Yes, you still need a website. But not for the reasons people usually give.
I get asked this more than you'd think, usually by people with a busy Facebook page who wonder whether a proper site is still worth the money. It's a fair question. I build websites for a living, so you'd expect me to say yes. I'll try to give you the real answer instead of the obvious one, including when you can hold off.
What a Facebook page can't do
A Facebook business page is a great tool. It's free, people already use it, and for local businesses it's often where people go first. But there are things it just can't do for you.
That last point matters more than people realise. Your Facebook page doesn't belong to you. Meta can change its algorithm or restrict business pages whenever it likes. In the unlikely (but not impossible) case that it shuts down or gets banned in your market, your whole online presence goes overnight. A website on your own domain stays yours.
The Google problem
This is the real reason you need a website in 2026: Google doesn't show Facebook pages in local search results.
When someone in Roscommon searches "web designer near me", "IT support Roscommon" or "laptop repair", Google shows websites. It shows Google Business Profiles too (you should have one of those as well). It doesn't show Facebook pages. If you're not in those results, you don't exist for a big chunk of potential customers: the ones who search rather than scroll.
The credibility question
Put yourself in a customer's position. You've had a recommendation for a local IT company. You search for them. One business has a clean, professional website that clearly explains what they do, shows past work, and has a phone number. Another just has a Facebook page last updated eight months ago.
Which one do you call?
It matters even more for B2B work, where other businesses are hiring you for IT support, web design or ongoing services. Decision-makers consistently say a professional website is a prerequisite for taking a supplier seriously. A website won't win you the contract on its own. Not having one can lose it.
What it costs
A basic professional website from Fentech starts at around €800, as a one-off cost. After that, hosting and maintenance runs to roughly €30–40 a month. If the site brings in even one extra client a year (a single laptop repair, one IT support contract, one website project), it's paid for itself many times over.
So I'd put the question the other way round. Can you afford to be invisible on Google while your competitors aren't?
When you might not need one yet
I said I'd tell you when to hold off, so here it is. If you're a brand new business with no budget, a Facebook page and a Google Business Profile will get you started. Get your first few clients through word of mouth and referrals. Once the income is steady, put money into a proper website.
If you've been trading for more than a year without one, though, you're leaving money on the table. Specifically, the customers who searched for what you do and found someone else.
