The WEB of website + Social Media
No doubt there are many people using Facebook – as of October 2011 Facebook reported 800 million users with over 50% logging in daily.
With Facebook having a Business Page is an excellent idea – it gives a method to update fans and those who have “Liked” your page quick updates. Also if your Facebook fans comment or share your postings – this gets multiplied out to their friends.
However a business does require one central location to have their basic product and service information. This might be your product catalog for a business, menus for a restaurant, and services offered by a consultant. These should be readily available to anyone who is searching on the Internet by using search optimized web pages. In addition on a regular basis in Facebook you should have your POSTS link back to your website for more information. This helps to build your website traffic and integrate your Facebook page activity with your website.
Pros and Cons
| Comparison | Facebook Business Page | Website |
| Pros | Lots of people using it
Easy to make postings Can link back to your website Can setup individual pages – but people don’t often browse the additional tabs Easy to setup |
Can create a branded professional look
Can create organized and easy to use navigation More control on layout and how the message is presented Can integrate your FaceBook page |
| Cons | Need to build up your fan base
Information on your wall shows most recent posts – but people may not scroll down to see previous posts No obvious hierarchy and way to organize your information Need to post regularly |
May require technical expertise to update your information (depends on type of website)
May have to pay for hosting and domain name May take time to build the website Need to check that pages are found on search engines |
Conclusion
There are advantages to having a Facebook Business Page – but to really benefit from having a presence on the Internet a business should still have a well designed website.
