Question: Is it more effective to have a business Facebook page or a business website? Iโm looking to start marketing a startup online one step at a timeโฆ
This article is going to introduce Facebook and the website. More importantly, how do you use the two to complement each other and highlight your online presence. Before deciding which is best, here is some information that will give you a better understanding of each platform and how to use it for the desired result.
The Difference Between Website and Social Media/ Facebook
Remember, online platforms are simply virtual locations which people visit to assist them in living their daily lives. Each online platforms isย designed differently to serve certainย needs and desires for the people who visit them. For instance, the need may be shopping, socialising, getting fit, learningย or teaching. Therefore, understanding the end goal for which existingย platforms are engineeredย is essential whenย choosing website vs social media or Facebook.
Social media sites are typically designed to allow humans to connect and network
Personal business websitesย are typically designed to profile a business, personal brand or product.
Here are some advantages and disadvantages of Facebook Page for Business.
advantages of Facebook Page
Quick and freeย โ It takes a few minutes to build a Facebook page, and all background software has been developed for you.
Easily engage your audienceย โ Facebook provides in-built communication tools such as Messenger andย comment to communicate directly with your audience
disadvantages of Facebook Page
Lack of controlย โ You are subject to Facebookโs rules and updates
Limited designย โ Much of Facebookโsย design is pre-automated and you only have the ability to brand your business to a certain extent.
Website
Here are some advantagesย and disadvantageย ofย a Website for Business.
Advantages of Website
Full controlย โ You have absolute say on all aspects of your website including where it is hosted, the url it is located at, the design, visitor rights and much more.
Freedomย โ There are no rules and you can post up what you wish without restraint.
Credibilityย โ Having a personal business website adds credibility to your brand especially if you want people to buy from you online.
disadvantages of Website
Ongoing maintenance and upkeepย โ The entire back end of software development and upkeep is on you
More marketing effortย โ Itโs up to you to drive traffic to your website
Know Who Your Target Audience
Understanding who the target audience decides on Facebook and website is crucial; the reason is that no matter who your audience is, it will determine their current platform. It is best for you to create a strong online brand on a platform where the customers you want are already participating.
For example, suppose your business is manufacturing and selling custom-made walking sticks, and the target audience is Malaysianย men and women over the age of 60. The chances are that a demographic of over 60 years oldย will be mostly usingย Googleย search to discoverย you. However, if you are in the business of making soyย candles with custom labelsย and your target demographic is females 20ย to 40 years of ages across 10 countries, then it is more likely that your audience spends their time searching for home decor optionย on platforms such,ย Pinterestย andย Facebookย rather thanย Google.
Get Used to Being Everywhere at Once
The aim is to make you and your business as discoverable as possible to your audience. Your goal is to make it easy for potential customers to find you, and subsequently, buy from you. How you do that is by making yourself available across as many online platforms as possible, not onlyย your website and Facebook page, but also any new online platforms that will assist to build your personal brand.
Adapt to New Online Platformsย Quickly
There are countless new online social media and content distribution platforms becoming available every day. Mobilizeย as many as you are able for content distribution toย build your online presence. Itโs imperative that you foster a flexible mindset that allows you assess, adapt, and learn new online platforms quickly. Rather than thinking, โHmm, should I be using a website vs social media?โ it is of greaterย importance that you testย drive each platform and really become a practitioner.
If youโre swamped with other business building activities then get someone else to set up your blog or Facebook page. Visitย Fiverr.comโand youโll be able to outsource the work at an extremely affordable price.
Establishing Credibility
Having a universal website is key to the success of your business in the 21st century. Not only does it validate your presence, but it displays the integrity and professionalism of your brand. A business that invests in a website is committed to connecting to potential clients and promoting their value to the community.
Widespread and Universal Reach
A Facebook business page limits your audience to the cohort of people who are active on the social media platform. A website, however, is better suited to reach beyond the social sphere, making it possible for anyone with a computer and a browser to reach and engage with all of the content, products, and services your website provides.
Social Media is for Socializing
Facebook is a social media platform, and thatโs why most people use it; to socialize! When people are in a social state-of-mind, itโs difficult for them to give any attention to business. Instead of selling, the goal of your Facebook page should be to pique the interest of your customers and prospects by encouraging engagement. Let your website provide the meat of your content and rely on that to do the hard selling.
Freedom and Customization
A website made to custom-fit your businessesโ specific needs will guarantee that you put your best foot forward online. Youโll have more freedom in the way you display and arrange your content. With a Facebook page, you are limited to the format of posting to a timeline, whereas a website allows for many facets of customization, search engine optimization, internet marketing, and analytics.
Ownership of your Content
Did you know that Facebook technically owns the rights to all content posted on its site, including business pages? Facebook has permission to share your content and the license to use your content in any way it sees fit, without asking for your permission. This means its fair game for Facebook to make commercial gain by licensing your photos or information, despite your privacy settings.
By publishing your businessโ content on your own copyrighted and protected website, you will ensure that your photos and content belong solely to your companyย and will not be transferred to another user.
Positive Return on Investment
A free Facebook page might be appealing, especially after the sticker shock of the price tag on a custom website. However, it will be a positive return on investment in the long run. A website will set you apart from your competitors and will give you a professional image.
When customers see you have put the time and care into a website, they will know that you are a credible business with an edge in the online market. Your website is a tool to convince people that you have the answers to the problem theyโre trying to solve. A website allows you to expand and target a new set of people, which will benefit your reach and increase sales exponentially over time.
Use Both Platforms to Market Business
The right answer to โFacebook vs Website: Which should I use?โ is BOTH and theย reason for that is because crossposting increases traffic at both ends. Publish an article on your website and simultaneously post it on your Facebook page to drive traffic toย your website. Vice versa, include yourย social media handles on your website in order to drive people to your Facebook page.
You can also useย Facebook Pixelย to track traffic to your website and then remarket to that audience on Facebook through advertising. Facebook Pixel is a snippet of code that is placed in the header code of your website and pulls website traffic information through to Facebookโs advertising tools. If youโd like to learn more visitย this linkย forย Facebook Pixel Implementation Guideโ
What is the Best Use of Time? Facebook or Website?
We have made it clear that the best option is to use two or more platforms to build a strong online brand. If you have limited time, you only need to allocate the allocated time between these two or three, or distribute to many viewers the platforms you currently use.
Say for instance you have 1 hour per day available to build your online presence. If you are setting up both a Facebook Page and a website then spend 30 minutes on your website and 30 minutes on your Facebook Page.
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