CAN I JUST USE FACEBOOK INSTEAD OF A WEBSITE? (SHORT ANSWER: NO.)
A lot of plumbers think their Facebook page is "good enough." Here's why that's costing you more than you realize.
"I don't need a website. I've got a Facebook page."
We hear this all the time.
And we get it. Facebook is free. You already have one. People can find you there. You can post updates, share photos, get reviews.
So why would you pay for a website?
Here's why.
Facebook Is Not Google
When someone has a plumbing emergency, they don't open Facebook.
They open Google.
"Plumber near me." "Emergency plumber [city]." "Water heater repair."
These are Google searches. Every single one of them.
And Google doesn't show Facebook pages in local search results. It shows websites.
If you don't have a website, you're invisible on the platform where 97% of homeowners search for local services.
That's like having a storefront, but only on a street nobody drives on.
You Don't Own Facebook
This is the big one nobody thinks about.
Facebook can change their algorithm tomorrow. They can reduce your reach to zero. They can shut down your page for violating some policy you didn't know existed.
And there's nothing you can do about it.
It happens every day. Businesses that built their entire presence on Facebook wake up one morning and... poof. Gone.
Your website? You own that. Your domain. Your content. Your customer data. Nobody can take it away from you.
Facebook Pages Don't Rank
Even if someone does Google your business name specifically, your Facebook page will rank below an actual website every time.
And the listing looks worse. Less professional. Less trustworthy.
A Google result showing "mikesplumbing.com" with a proper meta description looks 10x more legit than "facebook.com/mikesplumbingphoenix."
First impressions matter. And your Google listing IS your first impression.
Facebook Is for Staying in Touch. Your Website Is for Getting Found.
Here's the right way to think about it:
Your website is for people who don't know you yet. People searching for a plumber on Google. Strangers who need to trust you in 3 seconds.
Your Facebook page is for people who already know you. Past customers. Friends. Your local community.
Both are valuable. But they do completely different jobs.
Relying only on Facebook is like only marketing to people who already hired you. What about the thousands of homeowners in your city who've never heard of you?
The Combo That Works
Website: Gets you found on Google. Converts strangers into callers. Works 24/7.
Facebook: Stays in touch with past customers. Gets referrals. Shows you're active and real.
Google Business Profile: Powers the Map Pack. Gets you reviews. Shows up in "near me" searches. Here's our complete GBP guide for plumbers.
All three. Working together. That's how modern plumbing businesses grow.
But if you can only pick one... pick the website. Because that's where the new customers are.
We build plumbing websites that show up on Google in 7 days. $450 to get started. Book a free audit and we'll show you what you're currently missing. Also worth reading: why plumbers need a website, not just Yelp.