Facebook pages are free, and there are nearly three million accounts on the platform. So we’re often asked by small business owners if it makes sense to invest in a professionally built website when they already have a presence on Facebook or another social media platform. Our short answer is that accounts on social media lack the same level of control, flexibility, and professionalism that you get with a website. Consider the following areas:

Credibility and Professionalism:

A professionally designed website gives your business credibility. Take into consideration these two statistics:

• 75% of people judge a company’s credibility based on its website.
• 85% of customers check a business online before making a purchase.

Here’s a good acid test for credibility: would you hire a heart surgeon that only has a Facebook page but not a website?

Ownership and Independence:

Facebook can, has, and will, change its algorithms, and terms of service without notice. They can even shut down your page and/or put you in Facebook Jail.  You don’t have to worry about that with a website as you own and control it.

Brand Identity and Control:

A website allows you to establish your own unique brand identity. You control that brand with every component of your website so you can ensure that your domain name, logo, design, and content align with your business. So unlike Facebook, you have full control over the overall look, branding, and user experience on your website. There’s no branding from a social media platform on your website.

Expanded Content and Information:

A Facebook page limits the type and amount of content that you can include. Want to collect leads directly into your CRM? Forget it on Facebook. How about features like a mortgage calculator or live MLS listings? Not on Facebook.  When you have a website, if you can dream it, an effective web developer can get it to work on your website.

Search Engine Rankings:

You don’t own the URL of your Facebook page like you own your website’s domain name. So you’re promoting their URL instead of yours.  Plus, you control how you implement SEO (Search Engine Optimization) on your website. This means that the power to increase traffic to your website is in your hands.

Conversion and E-commerce:

A website gives you almost unlimited options for sales and lead generation. Want to implement a complex shipping strategy on your Facebook site? Not going to happen. Nor will things like suggestive selling, capturing detailed customer data (for your use), or using multiple payment processors happen on a social media platform.

Analytics and Insights:

Facebook gives you some analytics, but it’s nothing compared to what you can get with a website. Google Analytics and Search Console provide more metrics than most people know what to do with. Plus, there are other options for collecting data that you can only use on a website.

Wrapping Up:

So yes, we strongly believe that you need a website – even if it’s a simple one. There’s also value in having a Facebook page, and presence, so we recommend having both. While having both a Facebook page and a website can complement each other,  you should use all of your social media properties to drive traffic to your website and not do things the other way around. Need help with setting up a website? Then please schedule your no-cost, no-obligation consultation with us. We’d be happy to help you.