Social media has become one of the primary ways that businesses reach their customers. In fact, it’s become so prevalent that many companies are now wondering whether or not they even need a website. Facebook offers rather robust business pages, which can allow you to engage directly with customers on social media. They can even contain buttons to book appointments or make online purchases. But are they sufficient to replace a small-business website? Keep reading to learn whether you need a website or if a Facebook page might be enough for you.
Do You Want Ownership?
Obviously, you don’t own Facebook. (If you did, you probably wouldn’t be bothering building another business.) When you use a business Facebook page, you’re dealing with a third-party website. That means that you’re expected to follow their terms of service; if you don’t, your page can be deleted.
When you build your own website, you can purchase that domain, and the website will belong entirely to your business. This gives you total control over your online presence.
Do You Want to Customize?
Facebook does allow some customization options on their business pages. You can add your logo and a banner image and make some minor changes in how the information on your page looks. However, you’re kept in a pretty limited structure that’s set by Facebook’s business page templates. And if Facebook decides to change the way those templates look, your page will change, whether you want it to or not.
Because you own that website you built, you can update it and customize it whenever and however you like. This is ideal if you want to build a clear, strong brand, which is something every business should strive for.
How Do You Want to Be Found?
For centuries, businesses have simply relied on customers coming to them. Yes, advertisements could draw customers to you, but ultimately, you’re not likely to be out there, taking your business to the customers—until social media came along. A business Facebook page allows you to put your company’s information directly where your customers are spending their time. Any updates you post on your page will pop up in front of your followers, keeping your business front and center.
Websites operate much like brick-and-mortar businesses in this regard. While there’s plenty you can do to increase the odds of drawing a customer to your site, ultimately, you still have to wait for those customers to step through your digital doors. There are limited opportunities to interact on your website, especially when compared with social media.
In the end, most businesses are best served by having both a Facebook page and a business website. This allows them to interact more directly with customers and keep followers updated regularly via social media. But they can still utilize their website to build a strong brand and provide greater functionality for things like making purchases.
So, while useful Facebook business pages are a far cry from an adequate replacement for small-business websites. If you’ve been relying solely on Facebook for your company, contact AT&T Website Solutions today to discuss building a successful, branded website for your business.
