Why Do We Even Need a Website if We Have Facebook?
Why Do We Even Need a Website if We Have Facebook?
Great question.
The short answer?
Facebook is great for updates and building community. A website is where people go when they actually need information.
The two work best together, but they do very different jobs.
The Problem with Facebook
Think about the last time you tried to find something on a Facebook page.
- When do registrations open?
- How much are fees?
- Who do I contact?
- What age groups do you offer?
- Where is training?
Unless someone has pinned the post (and kept it updated), you're probably scrolling through months of photos, game results and sausage sizzle reminders, hoping you'll stumble across the answer. Then, when you finally find it, the post is five months old and you're left wondering whether it's even current.
That's frustrating for families.
It's also frustrating—and time-consuming—for volunteers, who end up answering the same questions over and over again.
Information on a website is also available 24/7... waiting for someone to reply to a message on Facebook loses valuable time, and may lost registrations.
Facebook and Websites Deliver Different Things
When someone visits your Facebook page, they're usually looking for what's happening today.
When someone visits your website, they're looking for information.
These are two very different purposes.
A website should answer questions like:
- How do I register?
- What age groups do you cater for?
- What equipment do I need?
- Where do we play?
- Who do I contact?
- Can I volunteer?
- When are registrations open?
- Where can I find your policies and forms?
If people can't find these answers quickly, there's a good chance they'll move on.
Facebook Doesn't Reach Everyone
Not everyone uses Facebook anymore.
Some parents have deleted their accounts. Others rarely log in or have notifications switched off.
Relying on Facebook alone means you're assuming everyone will see your posts—and that's simply not the case.
A website is public, searchable and available to everyone, whether they use social media or not.
Google Can't Find Your Facebook Posts
When someone searches "Junior basketball near me" or "Football club registrations" they're far more likely to find a website than last week's Facebook post.
A website helps new families discover your club before they ever visit your social media.
It also gives your club the opportunity to appear in Google search results through search engine optimisation (SEO). Don't worry if that sounds technical—I'll cover SEO in another blog—but it's one of the biggest advantages a website has over social media.
Your Website Doesn't Need to Be Fancy
This is where many clubs get stuck.
Some people imagine a website needs to cost thousands of dollars, require technical knowledge and take hours every week to maintain.
It doesn't.
For many community clubs, a simple website with five or six well-organised pages is all you need.
- Clear navigation
- Current information
- Registration links
- Contact details
- Photos
That's it.
A simple website that volunteers can easily update is far more valuable than a complicated one that nobody touches.
Let Facebook Do What Facebook Does Best
Facebook is fantastic for:
- Match results
- Photos
- Club celebrations
- Weather updates
- Last-minute changes
- Community engagement
But every one of those posts can point people back to your website for the important information.
Instead of answering the same questions repeatedly, volunteers can simply reply:
"Here's the link to our website."
Your Website is One True Source Full of Facts
One of the biggest advantages of a website is consistency.
Instead of having registration links in one Facebook post, fees in another, and uniform information buried in an email from last season, everything lives in one place.
When information changes, you update it once. Everyone is directed to the same page, reducing confusion and ensuring members always have the most up-to-date information. This information is also done (usually) with committee collaboration, meaning it is verified, and can be shared with a voice consistent to the Club.
The Bottom Line
You don't need a website because every other club has one.
You need one because it makes life easier.
It helps new families find you.
It reduces repetitive questions.
It gives volunteers one reliable place to send people.
It saves time.
And it makes your club look organised, professional and easy to engage with.
Facebook and your website aren't competing with each other.
They're teammates.
Use Facebook to build your community.
Use your website to provide the answers.
Need help getting your club website up and running?
That's exactly what I do.
I build simple, affordable websites designed specifically for community sporting clubs—easy for volunteers to update, easy for families to navigate, and focused on the information people actually need.