\'s all it takes.
If you\'re losing potential customers to competitors who have websites, that\'s your answer right there. The customers are telling you what they expect.
I see this all the time around Sedalia. Two similar businesses, similar quality work, similar prices. One has a professional website, the other has just a Facebook page. The one with the website consistently gets more calls. Not because the website is magic, but because it makes the business look more established and trustworthy.
What I\'d Recommend
Start with a Google Business Profile if you don\'t have one (it\'s free). Keep your Facebook page active. And when you\'re ready, invest in a simple, professional website that works on mobile and shows up when people Google your name.
That combination (Google Business Profile, active Facebook, and a solid website) covers all the bases. People find you on Google Maps, check your reviews, visit your website to make sure you\'re legit, and then they call.
If you\'re at the point where a website makes sense and you want to talk about it, reach out. I\'ll give you an honest assessment of what you need. And if a Facebook page is genuinely all you need right now, I\'ll tell you that too.