Website vs Facebook page - What's the best choice?
We'll go over a few comparisons between using Facebook to put your company out there and the benefits of having your own website.
Since the advent of social media, there's been a debate regarding developing a website or setting up a Facebook page as your business' main online communication tool.
This happens because Facebook is a social network we can use to boost our business, so some set up a profile and make it their first choice to show that they can do instead of it just being a supportive tool. While on the other hand, a website provides most businesses with undeniable advantages, which makes having one essential.
We'll go over some comparisons between these two options.
1) Proprietary vs lack of control
Website
We own the website we develop, and this gives us complete control over the information, how it's displayed and the content we want to publish. Of course, this is assuming we're not using a free service, in which case we do depend on whoever provides it.
Facebook Page
Here we'll have to abide by the platform's terms and conditions in order to host our content, which is constantly under review. If we do something they consider improper our account could be deleted or even banned.
Facebook is a platform that seems to be free to use, and even if it wasn't there will always be terms to follow. On another note, Facebook pages don't really have owners but administrators and moderators, among other roles, instead.
2) Design changes
Website
We can make our website display our brand colors, place images wherever we want, use the typeface specified in our brand guidelines and make our content's design match our message as a company/business. These changes can be made at our own discression, since they'll be made through us, a developer or an agency that manages the site for us.
For this, we recommend using site editors or CMS software which will let us make changes quick and easy. We invite you to know all about our very own CMS Columnis, www.columnis.com
Facebook Page
Here the design is already predetermined and all Facebook profiles look the same. It will allow us to upload our logo as a profile picture, and some other image or video as a cover but not much else. But for example, and as it can frequently happen, if changes are made in the social network, we're forced to comply and follow, which can affect our already planned-out social media strategy.
3) Statistics
Website
Our website statistics are only accesible to us or whoever we give access to, therefore noone else will know of our website's status. The most widely used software for this purpose is Google Analytics, though some perhaps less popular alternatives do exist.
Facebook Page
Here everyone can see how many followers we have or don't have, even exactly who is following us.
4) Database vs Timeline
Website
Users can subscribe to our database through our website and get updates through our website as well as our newsletter if we offer one. Well used, this is a great tool since it allows us to have a large number of potential customers that can at any time turn into leads and then customers
Facebook Page
We can easily update our information and it will probably be seen by a lot of people, since users spend a fair amount of time on social media. We can also make our posts generate interaction be it with comments or by sharing our content with their circle.
The big downside is that it's become increasingly difficult to stand out organically, which means that even if people really like our page we'll often have to turn to Facebook Ads and pay for our content to be displayed.
In conclusion
Having a Facebook Page is a very important tool, which provides us with another way to put our company and brand out there, but it's still a third-party tool where we'll have to comply with their terms. A website is our cover letter, our property and where we can set our own communication rules.
Whether you're interested in developing a website or a Facebook page, contact us - we can help you.
