A client tells me: "Why do I need a website when I have Facebook? I've got 2,000 likes there, customers message me on Messenger, everything works."
I say: "Great. What happens when Facebook locks your account?"
They look at me like I'm crazy. Because that'll never happen. Right? Well, let me tell you a story.
The client who lost everything overnight
A hair salon in Tomaszow. Anna. 4 years building her Facebook profile. 3,200 likes. Regular posts with hairstyle photos. Comments, reviews, before-and-after shots. Her entire marketing lived on that one profile.
In February 2025, the account got hacked. Someone changed the email, password, and phone number. Facebook? Report form, ticket, waiting. Three weeks without an account. Three weeks without contact with her regulars. Three weeks without new bookings from Messenger.
She recovered the account after a month. Reach dropped 70%. The algorithm punished her for the inactivity period. She had to start over.
If she had a website — clients could find her on Google. Phone number, pricing, booking form. Regardless of what Facebook does.
Social media is a rented apartment
I love this analogy because it's brutal and true.
Your profile on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok is an apartment you're renting. Nicely furnished, lots of visitors. But the landlord can change the rules whenever they want. Raise the rent (organic reach drops, pay for ads). Change the terms. Or just evict you.
Your website is your house. Your address. Your rules. Nobody can take it away (as long as you pay for hosting — $50/year, not per month).
Facebook's organic reach in 2015 was around 16%. Today? 2-5%. In 5 years? Maybe zero. The algorithm favors paid content. That's their business model. And it won't change in your favor.
Why a website is the foundation
I've been building websites at kaminski.link for years. And I see a pattern. Businesses with a website + social media grow more steadily than those with social media alone.
The reasons are straightforward:
- Google. 87% of people search for local services on Google. Not Facebook. Not Instagram. Google. Without a website — you don't exist in the world's largest search engine
- Credibility. A customer searches "plumber near me." Finds business A with a website: pricing, portfolio, reviews, contact form. And business B: a Facebook page with the last post from 3 months ago. Who do they trust?
- Control. On your website, you decide what customers see. On Facebook, the algorithm decides. Your best post might reach 3% of your followers. Your website is available to everyone, always
- SEO compounds over time. A Facebook post lives for 6 hours. A blog post on your website can generate traffic for years. I have clients where a 2023 blog post still brings in 40 visits a day. That's the power of content marketing
But social media matters too
I'm not saying delete Facebook. I'm saying it can't be your only channel.
Social media is brilliant for:
- Building relationships — people see the face behind the business, the daily life, the behind-the-scenes
- Quick communication — Messenger and DMs are the fastest contact channels
- Referrals — "Can anyone recommend a good plumber?" happens on Facebook, not Google
- Ads — Facebook and Instagram targeting is still powerful, especially locally. I wrote about this in my article on social media marketing in 2026
The ideal setup? Your website is the base. Social media is the megaphone. The website captures customers from Google. Social media builds community and drives traffic to the site.
How much does a website cost for a small business in 2026
Because I know that's what you want to ask.
A simple brochure site — 5 pages, responsive, fast, with a contact form — runs $500–$1,500. I broke down detailed price ranges in my article on how much a website costs in 2026. One-time cost. Hosting and domain are $50–$100/year. Combined — less than one month of Facebook ads for many businesses.
If you DIY — WordPress with a ready-made theme, Wix, or Squarespace. An evening or two and you have a site. It won't be perfect. But it'll be yours and it'll be on Google.
If you want something professional — reach out. At kaminski.link we build websites that don't just look good but actually generate customers. Because a pretty site with no traffic is an expensive business card.
Action plan for today
If you have social media but no website:
- Create a simple brochure site. Name, what you do, phone number, contact form
- Add it to your Google Business Profile (it's free and has immediate impact)
- On social media, link to your site. Make every post lead somewhere
If you have a website but no social media — reverse it. Set up a business profile and link to the site.
One without the other is like a store without a sign or a sign without a store. You need both. But if you have to choose one — choose the website. Because it's yours.
Social media can change, vanish, or lock your account. Your website stays as long as you want it. It's the only piece of the internet that truly belongs to you.