Why Having a Website is More Important than You Think

With social media being all the rage, the temptation to think that a Facebook page is all your small business needs is common. After all, with limited staffing it proves difficult to stay current with these applications. Why add the work and cost of a website to the mix?

The truth is that a social media presence is not enough to market your company. Yes, social media proves a hefty tool in your marketing strategy. However, you need a web presence to capitalize on and boost your social media / Facebook presence.

Let’s take a closer look.

Rent vs. Own

Ultimately, with social media, you do not own the space. This fact means that changes to the platform are made without your approval or even your liking. These changes may impact your business negatively and unfortunately, you have no say.

A website on the other hand is owned and controlled by you. If an aspect of your site is not seeing good returns, you change it or have your web development team fix it. If your consumers express trouble with parts of your website, it can be changed. If your audience calls for a different look, interface or format, it can be fixed.

With a website, you’re in the driver’s seat. You control exactly what your customers see – instead of getting lost in the mix of Facebook timelines and Twitter feeds. Let’s face it – it’s easy for your content to get lost in the stampede. A dedicated website allows you to talk about all things ‘you’ and target your message to your customers.

The bottom-line: With a website, you control change.

Change is Inevitable

Reality dictates the change that will happen. This truism exists with social media as well. While the platform may be functioning perfectly to meet your business needs today, tomorrow makes no such promises. If Facebook changes formats, algorithms or policies, you are impacted.

An example of this reality came several years ago when businesses were negatively impacted by changes at Facebook. Modifications in the rules came as result of user feedback. The quantity and quality of advertisements came under scrutiny. Facebook monitored and limited them, hurting businesses.

More recently, Facebook changed their algorithm for a six-country test that took out all non-ad page posts from users traditional timeline to be replaced with Facebook’s new Explore tab. “As a result, many publishers' referral traffic plummeted 60-80%, and engagement on some Pages in the six-country test block.” Facebook is an important place for businesses, but with tests like these there is no guarantee your traffic won’t go out the window.

If these two instances prove anything, it’s that we know we can count on technology changing consistently and infrequently. It’s always growing and adapting to keep up with the latest trends and practices. Which is all the more reason to build a smart website. Smart websites keep you up with the latest web technologies, follow best practices, tell stories, are responsive on all devices, and are a form of lead generation. With smart sites, your user experience is tailored to those who are interacting with your site and it only changes with your input.

The bottom-line: With a website, you make the rules.

Best of Both Worlds

Facebook alone proves insufficient to meet your business goals. On the other hand, even given the control, a website is boosted by social media marketing. Look at it this way: A website is your home field. Facebook is a tool which draws fans.

Using these two platforms in tandem grows your loyal customer base and allows for communication in their comfort zone, Facebook. Investing in a website proves wise for those interested in growing their businesses and weathering well the changes promised across the Internet.

Contact us to discuss your website options. We would love to see you succeed with an integrated approach to your marketing strategy.