If you’re a small business owner, it can be tough to decide which online platform is best for you: should you have a website or a business Facebook page?
Here’s some advice to help you make your decision: according to recent studies, 57% of small businesses use websites as their main online presence, while only 43% use Facebook pages as their primary business marketing source.
So, if you’re wondering whether you should have a website or a Facebook page, the answer is: that you should probably have both. A website is a great place to provide detailed information about your business, while a Facebook page can help build relationships with your existing customers.
Keep reading to learn about what a website and a Facebook page have to offer, what are their pros and cons, and how to decide which one is best for you.
What are the pros and cons of both a website and a Facebook page? There’s no doubt that both platforms have their advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of each.
Facebook is the biggest social media in the world, with over 2 billion active users. This makes it a great place for a small business to reach a large audience.
Facebook Page Pros
1. Free
A Facebook page is free to create, you can start marketing your business on the Facebook platform free of charge.
2. Convenience
It is quick and easy to set up a Facebook page, and you can start promoting your business immediately.
3. Targeted advertising
You can use Facebook’s powerful advertising tools to target your ideal customers.
4. Customer relationships
Facebook pages allow you to build relationships with your customers, which can lead to more sales in the future. It allows you to easily engage with your audience and get feedback from them.
5. Share content and give updates
You can share content on your Facebook page via Facebook posts and give updates about your business, which can help keep your audience informed about your business’s products and services.
6. Build a community
A Facebook page can help you build a community around your business, which can be beneficial for networking. You can also set up a Facebook group to have even more control over your community.
7. Facebook Live
Facebook Live is a great way to connect with your audience in real-time. It notifies your followers as soon as you start your live stream, and they can watch it live or later.
8. Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is a great way to communicate with your customers. You can send them messages, photos, and videos, and they can even reply to you privately.
Facebook Page Cons
1. Lack of Control
As with all social media platforms, you don’t have complete control over your Facebook page. Facebook can make changes to its algorithm or policies that could impact your business.
2. Privacy Issues
Facebook has come under fire in the past for collecting too much user data and not protecting it adequately.
3. Facebook Terms of Service
The Facebook Terms of Service can be confusing and difficult to understand. You have to stay informed about the latest changes to make sure you comply with their policy.
Violating their terms of service could negatively impact your business. Facebook could decide to place a ban on your page, which would prevent your followers from seeing your content.
4. Dependency
Your business is dependent on a third-party platform (Facebook) to reach your customers. If Facebook were to shut down or make major changes to its platform, it could impact your ability to reach your target market.
5. Customization Limitations
Facebook pages have limited customization options, which can make it difficult to create a page that accurately represents your business brand. Facebook page cannot add custom HTML, CSS, or add extra functionality. Facebook page lack website building tools that can add extra functionality and features.
6. Content Ranking
Facebook uses an algorithm to rank content based on how engaging it is and how relevant it is to a user. This can make it difficult to get your content seen by your followers. Your posts may never get seen if it is pushed to the bottom of people’s newsfeed. Not only that but it’s very difficult to search for existing content on Facebook.
7. High Competition
Since creating a Facebook page is quick and easy to start, your business will be competing with many other businesses. That includes competing for attention with both experienced and inexperienced businesses that may have more or fewer resources than you do.
8. Pay to Play
Facebook newsfeed is constantly being flooded with content. To ensure that your content is seen by your target audience, you need to invest in Facebook advertising.
So as you can see Facebook is a great way to reach your target market, but it also has its downsides. Now let’s take a look at what a website has to offer.
Website Pros
1. Full Control
As the owner of a website, you have full control over the content. You can make changes to your website whenever you want, without having to get permission from anyone.
Unlike Facebook, you own your website and nobody can take it away from you. The only possible way your website can be taken down is if the website is participating in online illegal activity.
An actual business website can help to legitimize your business. Customers will feel more confident doing business with you if they can see that you are a professional entity with a real-world presence. Furthermore, search engines give preferential treatment to websites with rich and informative content. By creating and maintaining an up-to-date website, you can help improve your business’s visibility online.
2. Customizable
You can customize your website to match your business branding. You can choose the colors, fonts, and layout that best represent your company.
3. Credibility
A website lends credibility to your business. It shows that you’re a legitimate business and that you take your work seriously.
4. Identity
There’s nothing like having your own domain name and custom website to represent your brand. It helps you to stand out from the competition and establishes you as an authority in your field.
5. Navigation
A website is easier to navigate than Facebook. Visitors can browse your website by topic or by-product. They can also use keywords to find the specific information they’re looking for.
6. Maximize Google
A website allows you to use the Google search engine to its full capacity. You can receive organic traffic (people who find your website through a Google search) as well as paid traffic (people who click on an ad that leads to your website). As of February 2022, nine out of ten online users looking for information on the internet are doing so through Google. There are many other search engines like Bing and DuckDuckGo that a website can also leverage to bring traffic to your own website.
7. Google My Business
Both your Google My Bussiness and website communicate to Google that your business is professional. Adding your website to your Google My Business will let Google know that you are a legitimate business. This is one of the many factors Google uses to determine your rankings in the search results.
8. SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website so that it appears higher on search engine results pages. This can help increase traffic to your website and boost your business.
9. Marketing Strategies
The number of market strategies you can implement on a website is endless. This includes all eight major types of digital marketing including Search Engine Optimization, Pay-per-Click, Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing, Email Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Marketing Analytics, and Affiliate Marketing.
10. Analytics
There are more analytics that can be measured from a website compared to a Facebook page. This includes website visits, page views, unique visitors, time on site, bounce rate, exit rate, and many more. You can use this data to improve your website and make it more engaging for your visitors. You have much more control over your website’s analytics than what Facebook analytics has to offer.
Website Cons
1. Cost
Creating and hosting a website can be expensive. Depending on the features you want, it can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per year.
2. Setup
Depending on your technical ability, setting up a website can be a daunting task. You need to purchase a domain name, find hosting, install a CMS (content management system), and design your website. If you don’t have the technical skills, you’ll need to hire someone to help you set up your website.
3. Technical Knowledge
You’ll need to have some technical knowledge to create and maintain a website. This can be a challenge for small business owners who don’t have the time or resources to learn how to code or design.
4. Maintenance
Ongoing maintenance is necessary to keep your website performance optimal and secure. This includes updating your CMS, plugins, and themes; monitoring your website’s analytics, and fixing any broken links, images, or functionality. You’ll need to hire a web developer to make changes to your website, which cost get expensive depending on the changes you need to be made.
5. Time
Building a website can take a lot of time. You’ll need to come up with a design, write the content, and make sure the website is SEO optimized. This can be a time-consuming process that requires a lot of effort.
6. Growth
Simply by having a website, you’re not guaranteed to see growth in your business. You’ll need to put in the work and implement effective marketing strategies to see any results. Solely relying on SEO (Search Engine Optimization ) to rank your website organically could realistically take up to six to twelve months before you see any significant growth and conversions. You could help speed up the process by investing in PPC advertising and content marketing.
7. Marketing Costs
To maximize the potential of your website, you’ll need to invest in marketing. This can include things like Search Engine Optimization, Pay-per-Click, Social Media Marketing, and Email Marketing. These services can be expensive and require a lot of time and effort to implement properly.
A website is a powerful tool that can help you grow your business. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons before deciding on whether building a website is right for you.
What’s better: a Website or a Facebook page?
It depends on your audience. Although a website has way too many advantages to not recognize, if your audience is mostly on Facebook, then a Facebook page would be better. A website is better for businesses that want to scale their business to the next level. Technically you want to have both to capture all your potential leads from each platform. By just having a Facebook page you are limiting your audience and business potential.
Do I need a website if I have a Facebook page?
So you may be wondering why would I ever need a website if creating a Facebook page is quick, easy, and cheap? The answer is yes, you absolutely still need a website. Facebook is a social media platform and should not be used to replace your website. Your website is your online home base and should contain more in-depth information about your business than what you post on Facebook. Additionally, your website will rank higher in search engine results pages than your Facebook page, so it’s important to have a website if you’re looking to grow your business. You should look at social media as your marketing foot soldiers that bring traffic back to your website, where you have the opportunity to convert them into paying customers.
How do I determine if I need a website?
As mentioned before there is nothing that can replace a website. However, if you’re a small business that is just beginning it may not be an option. A Facebook page is a good starting point, but you’ll need a website once you start to grow. Consider saving for a company website budget.
If you’re not sure if you need a website or not, ask yourself the following questions:
- Does my business have a solid online presence?
- Do I want to reach more customers online?
- Do I need a place to showcase my products and services?
- Do I want to have more control over my online business analytics?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need a website. If you’re still not sure, contact us for a free consultation.
In Conclusion
There’s no question that a website is far superior to any other social media platform when it comes to reaching a larger audience and growing your business. All other social media platforms pale in comparison to a company website. Although a Facebook page has its purpose, it can be part of your digital marketing strategy, it should be used to complement your website. A Facebook business page has great features that allow you to engage with your audience and keep them updated on your latest products and services. However, your website should be the main hub for your business where you can provide more detailed information about your business. Use your website as a digital brochure to convince your audience why your product or service is valuable. If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, then it’s time to invest in a website.
FAQ
Facebook page Vs Website: Is a Facebook page better than a website?
There is no definitive answer as to whether a Facebook page is better than a website. It depends on your business and what you are hoping to achieve with your online presence. A Facebook page can be a great way to engage with your audience, while a website can give you more control over the user experience. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which option is best for your business.
Do I need a website if I have a Facebook page?
The answer to this question is: it depends. A website can be a great way to provide more information about your business, while a Facebook page is a good way to connect with customers and keep them updated on your latest news. If you are looking to create a strong online presence for your business, it’s recommended that you have both a website and a Facebook page. However, if you are just starting, a Facebook page may be all you need in the beginning.
Can I use my Facebook page as a website?
There is no definitive answer to this question. Some businesses find that using their Facebook page as their website works well for them, while others prefer to have a standalone website. Ultimately, it depends on what you are looking for in terms of functionality and reach.
If you are happy with the way your Facebook page looks and performs, there is no reason why you can’t use it as your website. Keep in mind, however, that Facebook pages are not designed to be used as websites, so there may be some limitations in terms of functionality and design. For example, you won’t be able to add custom code to your page or create a custom domain name.
If you want a more fully-featured website with more design options and customization possibilities, you may want to consider setting up a standalone website. This will give you more control over how your website looks and functions.
How much does it cost to build a website?
This can vary depending on the size and complexity of your website. However, on average, it costs around $5,000 to have a website designed and built from scratch. This price can go up or down depending on the features and functionality you want to be included. If you already have a design in mind, the cost will be lower – but it’s important to factor in the time it will take to code the design, as well as any additional features or functionality you may want to be added.
If you’re looking for an affordable option, there are many website builders available that offer templates and designs for a fraction of the cost of hiring a designer. However, these websites typically don’t offer the same level of customization or flexibility. So it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons of each option before making a decision.
What if I don’t have the time or money to invest in a website?
There are many affordable options available, such as templates or web builders, that make building a website easy and affordable. We also offer affordable website design and development services to small businesses.
Is it important to have a mobile-friendly website?
Yes, over 50% of internet users are now using their phones to browse the web so it’s important to have a mobile-friendly website that looks good on all devices.
What type of content should I include on my website?
The most important content for your website is your about us, products and services, and contact information. You should also include blog posts, case studies, and testimonials to help convince potential customers to do business with you.
