Do you really need a website if you’re using Facebook to market your business?
…Yes…and…No…
You can certainly start marketing your business on Facebook without a website. Here are a few ways to do that:
- Build a community with a Page and/or a Group
- Collect leads
- Sell products
- Use the Notes tool for blogging
- Use Messenger as a built-in customer service system
- Create a video show with Live broadcasting
- Use a small advertising budget to reach a target audience
There are new features added all the time for small business owners and Facebook wants to keep you and your prospects on its platform.
But a Facebook-only strategy is not wise in your long-term marketing plan because you don’t own your space on Facebook.
Your Page, Group or Profile can be temporarily or permanently shut down…and then what would you do?
A long-term digital marketing plan should include your own website where you DO have control. We recommend a self-hosted WordPress website, with a blog that helps you update content on a consistent basis.
Then your website and Facebook Page can be used together in an effective digital marketing strategy. The graphic below is how we like to explain a digital marketing system to small business owners. With your website as the “hub”, we then connect the other pieces to it and get an effective digital marketing system in place.
As you plan a long-term digital marketing strategy for your business, here are 8 questions to help:
1. What is the purpose of your digital marketing?
Is it brand awareness? Or lead collection? Digital marketing can include your website, social media sites, Search Engine optimization, email marketing, and eCommerce sites.
2. How does digital marketing fit into your overall marketing strategy?
It’s important to determine what percentage of your resources and budget get allocated to digital marketing.
3. What content will you share online?
We advise clients to create “evergreen” content – content that is relevant over a longer period of time – in addition to “in the moment” posts. For most small business owners, your content includes:
- Content you’ve created
- Other people’s content that you share
- User-generated content
4. What form of content will you share?
There are many different ways to share your content, including: -Photos
- Photos
- Graphics/Infographics
- Videos, GIFs
- eBooks, Whitepapers (free and/or paid resources)
- Live Streaming broadcasts
- Ephemeral (disappearing) posts
- Podcasts
- Blog Posts, Vlogs
5. What social media platforms will you focus on, and what is your strategy on each one?
With the size and reach of Facebook, almost all businesses will find this to be one of their major platforms. If you have the resources available, pick a second platform (where your customers spend time).
Focus on 1-2 social media platforms until you can expand your in-house resources and/or outsource help to manage additional sites.
6. What is your schedule for creating, curating, and posting content?
It’s easy to say you’ll post every day on Facebook, but a more structured, planned posting schedule helps you stay consistent in the long run. Setting up an internal system for creating and posting content is important when your time is limited.
7. What other internal systems do you need for your digital marketing strategy?
These can include:
- Listening/Monitoring
- Automation
- Email Marketing
- SEO / Website Optimization
- Analytics/Tracking
- Customer Service
- Networking/Growth
- Marketing/Advertising/Selling
8. What is your budget for digital marketing?
Setting up profiles on social media sites is free, but to get your content in front of the right people, you’ll need to have an advertising budget. Fortunately, on Facebook, you can start with as little as $1.00 a day in Ads.
The reality is that as the social space gets more crowded, a small business will find it necessary to spend money on social advertising.
So back to our original question: Which one do you need: Facebook or a website? Hopefully, we’ve explained that while it’s possible to get started with just one, for long-term digital marketing success your strategy should include both.
Have additional questions? We offer a free, initial consultation for small business owners who want to learn more. Click here to contact us and set up a phone / email appointment.
About Terry League