Facebook is a great to use if you are just starting your business or if it is used as an addition to your website.
However, Facebook should not be considered as a replacement to a website for many reasons.
- Facebook has a limited reach – There are people that are not on Facebook. Limiting your business to Facebook limits your
growth opportunities. Facebook can provide you with a little extra buzz about a new product, service, or something to be
shared and discussed. Most people use Google, Yahoo or Bing to search for something that they are looking for, not Facebook.
- Facebook is not under your control – Facebook constantly changes its algorithms which means that your posts do not always
reach all your followers. You can pay Facebook to “promote your post”. Meaning, if you want your followers to see your
post, you need to pay for it. At any time, Facebook can change its policies, lose data, or even go out of business. The
next “big” thing can come along and sweep Facebook under the rug.
- Websites are found quicker in internet searches – Organic search results (listings that most closely match the users
search criteria) generally will not provide a user with Facebook listings. What does come up are results that recognize
keywords and phrases in the text and hidden data of an optimized website. A properly designed website can bring you to
the first page of those search engine results!
- A win for you is when someone clicks on your website, even if they are not buying your product or service. It is also
true that someone clicking on your Facebook page may benefit you, but it is always a benefit for Facebook. Wouldn't you
want your business to achieve the success and not share it with another business?
- Facebook has limitations to your creative freedom. As you are reading this post, take a look at the width of the screen
that a Facebook post covers. If you are looking from a mobile phone, it takes up the whole screen. If you are looking
from a computer monitor, it probably takes up about a third of the width. Why not have your users see your business in
the maximum space available? Style your text making it larger or bold to stand out. Wrap your text around pictures. Be
in control of how you want your data to appear.
There are benefits of using Facebook for your business.
- Constant engagement – You are able to interact with your customers and build relationships. This is great for customer
service, but it also requires you to be online at all times and to be very careful with your words. By responding quickly
and professionally, customers can learn about your business, your mission and your purpose whereby building loyalty to
your brand.
- Messages can quickly reach to your current followers – Adding a post to Facebook can happen in a matter of minutes (or
seconds). Adding the same content to your website may take a little longer (although using a CMS like WordPress makes
this process quicker). Once you click ‘Post’ in Facebook, the message is sent to your followers. On your website it still
involves people going to your website, unless you also have RSS feeds, push notifications enabled for your website or a
newsletter that gets sent to your subscribers.
What a website can do for you?
- Legitimacy – A website is a digital storefront for your business. Eighty-five percent of consumers use the internet to
find local businesses. Consumers expect businesses to have websites today and will trust a business more if it has a
website.
- Availability – Your website is open for business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in the world.
- Marketing – With your own website, you have the freedom to communicate and sell to your customers. A website has more
space to promote and inform consumers of your business and you can include more features such as videos, reviews,
blogs and promotional offers.
- Full control – When you own your own website, you have many more choices about how it looks, what information is
available and what features you would like your customers to utilize.
- Reduced overhead – Most consumers prefer to get information online. If your website has a useful source of self-service
information, it can reduce your operating costs.
There is no denying that Facebook is great tool for expanding your digital footprint. However, Facebook should not be your only
online access point. Facebook should support your website, not replace it. It should drive your customers to your website where
you have the control of your products and brand.
Contact us for help with setting up a Facebook business site or creating your website.