This is probably the most common one I hear. And honestly? I completely understand why.
Facebook is free. You're already on it. Your customers are on it. You can post photos of your work, share reviews, chat to people, promote the odd deal. It feels like a proper online presence — and in some ways, it is.
But here's where the myth starts. "I've got a Facebook page, so I'm covered online."
You're not. Not even close. And here's why that matters.
Google and Facebook Are Two Completely Separate Worlds
Think about how someone finds a tradesperson when they don't know one personally. What do they do? They open Google and type something like "plumber Clydebank" or "electrician near me." Then they scroll through the results and pick someone.
Your Facebook page will not appear in those results. Google and Facebook do not share information. They're competitors. Google won't pull in your Facebook posts, your reviews, or your photos. When someone searches for your trade in your area, Facebook is invisible to them.
The only thing that can get you into those Google search results is a website — ideally a well-built one with proper local SEO.
You Don't Own Your Facebook Page
There's another problem with relying solely on Facebook, and it's one a lot of people don't think about until it's too late.
Facebook owns your page. Not you. They can change the algorithm and decide that fewer of your followers see your posts (they've done this repeatedly over the years). They can change the layout. They can, in rare cases, suspend or remove accounts with little warning. There's no real way to appeal.
Your website, on the other hand? That's yours. You own it. No platform can switch off the lights on you.
What Facebook Is Actually Great At
None of this means Facebook is bad. It's not. It's brilliant — for a specific job.
Facebook is perfect for staying in touch with people who already know you. Your existing customers, your local community, people who've used you before and might again. It's relationship-building. It's warm. It's social.
They do different things. You need both. But if you're using Facebook as a substitute for a website, you're invisible to everyone who doesn't already know your name.
— Chad, A New Dawn AI