I get this question all the time when I give my free consultations to clients.
So many small businesses start by creating a free Facebook page, see some success, and think they don't need to spend money on a website.
And if I thought this was in the best interest of your business I would be honest with you and help you focus your marketing efforts on other advertising.
But having a marketing campaigns with no website is like having a house with no foundation.
Why?
There are a few reasons...
1.) You don't fully own a Facebook page. 
2.) A Facebook page doesn't have the flexibility of a website.
3.) Your brand will be stronger with a website.
1.) You Don't Fully Own A Facebook Page
According to Facebook's Terms of Service, anything you put on Facebook can and will be controlled by Facebook [Click Here To Learn More]. Think about it, when you post something on Facebook, Facebook decides who sees it in their newsfeed.
You can't control your audience!
If you post something that Facebook decides is against their community policy, they can remove it.
You can't completely control your content.
Most importantly, Facebook is a social media. Social media thrives on the social experiences of its users. And as the past has shown us, social media platforms are only as relevant as long as they are popular.
Remember MySpace? What about Xanga? Of course, none of those were ever as popular as Facebook, but at one point, they were all the rage, and now they're basically irrelevant in comparison.
My point is that you never know how long Facebook, or any other network, is going to be popular. If your entire business is based on these platforms, it could be here today and gone tomorrow.
2.) A Website Has More Flexibility Than A Facebook Page
Facebook is a great platform and it has a ton of great options to help connect your business to your audience.
These tools can be extremely helpful, especially for a brand new business that doesn't already have an established audience.
However, Facebook is only ever going to allow you to interact with its own tools, or it's affiliate tools.
For example, now that Facebook owns Instagram, it makes it very simple to connect the two accounts and maximize the user experience with both. But if a new social media platform came out tomorrow that has no affiliation with Facebook, you would not necessarily be able to connect that platform or tool with your Facebook page.
On the other hand, every tool designed for businesses is designed to work with a website because a website is basically your online store front.
So while it is definitely important to have a Facebook page for your business, it should ultimately be to link your customers back to your website.
3.) Your Brand Will Be Stronger With A Website
It's pretty clear that the website should be your starting point because of stability and adaptability, but your website can and should be so much more than that.
Like I mentioned earlier, your website is like your digital storefront. Once it's optimized to work best for your business, you can eliminate a lot of other tools you simply don't need.
Once you have a website, all of your other marketing efforts can point back to it, making your brand much stronger and cohesive.
For more information on the importance of websites, check out What's In A Website.
Are you a small business with a Facebook page that needs to be turned into a website? Contact us today for a FREE consultation to create the best website for your business goals!
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