Why a Facebook page is not enough
Are you putting your content up on Facebook because your website is too hard to update? Here's why that might not be such a good idea.
A number of times lately I’ve been talking to folks about their websites. Yeah, the company website is okay, they say, but we mostly put stuff up on our Facebook page. Really? I ask. Why? Oh, because it’s easier.
Hmm. Doing things because they’re easier is understandable. We’ve all got busy lives. And after all, if you’ve got a Facebook page and that’s up to date, people can find out what they need to about the company, right?
Well, yes and no. If you’re a local florist then yes – Facebook is free, easy to use and consequently an ideal channel to communicate with the community. But I've seen the 'just put it on Facebook because it's easier' methodology in use in large corporates, and there we're talking about a whole different thing.
I know why it happens. The majority of large companies don’t have a dedicated web team. Instead, those responsible for the website are expected to fit in in alongside all of their (many) other responsibilities. And critically, many are saddled with outdated and clunky content management systems on which they’ve had little or no training. It’s not surprising that Facebook starts to look like an easy option for putting out content.
But stop! Have you invested money in having a brand created? Does your business have a marketing person or marketing team? Have you invested time and effort working on messaging? And especially, is your business relying on the web to refer enquiries? If any of these things are true, then why would you entrust your brand and your messaging so completely to a third-party platform?
Sure, Facebook has reach. But corporate websites give you more control over your content and messaging, provide more information to your visitors, usually rank better in search engines, and do far more to build brand and engender trust than a Facebook page. Your website should be current. You should be working on it frequently. Not shortcutting to Facebook because it’s easier. You should be able to update easily, and share content between platforms with ease. Use Facebook, of course, and any other social media channels you find work for your message - but do that in concert with a current, up-to-date website. And if your website can't keep up, it’s time to stop putting it off, and get it looked at.