Facebook Will Never Replace Your Website. With over 60 million business pages on Facebook and more than 2 billion monthly active users, many business owners are jumping at the opportunity to create a Facebook Business Page to reach their audience. Business Pages are effective digital marketing tools, but many companies make the mistake of using the platform as their only source of online presence, when what they really need to consider is a custom website. Here’s why:
Brand Image & Control
If you’re a business owner pondering the idea of whether you reallyneed a website, the answer is always going to be yes. While social media platforms like Facebook have evolved over time to provide businesses with new features, they are still limited in terms of customization. Specifically, businesses are limited creatively, which places confines on a brand’s overall image. Sure, you can update featured images, but a Facebook Page alone simply cannot convey your brand’s full identity.
A dedicated website gives you complete creative control, with limitless customization options to communicate a clear and concise brand image to consumers. It also provides a place where users can come and be fully immersed with images and information pertaining to your business alone, rather than being distracted by the content and advertisements of other competitors.
Builds Your SEO
Perhaps the most beneficial feature of a dedicated website is the effect it has on your SEO. One of the main purposes of having an online presence is to make it easy for customers to find your business and purchase your product or service. A custom website allows for tailored content, down to the exact phrases and keywords your potential customers are searching for online. Data shows that organic results deliver more than half of a website’s traffic. Well implemented SEO on your custom site will easily give you a leg-up on the competition.
You Own Your Website
If complete creative control and a beefed-up SEO weren’t enough to sway you, the fact that you would ownyour website should. All businesses value assets,and a website is just that – a digital asset. Owning an official website with your own, branded domain name does wonders when it comes to building trust and credibility with your users. This trust makes customers feel safe and will encourage them to make a transaction or interact with your site.
Insight into Customer Behavior
Last but certainly not least, a website provides valuable insight into the behavior of your customers. Useful tools like Google Analytics and heat maps can give businesses a glimpse of exactly how users are navigating the site. Detailed information such as what pages users are visiting most, how long they are spending on each page, and where users are dropping off can prove to be extremely useful when evaluating how to better reach your audience and improve sales.
All in all, Facebook Business Pages are a great (and free) way to expand your online presence, butthey’re simply not enough on their own. A custom website is crucial to your business’ success, both on and offline. Ready to get started with a website of your own?
Contact Business House today for a free consultation.