Can't customers just message me on Facebook?

Some will, but most people searching for an emergency plumber or a roofer don't open Facebook to find one — they search Google. If you're not there with a real site and a phone number, they call the next guy.

Will a website replace my Facebook page?

No, they work together. Keep posting job photos and updates on Facebook, but send people to your website to actually book. Your site is the place that gets found on Google and captures the call.

Does Facebook help me show up on Google?

Barely. Your Facebook page might appear if someone searches your exact business name, but it almost never ranks for 'electrician near me.' A real website plus a Google Business Profile is what gets you found by new customers.

Isn't a website expensive and complicated?

It used to be. Today a simple, fast site that books jobs costs about $199/month done-for-you, or you can build one yourself. Either way it's cheaper than the jobs you lose by not being findable.

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

Updated June 28, 2026 · Getting online

Short answer

Yes. A Facebook page is great for showing past work and chatting with regulars, but it doesn't reliably show up when someone searches Google for a plumber or electrician near them, and you don't control it. A simple website you own gives you a real home base that ranks on Google, loads fast, and turns searchers into phone calls.

If your business runs on word-of-mouth and a Facebook page, you've already done the hard part — people trust you. But a Facebook page alone leaves money on the table, because most new customers never find you there. Here's the honest breakdown.

What a Facebook page is good at

Facebook is genuinely useful for a trade business. It's where you post before-and-after photos, share that you're booked solid this week, and stay top-of-mind with people who already follow you. If a past customer wants to recommend you, dropping your Facebook link in a neighborhood group is easy.

So keep it. The problem isn't that Facebook is bad — it's that it can't do the one job that brings in new work.

Where Facebook falls short

When a homeowner's water heater dies at 7 a.m., they don't open Facebook. They Google "water heater repair near me." And that search almost never surfaces a Facebook page — it shows Google Maps listings and real websites.

A few specific gaps:

You don't show up for "near me" searches. Facebook pages rarely rank on Google for the searches that actually book jobs. See why you might not be showing up on Google Maps.
You don't own it. Facebook can change the rules, limit your reach, or suspend a page. A website you own is yours for good.
No real call-to-action. A page is built for scrolling, not for "tap here to call right now." A website is built to turn a visitor into a phone call.
It can look unfinished. A bare page with three posts from 2023 reads as "out of business" to a stranger.

Why a website you own changes things

A website is your home base — the address you can put on Google, your truck, your invoices, and your business cards. It loads fast on a phone, it answers the three questions every customer has (do you do my job, do you cover my area, how do I reach you), and it can rank on Google for the work you want.

Think of it this way: Facebook is the conversation. Your website is the front door. You need both, but only one of them gets found at midnight by someone ready to hire.

The good news is a useful site for a trade isn't complicated — it's one clear page. For exactly what to include, read what a contractor website actually needs to book jobs, and if you want to move fast, get your business online in a day.

The simplest path forward

You don't have to choose between Facebook and a website — use both. Keep posting on Facebook, and add a real site as your front door. That's the whole idea behind Blank Theory: we build a real preview of your site from your public info first, you check it on your phone before paying anything, and it goes live for a flat $199/month. See a free preview and decide once you can actually see it.

Frequently asked questions

Can't customers just message me on Facebook?: Some will, but most people searching for an emergency plumber or a roofer don't open Facebook to find one — they search Google. If you're not there with a real site and a phone number, they call the next guy.
Will a website replace my Facebook page?: No, they work together. Keep posting job photos and updates on Facebook, but send people to your website to actually book. Your site is the place that gets found on Google and captures the call.
Does Facebook help me show up on Google?: Barely. Your Facebook page might appear if someone searches your exact business name, but it almost never ranks for 'electrician near me.' A real website plus a Google Business Profile is what gets you found by new customers.
Isn't a website expensive and complicated?: It used to be. Today a simple, fast site that books jobs costs about $199/month done-for-you, or you can build one yourself. Either way it's cheaper than the jobs you lose by not being findable.