Website vs. Facebook Page for a Local Business

Website vs. Facebook page: which does a local business need?

Short answerMost local service businesses need both — but for different jobs. Facebook is good for updates and staying in touch with people who already know you. A website is what ranks on Google, connects to your Google Business Profile, gets cited by AI tools, and belongs to you. If you only have one, new customers searching Google won't find much.

Here's what each one actually does for a local business — without pretending Facebook is useless.

✓ Plans from $0 down

✓ Under 14 business days

✓ 100% custom — no templates

✓ Managed for you + weekly Google posts

Different tools for different jobs.

	Website	Facebook page
Shows up for “[service] near me” searches	Yes — organic results	Rarely
Fills the Website button on your Google profile	Yes	Not well
Cited by AI tools for local searches	Most-cited source type	Sometimes
You own it	Yes	No — Facebook's rules
Full service and area pages	Yes	Limited
Posting updates and photos	Possible	Great for it
Talking with existing customers	Contact forms	Messages, comments, groups
Cost	Plans from $0 down with TJS Design	Free

Where new customers actually look.

Facebook is where people you already know keep up with you. New customers mostly start on Google — and increasingly in AI answers — where websites carry the weight.

Google first

71%

of consumers use Google Search at some point when looking for a local business.

Source: BrightLocal Consumer Search Behavior Study, 2026

Organic results

47%

of Google's top 10 organic results for local searches are business websites.

Source: BrightLocal Business Listings Visibility Study, 2024

AI answers

42%

of the sources AI tools cite for local searches are business websites (ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and AI Overviews).

Source: BrightLocal Local AI Visibility Study, 2026

Use each one for what it's good at.

Website = home base. Your services, service area, photos, reviews and contact info — linked from your Google Business Profile.
Google Business Profile = how you're found on the map. Keep it updated and point its Website button at your site.
Facebook = updates and community. Post your work, share news, and link back to your website.

Not sure what your Google profile is missing? Read do I need a website if I have a Google Business Profile?

Questions owners actually ask.

It's a good place to post updates and talk to existing customers, but it usually isn't enough to win new ones from search. 71% of consumers use Google Search when looking for a local business, and business websites make up 47% of Google's top 10 organic results for local searches.

Yes, for most businesses. Use Facebook for updates, photos and community; use your website as the home base that ranks on Google, connects to your Google Business Profile, and that you fully own.

Sometimes, mostly for searches of your exact business name. For searches like “plumber near me,” Google shows the map pack and organic results — where websites dominate.

You don't control it. Facebook decides who sees your posts, how your page looks and what the rules are, and those change over time. Your website is property you own.

Website vs. Facebook page: which does a local business need?

Different tools for different jobs.

Where new customers actually look.

Use each one for what it's good at.

Questions owners actually ask.

Your Google profile is already getting looked at. Give it somewhere to send people.