Can Facebook Replace Your Business’ Website?
There is no standard, one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to marketing your unique business. Effective marketing adapts its messaging to target consumers whom are also ever-evolving, depending on a variety of factors.
When you own a business, you need to represent it appropriately throughout your branding in order for it to stand for something, and for it to become known and loved for that thing.
It is important to express your business by making strategic design choices and taking a holistic approach in your digital marketing to optimize your online presence and maximize your potential to reach more customers.
This is why your Facebook page is NOT a substitute for a website.
Won’t Add Value to Your Brand
One of the main attributes of branding is its ability to control consumers’ perceptions of your business’ products/services. By investing in strong branding via hiring digital marketing professionals, you can send controlled messages to your target consumers that can help add value to your business.
By taking into consideration user experience (UX) design, you are sending subconscious messaging to your consumers (aside from the direct call to actions in your content) that you care about them and are ensuring their experience with your brand is a pleasant and worthwhile one.
Trying to gain loyalty and add value by throwing together a Facebook page and calling it good, you are unconsciously sending messages to visitors that you don’t care enough about them to invest in their experience with your brand. Thus, you miss your opportunity to create a perception of value, ultimately leading to stunted growth for your business.
Will Not Establish Loyalty Let Alone Credibility
No shirt, no shoes, no service. This is the status quo in any tangible business. The same idea goes for business in the digital world. Virtually, if you’re not dressed appropriately, you’re not going to get service. Suit yourself; invest in an effective digital marketing experience for your business.
Branding is a marketing tactic that supports controlled and consistent messaging throughout all external communications from your business. The more custom your brand, the more distinguishable and credible your business will be perceived, as opposed to utilizing a generic website template when thousands of other businesses are using the exact same one, or even worse, simply using a Facebook page as your only portal to the digital world.
Will Relinquish Control To Optimize Search Engine Results
If you don’t have a designated URL linking to your business’ website, you have no control over inbound marketing or attracting visitors to your business. You will not be able to improve your SEO rankings or even track important analytics. You will be missing out on a wealth of opportunity for your business’ digital marketing potential.
While Facebook analytics offer some insight, like how many people viewed your posts, it is very limited compared having a whole website of your own where you can track much more specific information that will actually help you adapt your messaging to better target and engage your consumers.
Will Be At Facebook’s Mercy / Have No Control Of Your Future
If you are using Facebook as your sole means to an online presence, you will have no control over anything and your business will be dependent and at the mercy of Facebook. Facebook reserves the right to change its policies and settings at any time without your discretion, so why not take your business matters into your own hands so you can exercise some control over your online presence?
You Will Be Promoting Your Competitors To Your Consumers
Facebook promotes advertisements all throughout its website, including your business page. Do you really want one of your prospects to visit your Facebook page only to find an ad promoting one of your competitors right there on YOUR page?! That’s what you’ll get when you use Facebook as a substitute for a real website.
Conclusion
Do NOT use Facebook as a substitute for a website.
Be smart and stay savvy in this digital world in which we live. Invest in a proper digital marketing experience for your business.
I use the term ‘invest’ instead of ‘spend money on’ because you may front some money toward acquiring an effective online presence at first, but it will pay for itself in the long run as you build brand awareness and a good reputation by providing a holistic digital brand experience for your business.
