During these tough economic times, I often hear people say that they have a Facebook page (with a lot of fans). They then ask if they still need a Website?
The answer is a big YES!
You may think that having a website is an unnecessary business expense . You may think that if you build a huge fan base and have an elaborate profile that this can substitute as a company website. This is not the case.
Let me ask you a question and give you some food for thought…
Do you want to leave your business in the hands of another company who can change their format, their ownership or their appeal at the snap of a finger?
By leaving your business in the hands of another company, you are at their mercy. You are limited to being able to do what they allow you to do (this also applies to all those ‘easy website building’ companies).
Consider what happens in the real world when you rent but don’t own your office or business space. Even if your business is humming along smoothly, if you’re bringing in a steady stream of new customers or clients, if you’re keeping costs under control and if you’re planning for the future, your landlord can put you out of business in 30 days.
Your website should be what all your other tools drive people to!
Utilising Facebook and any other social media network, should be one tool in your marketing tool belt for your business. While these are very important tools, your website (just like a brick & mortar store) should be the center that all of your other tools drive people to.
As technology changes, so does the way we interact online.
To think that Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn will remain the social media sites of choice for the next 5 or 10 years is like believing that any of our other technology platforms available today will never be improved upon. Look at how quickly MySpace lost popularity. I remember when MySpace was the in place to be.
What would you do if Facebook became the ‘has been’ 6 months from now? (Update: There is always something new, recently Snapchat and Instagram have become the ‘place to be’. Interesting how these are mobile-focused! This is just a reminder, once again, that you need a responsive website.)
Furthermore, not everyone you are trying to reach is on Facebook. Surprised? Yes, it’s true, not EVERYONE is on Facebook, not everyone has a Social Media Profile.
What will you do if tomorrow Facebook closes your page/group tomorrow?
Having your own website will also assist you in building a database of users, clients and names. What will you do if tomorrow Facebook closes your page and you are left with no database of your own? You will be lost. You will have no online presence. You must have a database of your customers and you must take control of your business online.
In conclusion – Who is controlling the online presence of your business, are you?
At the end of the day, image is everything. And in today’s world, a company without a website is a company without a face (or you will have a face that you have no control over). You are leaving all your marketing, branding and basically your face to anyone else who chooses to edit it. Take control, request a quote and get online.
