Plenty of successful South African businesses started with nothing more than a Facebook page and a WhatsApp number. It’s free, quick to set up and your customers are already there. So why spend money on a website?
The honest answer: you don’t have to. But if you want new customers to find you, trust you and choose you over a competitor, a website does things social media simply can’t.
What a Facebook page does well
Let’s give social media its due. A Facebook or Instagram page is excellent for:
- Staying in touch with existing customers.
- Sharing specials, new stock and behind-the-scenes content.
- Building a community around your brand.
- Running targeted adverts.
If most of your business comes from people who already know you, social media may cover a lot of what you need.
What a Facebook page can’t do
People search Google, not Facebook
When someone needs a plumber, a dentist or a wedding venue, the first thing they usually do is search on Google. Facebook pages do sometimes appear in search results, but a well-built website is far more likely to rank for searches like “plumber in Centurion” or “cake maker Durban North”. If you’re not on Google, those customers find your competitors instead.
You don’t own your Facebook page
Your page lives on Meta’s platform, under Meta’s rules. Pages get hacked, accounts get restricted and reach changes whenever the algorithm does. A website on your own domain is an asset you control.
Your posts disappear
On social media, information gets buried under newer posts. A website keeps your services, prices, hours, location and contact details organised and easy to find at all times.
Trust and professionalism
Many customers, especially businesses and higher-value buyers, check whether you have a proper website before they make contact. A professional site with your own address (yourbusiness.co.za) and a matching email address makes you look established.
Not everyone uses Facebook
Some of your potential customers don’t use Facebook at all, or don’t want to log in to see your information. A website works for everyone with a browser.
Website vs. Facebook page at a glance
| Facebook page | Website | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to start | Free | Once-off build, from about R1,500 |
| Found on Google | Sometimes | Yes, if built properly |
| You own it | No | Yes |
| Organised information | Hard to find | Clear pages for services, prices, contact |
| Online bookings or payments | Limited | Yes |
| Professional email address | No | Yes |
| Great for community and updates | Yes | Less so |
The best answer: use both
The strongest setup for most small businesses is a website and social media working together:
- Your website is your home base: it ranks on Google, explains what you do and turns visitors into enquiries.
- Your social media keeps you top of mind and sends people to your website for details, bookings and purchases.
- A WhatsApp button on your website makes it effortless for visitors to contact you.
- A Google Business Profile puts you on Google Maps with your reviews and hours.
What does a simple website cost?
Less than many people expect. A focused one-page website with your services, photos, location, a contact form and a WhatsApp button is often all a small business needs to get started. At SAPixel Development, one-page websites start from R1,500 and business websites from R4,000. You can read more in our guide on how much a website costs in South Africa.
Frequently asked questions
Will a website replace my Facebook page?
No, and it shouldn’t. Keep posting on social media; your website gives those posts somewhere to send people.
Is a one-page website enough?
For many new and small businesses, yes. You can always add pages later as your business grows.
I don’t have time to manage a website. Now what?
That’s what care plans are for. For a small monthly fee, your web designer handles hosting, security, backups and small changes such as updated prices or specials.