5 Advantages a Designed Website Has Over Social Media
It is common practice for a business with an online presence to have its own social media page on at least one platform like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. This comes as no surprise, as social media poses opportunities to present, promote and engage with customers unlike any other marketing practices before. Social media pages are very easy to manage your content and are most helpful in reaching your target audience.
Which begs the big question: ‘why should one invest in a designed website when there are all these advantages on social media for free?’
1: A designed website is open for everyone
It might be hard to believe, but not every potential customer has a Facebook account! While it’s true that anyone can visit your social media account, some social media platforms are not as friendly to non-registered users. Facebook, for one, prompts your visitor to log in or register to Facebook with a sticky banner and with a pop up whenever your visitor tries to scroll through your page. Such behaviour might turn your visitor away from your social media page and move on to the next more-user-friendly Google search result – which is not something you want for your business (or for your competitor!)
Another argument is that visiting your social media page from their workplace may not be a situation your potential customer is comfortable with – especially in B2B. The workplace’s internet filters may be blacklisting social media platforms, including your social media page. In terms of usability, user experience on a website is more focused and more condensed to the information you want to get across. In parallel to this experience, on social media the user can be easily distracted by messages, notifications and your competitors’ advertisements – all unideal scenarios when your potential client is digesting your information.
2: Branding
The branding presence on social media is limited to the platform’s layout and dimensions. For example, on Instagram square images are standard to maximise visibility while Facebook’s algorithm gives preference to images with text allowance of up to 20%.
On the other hand, on a designed website one will not only have total control of the layout and content but also allows the customers to immerse themselves to your business’ branding. The brand’s look & feel, typography and colour palette all allow a website to give the customer a much better opportunity to get to know your business and what it stands for.
Find out why having a strong brand matters
3: Features
Social media platforms are constantly rolling out new features that allow users to directly engage with a business while staying on the social media platform. Such example is Instagram’s recent feature that allows users to buy goods from the business’ Instagram page.
However, it is still a long way for social media platforms to have as much features as designed website can provide. Features like application forms, online stores with wish lists and carts, promotional games, searchable content are a few of the unlimited possibilities a website have for your business.
4: Control
Most of the listed advantages revolve around one main context – total control on your online presence. When having a social media account, your business’s presence is depending on how the platform decides.
A good example is how Facebook’s update to its News Feed algorithm in 2018 drastically decreased the reach of business Facebook pages. Moreover, most business Facebook pages are prone to having their competitor’s Facebook pages displayed under ‘Related pages’ or having space for Facebook advertisements of other businesses of the same sector. Such issues are never at stake on your website as your business has total control of what is displayed and how – down to the last pixel.
5: Keep every other feature from social media
Option for your customers to reach you on Messenger? Check!
News section? Check!
Reviews section? Check!
The biggest advantage here is that almost any feature your social media page has can be implemented into your designed website.
Do you need a new website to help you take your business to the next level? Let us schedule a meeting!
