Is a Facebook Page Enough for my Business
Running a small business is a challenge, and there are lots of areas of competition for your marketing dollars. Some small business owners, due to marketing budget restrictions or just in the name of efficiency are skipping website creation completely and just using Facebook as a public Internet presence for their site.
Here are five good reasons why a Facebook page isn’t enough for your business.
- You Should Use as Many Marketing tools as you can – Everyone is fighting for your marketing dollar. TV, Newspaper, Radio, SEOs, Facebook, Linked In, Sign Dancers, Window painters, etc…. and that’s a good thing. Marketing is all about getting in front of people in different ways. Engaging with social media can definitely be positive for your business, having your own established, professional website that attracts visitors and generates leads is probably the best place to spend your marketing dollars. Don’t just put up a Facebook page and call it good enough, use all the tools that you can.
- Facebook changes stuff… A LOT – If you are new to Facebook you may not know this, but every few months Facebook makes some fundamental change to their site that causes mass outcry among their users. They have had an ongoing fiasco with business pages, fan pages, cover images, newsfeeds and Timeline just to name a few. A Facebook page isn’t something you can just setup and revisit every year or so (not that we recommend that for any of your marketing). A Facebook page requires constant monitoring for major changes. Facebook’s typical warning time is a maximum of 30 days.
- Facebook isn’t the best platform for Local SEO – Right now, Internet marketing is still all about search engine optimization. So far, Google’s search still is the most effective way to get new leads and customers in your door. In fact, back in January one of the writers over at Forbes Magazine did an analysis of using Facebook to acquire new customers and determined that Facebook Pages Are a Bad Investment for Small Businesses. Your best bet for new traffic and customers is a well designed website created on solid Search Engine Optimization principals. Being at the top of the Google rankings will help your business grow.
- Facebook advertises for everyone else – Facebook has gotten crazy about advertising lately. Not only are their sidebar ads, but promoted posts are cluttering the newsfeeds. My guess is this is the determining factor behind recent reports that teens are tiring of Facebook and moving to Tumblr. Why let your competitors advertise on your Facebook page? Why encourage people to disengage with your brand and click elsewhere? Create your own page where you can steer people to a sale.
- You Have Control of Your Website – Ever have a phone book print your number wrong? Maybe they put your business in the wrong category on the Yellow Pages. Unfortunately once that book is printed the mistake is permanent, the best you can do is get it fixed next year, and that’s if the phone book people actually get it done. Facebook is kind of like that. Here is an excellent article that discusses 14 Ways New Facebook Betrays Small Business. Every one of these items is a non-issue if you own your own site. If there is a problem, you just call up your webmaster or SEO and have the change made. If Facebook breaks your page your options are much more limited.
Build a Website with Local SEO for your Business
At e-Marketing Partner we love all marketing channels. Facebook, Linked In, G+, Pinterest, they are all awesome, but none of these sites are a substitute for having your own domain and your own website.
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