A small business website Launceston customers can find on Google, with your Facebook page still working beside it
Plenty of good local businesses run entirely off a Facebook page and that has got you this far. A small business website in Launceston that people can find on Google is the next step. It is a lot less work than you might think.
It just can't do everything
A Facebook page is a brilliant way to share jobs, post updates and hear from regulars. I have no interest in talking you out of it.
The catch is Google. When someone searches for a plumber in Kings Meadows or a cake maker in Prospect Vale, Google mostly shows websites and Google Business Profiles. Facebook pages sit behind a login wall for much of their content, so search engines can only see a small slice of what you have posted. Your best photos and reviews are often invisible to the people searching for you.
There is also the question of who is in control. Facebook can change how pages work, limit who sees your posts or lock an account with little warning. A website on your own domain is something you own outright.
Most of the hard work is already done
Your Facebook page is a goldmine of website content. I go through it with you and pick out the best bits.
Job photos, products and team shots are perfect for a website gallery and service pages.
Facebook recommendations can be shown on the site, with a link back so people can read the originals.
Opening hours, phone number, service areas and the About section give me the bones of several pages.
The things people message you about every week make a great FAQ section.
The way you write posts tells me how to word the site so it still sounds like you.
Once the site is live, a post letting them know is the quickest way to get first visitors.
They work better together
You don’t have to choose. The website becomes your home base, the place that shows up on Google and holds the full story. Facebook stays your noticeboard for news, specials and conversations.
I add your Facebook link to the website header or footer and you add the website address to your Facebook page. When you post a new job, you can link back to the relevant service page. People bounce between the two and each one makes the other look more established.
The free listing behind the map results
A Google Business Profile is the box that appears with your name, phone number, reviews and a pin on the map. It is free and it is often the first thing people see. If you only have Facebook, setting this up alongside the new website makes a big difference.
I can help you claim or tidy up your profile and link it to the website, so Google sees the two pointing at each other. If you want me to keep working on your map rankings after launch, my local SEO plans start at $279 a month. Businesses run from home can hide their street address and show a service area instead, which suits tradies in places like Legana or Hadspen.
A small change that makes you look established
A website comes with a domain name, something like yourbusiness.com.au. I recommend registering it in your own business name so it always belongs to you, even if you change web designers down the track.
With your own domain you can have an email address to match, such as [email protected]. It looks far more professional on a quote than a free webmail address and customers are more likely to trust it. The website hosting page explains how domains, hosting and email fit together.
Simple for you, thorough on my end
1
Send me your Facebook link. I look through it before the first call so it is useful.
2
Together you and I choose photos, reviews and details to use and fill any gaps.
3
I design and build the website, then send you a preview link to check on your phone.
4
The site launches, your Facebook and Google Business Profile get linked and you announce it to your followers.
For owners who have only ever used Facebook
Can’t see your question here? Give me a call or send a message and I’ll get back to you within one business day.
A Facebook page rarely shows up on Google for Launceston service searches because most of its posts, photos and reviews sit behind Facebook’s login and can’t be read properly by search engines. Google prefers websites and Google Business Profiles when deciding what to show. A website gives Google full pages of text about your services to rank.
Website Design Launceston turns Facebook pages into proper websites for small businesses around Tasmania and it is a speciality of owner Nick Fritzkowski. Nick reuses the photos, reviews and details from your page, builds a WordPress site you can edit and links the two together. Single page websites start at $880 including GST.
Tasmanian businesses should keep their Facebook page after getting a website, because the two do different jobs. The website is what Google finds and what you own, while Facebook is great for updates and chatting with regulars. Linking them both ways helps each look more trustworthy to customers.
Facebook reviews can be shown on a new Launceston website, either copied in with the customer’s first name or displayed with a review widget. I always include a link back to the originals so visitors can see they are genuine. Google reviews can be shown in the same way once your Google Business Profile is set up.
The cheapest way to move from Facebook to a website in Launceston is the Website Design Launceston single page website at $880 including GST. It covers your services, photos, reviews, contact form and map on one scrolling page. Domain and hosting are extra. Read more on the affordable web design page.
A Tamar Valley business doesn’t strictly need its own email address, but one that matches your website domain looks far more professional on quotes and invoices than a free webmail account. Once you own a domain name, setting up an address like [email protected] is straightforward. I can help organise it as part of your website launch.
A Google Business Profile on its own is a good start for a small Launceston business, but it works much better with a website behind it. Google uses your website to understand your services and areas, which helps your map listing. The local SEO page explains how the two support each other.
Tasmanian owners moving from Facebook usually need to write very little, because I build the wording from your page, your About section and a phone chat about your services. You check the drafts and fix anything that doesn’t sound right.
Pop your Facebook link in the form below or give me a call. I’ll take a look and tell you what a website could look like for you.
