This entire post is about why you should have a website and a Facebook page. The simple answer is this: to make Google like you more. When Google likes you, good things happen.
Over the last year or two, I’ve noticed a trend. Because Facebook has become ubiquitous—that is, most of your customers are using it—some businesses, particularly new businesses or businesses only recently embracing their online presence, have decided they only need a Facebook page.
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
But Facebook Is A Great Tool
A Facebook page is great, and I would argue, all but necessary. It allows customers to develop relationships with businesses in a space they’re already comfortable with. From the businesses’ perspective, Facebook is a great way for existing customers to recommend services to their friends, making it awesome for increasing referrals.
And, let’s face it, people are less and less likely to pick up the phone. Facebook allows customers to connect with businesses without having to make a call. Instead, they can turn to the messaging feature they’re already using. And, it’s a great way for businesses such as restaurants to advertise daily specials. It’s also regularly used for everything from communicating inclement weather closures to reminding customers about upcoming events.
If Facebook is so great, why can’t you use it exclusively?
Glad you asked:
Facebook is only intended for sharing basic information about the business.
When visitors go to the “About” section of your businesses’ Facebook page, they are taken to a page detailing when the business was founded, its hours, location, and phone number, and hopefully some basic information about the mission or goal of the business…but that’s about it.
If your customers want to know basically anything beyond what Facebook allows for with their limited space and one-size-fits-all layout…you’re going to need a website.
A well-developed website is more customizable.
Because of that customization, clients and customers can more easily navigate information, and businesses are able to share information in a more organized way.
As noted above, Facebook, understandably, is one-size-fits-all. A Facebook page is meant to be simple, straightforward, one and done. A website, on the other hand, can be customized to suit your wildest dreams. Want your landing page to have a singing animated video? Done.
More realistically, do you want to provide online shopping and automated inventory tracking with shipping notifications to customers? We can help with that.
Do you want to passionately explain why and how you do what you do? CloudZen Designs can definitely help with that.
A website is necessary for search engine optimization (SEO).
This is possibly the most important point of the three. Without getting into the long explanation, search engine optimization means optimizing your web presence so your business shows up higher in search rankings.
This is important.
When customers go to their favorite search engine and look for, let’s say, yarn shops, a list of yarn shops in their area populates at the top of the search engine’s results. Usually, the list of top hits is a result of strong search engine optimization combined with being listed as a business on Google. A significant number of reviews doesn’t hurt either, but that’s a topic for another time.
If your search engine optimization is lacking, you may not show up on that list—or you may be at the bottom.
Perhaps you carry an item or brand that the person would really like to know more about. Maybe you’re the closest option. But none of that matters if you don’t have a website with good SEO that’s caused your business to be highly listed. And if you don’t have a website, guess what? The person looking for your services is going to go right on down the list. I bet fewer than one out of ten people will call a business to find out information that should be on a nonexistent website.
Facebook + Website = Where it’s at
If you take away one thing from this article, let it be this: what’s awesome about having both a website and a Facebook page is that Google can tell they are connected. When a business has both and makes it a point to be active on each one, Google likes it. When Google likes what you’re doing, they rank you higher. The higher you are in search results, the more customers can find you. It’s as simple as that.
Developing a new website might sound difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. CloudZen Designs can help streamline the process and get you into a site that suits your needs.
And hey, if you need social media maintenance help, we’re happy to chat about that, too.
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