Business owners sometimes ask the question, “why do I need a website if I’m on Facebook”? Well, I’m glad you asked.
So why do you need a website if you’re on Facebook?
- Not everyone is on Facebook. Yes believe it or not, there are people who don’t have or are no longer on Facebook.
- You don’t own the content you post on Facebook, they do. There’s no way to export your content should you decide to leave Facebook.
- What assurances do you have that your Facebook content is adequately backed up in the event of a server failure or a hack? None really.
- Facebook can shutdown your page without warning if they think you are violating their terms of use. Without a website you would have zero web presence unless you had other social media platforms.
- Your Facebook page doesn’t represent your brand, it looks like everyone else’s Facebook page.
- Potential customers won’t find your Facebook page when doing a Google search for say “auto repair near me”. Your competitors websites will show up in the search results.
But I have a big following on Facebook
That’s great! I’m not saying you should abandon social media. Think of it as a tool in your marketing arsenal. Create blog posts or news articles on your website and then post the link on your social media platforms along with some intro text. The idea is to drive traffic to your website where you have better control of the narrative. Have you ever found something on Facebook that was interesting and then had to step away, only to find the page refreshed and you have to try and find what you were reading? It’s annoying. Even saving a post is not very helpful in that you can only apply one topic to the saved post.
Still Wondering if You Need a Website?
Having a website for your business gives your business credibility. How would you feel if you were looking to research a product or service, or make a purchase and the company didn’t have a website? You would probably not take the business seriously.
While social media is important, it should never be considered a replacement for a well-crafted website.