With all of the new features Facebook keeps providing for its users, many business owners wonder if perhaps Facebook can meet the same needs that a website would. It’s a valid question, and deserves a thoughtful answer. While Facebook is a great tool and is often an important branch of your overall platform, the center of your platform should always be your website. There are several reasons for this:
You Own Your Website
You don’t own Facebook. Facebook is notorious for changing its algorithms and structure often. You may find a way of using Facebook that works well for you, only to have everything change with no warning. Your website, on the other hand, works for you. You choose how it will change to better meet your needs as you and your business grow.
You Own Your Mailing List
No matter how many thousands of “likes” you have on your business Facebook page, there’s very little security there. It’s not uncommon for Facebook “likes” to disappear with no explanation. There’s no way to back up your Facebook page like there is for your website and mailing list. If a potential client likes what you have to offer, a “like” on Facebook is great. But what you really want is their email address, provided through an opt-in on your website.
Not Everyone Uses Facebook
At times it may seem like the whole world is on Facebook, but that’s simply not the case. There are just over one billion active users on Facebook daily. There are more Google searches performed than that every eight minutes, and that’s just one search engine! By using Search Engine Optimization wisely, you can position yourself to show up in front of the people who are searching for you, right when they need you. Additionally, Google is set up to put businesses in front of the people who need them, which brings us to the next point.
Facebook Isn’t Really Set Up for Businesses… Unless You Want to Pay
Facebook is free, and works well for personal use. When you post something on your personal timeline, you can be reasonably sure that it will show up in front of your friends.
That’s not true for business pages. Facebook’s algorithms are such that a post made by a business page will only show up in front of a tiny fraction of the people who have liked that page. Unless, of course, you pay. While paid posts can reach a wider audience and can be a great tool, that’s not something you want to rely on as your primary way for reaching clients. However, if you choose to send something to everyone on your mailing list, you can be sure that in general, your whole list will get your message in their inbox.
The Bottom Line
Facebook should be used to drive clients to your website, not as their final destination. Facebook is a fantastic tool, and we highly recommend using it to your advantage. But having a website that you own, that works for you, and that grows with your business is vital to your overall business success.