We all love Facebook – it's an excellent tool for self-promotion and a great way to connect to new and existing clients. We love it and even help clients advertise on the platform. But it's not a website. As such, it's best used in conjunction with a site built to meet your requirements.

If you're relying solely on social networks (like Facebook) for all your customer interactions, you're missing out on essential benefits which only a dedicated site can offer:

5% Of Your Followers Will See Your Posts

Many people assume the posts you make to your Facebook business page appear in all your followers' timelines. Wrong. On average, only about 5% of your page followers will see it. To get the post to be displayed for more of them, you have to pay. The only way your followers will see all your posts is to visit your Facebook business page, where they will also see adverts for your competitors. That's how Facebook makes its money!

Design Control

You don't have a say in how Facebook looks and works. As we've seen recently, they can make sweeping changes to your profile and business page, which you have zero control over but seriously affect how your business is represented. With your very own website, you create and control your web presence, ensuring it matches your corporate look and feel.

Customer Relationships

When you have a website, you own the relationship with your customers. When they sign up for your newsletter or make a direct enquiry, you manage that contact and the data exchanged. This way, you can always stay in touch with them on your terms, for free. You don't need to pay Facebook to put your message in front of them. Plus, if your customers abandon Facebook, you don't lose the connection.

User Experience

Most social networks give you a one-page profile on a site full of millions of distractions. Studies have shown that your customers only see 5% of the updates and messages you post. Want more of your customers to see your posts? You need to pay Facebook.

Facebook wants users to click on ads for wheelbarrows, laptops and blow dryers. What do you want your followers to do? On your website, you call the shots.

No Competitors

When you develop a customer base (friends/likes) on social networks, these platforms will sell access to this base to your competitors, often using your posts as the foundation for other peoples paid adverts.

Conclusion

Social networks have their place. As said at the top, they are an excellent place for self-promotion and connecting with customers. But once that connection is made, you should be driving these customers to your website, NOT driving your website visitors to social platforms.