Has Facebook Replaced the Company Website?
Yesterday, I was sitting watching television when a commercial for a North American fast food restaurant flashed across the screen. This commercial wasn’t overly different from any other burger joint ad, until the very end, when instead of flashing the customary company URL across the screen, a Facebook Fan Page address appeared. There’s no denying Facebook’s popularity; everyone and their grandmother is signed up and socializing on the the networking platform, and now it appears that business are finally taking note. More and more businesses are jumping on the Facebook bandwagon, begging the question – has Facebook replaced the company website?
The Experts Weigh In
Various social media experts have been discussing Facebook’s affect on traditional digital marketing; Pete Blackshaw posted an informative article in AdAge, and Jay Baer covered the basics on his blog. While Blackshaw focused on the importance of a traditional website, Baer made some important points about why Facebook’s business platform is starting to take flight. Baer concludes that Facebook is launching a three prong war on traditional websites. Facebook wants to change the way people use and distribute information online, increase online functionality, and, most importantly, provide your business with an immediate audience. I encourage you to read Baer’s article in its entirety – he makes some great points.
While Baer focuses on Facebook’s strengths, he doesn’t think that websites are going the way of the dinosaurs. As he says, “you’re essentially building your marketing program on rented land.” Having a Facebook presence is important, (heck, it’s vital), but it’s not the be-all and end-all of your online engagement strategies.
Company Websites Aren’t Extinct Yet
Blackshaw’s makes a great point in his AdAge article when he states small business owners need to rethink the way their company website is functioning. He says it’s time to “think wholesale, less retail. Think distribution, less destination. Think serving, less selling.” Your company website needs to be smart in order to stay relevant and continue engaging potential customers. The key is all about flexibility. Blackshaw makes a good point when he notes that most brand websites are “ill-equipped and ill-prepared for an adaptive, sense-and-response, digital “social” age.” If you want your site to perform, it needs to function with Facebook’s mindset. Change the way people interact with the information on your website, make things interactive, and encourage users to share, share, share. The Web is changing, your website needs to change too.
Rethink Your Website
If you’ve been thinking about overhauling your company website for a few years, now’s the time to take the plunge and make some big changes. A static, three page website with company information and a contact form isn’t going to cut it on today’s hyper-connected Web. These types of sites are lost in search engines, ignored by social networkers, and eventually forgotten by loyal customers. A quality company website needs to be constantly evolving and encouraging client interaction. Whether it’s through comments, contests, or creative content, your site needs to be a living, breathing entity in order to be successful.
Would you scrap your company website in order to focus entirely on Facebook marketing? Leave your thoughts below.
