In today’s digital world, establishing an online presence is crucial for businesses of all sizes. Two of the most popular options for achieving this are creating a business Facebook page or building a website. But which one is better for promoting your company and connecting with customers? Here is an in-depth comparison of Facebook business pages versus websites to help you decide which platform makes the most sense for your needs.
The Benefits of a Facebook Business Page
Facebook is the largest social media network, with over 2.8 billion monthly active users as of Q2 2021. Launching a Facebook business page allows you to tap into this massive built-in audience and increase awareness for your brand. Here are some of the key advantages of using Facebook for your business:
- High visibility – Pages appear in Facebook search results and News Feeds, giving you exposure to both existing fans and new potential customers.
- Low cost – Creating and maintaining a Facebook page is free. You only pay if you want to run paid ads.
- Engagement – Followers can easily like, comment on, and share your content to interact with your brand.
- Insights – Facebook’s analytics tools allow you to assess your page’s performance with data like demographics and engagement metrics.
- Ads – Facebook advertising is targeted and cost-effective. You can promote posts and create customized audiences based on user data.
- Customer service – The messaging features let followers privately contact your business to ask questions or get support.
- Mobile connectivity – Given that most Facebook usage happens on mobile, a page makes it easy for on-the-go customers to find and connect with your brand.
In summary, a Facebook business page offers an easy way to build a community around your brand and engage with both existing and potential new customers. The platform makes it simple to share multimedia content, promote products/services, and analyze how users are responding.
The Benefits of a Business Website
Websites have long been an essential tool for establishing a company’s digital presence. Though Facebook provides plenty of business functionality, a website offers some unique advantages that a social media page cannot replicate. Benefits of having a business website include:
- Full control over design and user experience – You can heavily customize the look, layout, content, and features to fit your brand image.
- Search engine discoverability – Websites are indexed by Google and other search engines, letting you reach new audiences through organic search results.
- Credibility and authority – A standalone website conveys professionalism and legitimacy much more than a social media page does.
- Multimedia content hosting – You can post documents, videos, podcasts, and other robust information not permitted on Facebook.
- Ecommerce capabilities – A website makes it easy to sell products and services directly with integrated shopping carts.
- Lead generation – Forms and CTAs allow you to effectively collect visitor contact details and sales leads.
- Unlimited traffic capacity – There are no restrictions on how many people can visit your site at once.
Websites lend themselves better to showcasing detailed company information and driving commercial transactions. They establish your business as a serious market player and enable you to fully control the narrative around your brand.
Comparing Facebook Page and Website User Experience
Understanding the different user experience and functionality of Facebook business pages versus websites is key in determining which platform makes the most sense for your purposes. Here is how the experiences compare:
| Factor | Facebook Business Page | Business Website |
|---|---|---|
| Design customization | Limited customization options available | Fully customizable design, layout, images, color schemes, etc. |
| Content length & format | Shorter-form content recommended. Limited post text lengths and formats. | Longer-form written content with no limits. Options for videos, podcasts, PDFs, images, etc. |
| Usability on mobile | Seamless mobile experience through dedicated app | Mobile-responsive websites adapt for smaller screens |
| Multimedia | Allows photos, videos, gifs, and live streaming | Supports diverse multimedia like slideshows, animations, audio, etc. |
| Ecommerce capabilities | Limited – can only add buy buttons with external product pages | Robust – built-in shopping carts, payment processing, shipping, and tax calculations |
| Search visibility | Pages appear in Facebook search and may rank in Google | Optimized to rank highly in organic Google and other search engine results |
| Audience targeting | Built-in targeting of Facebook users by interests, demographics, behaviors | SEO targeting of users searching for related keywords and topics |
| Lead generation | Lead ad forms enable capturing some visitor info | Custom landing pages and forms for capturing detailed lead data |
| Audience size | Limited to your page followers and Facebook users | Reaches entire online population – not restricted to one channel |
| User engagement | Comments, shares, views, click-throughs | Time on site, pages per visit, bounce rates, conversions |
As this comparison illustrates, Facebook pages and websites have distinct user experiences optimized for their respective platforms. Websites lend themselves better to customization, multimedia content, ecommerce, organic search visibility, and data collection. Facebook offers easy mobile optimization, built-in audience targeting, and interactive communication with page followers.
Determining If You Need a Website or Facebook Page
Based on their different features, pros, and user experiences, here are some key factors to help determine if your business should prioritize a Facebook page or website:
A Facebook page may be better if:
- You want to quickly and easily establish an initial online presence at no cost
- Your business is consumer-facing with products/services targeted at everyday Facebook users
- You primarily want to build awareness, social proof, and organic reach
- You intend to do limited selling online and don’t need full ecommerce
- You want to take advantage of Facebook’s built-in targeted advertising capabilities
- You prefer creating more visual, interactive, and short-form content
A website may be preferable if:
- You want full control over your brand image and online presence
- Your business offers complex products/services that require detailed explanations
- You intend to make sales directly through your online platform
- You want to establish credibility and authority with a standalone branded domain
- You are focused on search engine visibility and organic traffic
- You need advanced analytics and data collection from site visitors
Most businesses can benefit from having both a Facebook presence and dedicated website. However, prioritizing one over the other depends on your specific goals, target audience, products/services, and content strategy. Websites tend to provide greater flexibility and customization, while Facebook offers unparalleled access to existing users.
Best Practices for Facebook Business Pages
If you determine that launching a Facebook business page aligns closest with your current business needs, here are some tips for creating an effective presence:
- Completely fill out your page profile with a description, contact info, location, business hours, etc.
- Use high-quality cover and profile images that represent your brand.
- Craft an engaging About section that tells your brand’s story.
- Set up Facebook Shop if you plan to sell products directly through Facebook.
- Create and promote occasional Facebook Events to engage local followers.
- Post a rich mix of content including photos, videos, links, and livestreams.
- Respond promptly to all comments and messages from followers.
- Analyze your Facebook Insights regularly and tweak tactics to improve engagement.
- Create Facebook ads targeted to similar audiences to expand your reach and followers.
- Share user-generated content when customers post about your business.
Optimizing your Facebook presence takes consistency, patience, and experimentation. The more value you provide, the more the algorithm will spread your content to new audiences. Leverage the platform’s interactive nature and powerful targeting capabilities.
Best Practices for Business Websites
For businesses that want to prioritize their website, here are some recommendations for maximizing the impact:
- Secure a quality domain name and hosting plan to ensure a professional presence.
- Optimize website speed and performance for maximum visitor engagement.
- Make sure your site is mobile-responsive for easy access on all devices.
- Structure your site navigation and page layouts for intuitive user flows.
- Produce SEO-optimized content focusing on relevant topics and keywords.
- Update your blog regularly with long-form content that educates and engages.
- Include clear calls-to-action to drive conversions and lead generation.
- Provide unique value propositions explaining your competitive advantages.
- Collect visitor emails and keep them engaged through drip email campaigns.
- Install analytics like Google Analytics to track and report on performance.
A results-driven website takes planning and dedication. Focus on crafting a user experience tailored specifically to your target customer. Provide informative content and compelling reasons for visitors to engage further with your brand and become customers.
Should You Have Both a Facebook Page and Website?
For most businesses today, having both a Facebook presence and website is the best strategy. Each platform serves different but complementary purposes. A website establishes your brand online, offers in-depth information, and enables ecommerce capabilities not fully possible on Facebook. Meanwhile, a Facebook page provides engaging updates to followers, interactive communication channels, and built-in targeted advertising.
Ideally, your Facebook page and website should work together to provide a cohesive user experience. You can cross-promote content and campaigns between the platforms to maximize reach and conversions. For example, promoting website blogs and offers on Facebook, and highlighting Facebook reviews and events on your website.
Here are some tips for successfully leveraging both platforms:
- Link to your website from the Facebook page and vice versa.
- Mirror your branding and messaging across both presences.
- Share website content previews on Facebook to drive traffic.
- Repurpose website blogs and resources into Facebook posts.
- Use website pop-ups or overlays to collect Facebook leads.
- Run retargeting ads to website visitors on Facebook.
- Analyze cross-channel data to understand customer journeys.
With the massive scale of Facebook combined with the customization potential of websites, having both presences gives you expanded reach and ways to engage audiences. Use each channel for what it does best while maintaining brand consistency.
The Bottom Line
Facebook business pages and company websites both offer excellent ways to establish your business online and connect with customers. Websites provide more robust ecommerce features, branding control, and organic search visibility. Facebook enables community engagement, social promotion, and built-in targeted advertising.
Most small businesses today should leverage both platforms in tandem. Manage your Facebook page to engage existing fans with short-form content, multimedia, and interactive posts. Develop your website as a custombranded hub offering detailed company information, blog content, and ecommerce shopping options.
By maximizing each channel’s strengths and promoting cross-platform synergy, you can build a comprehensive digital presence that meets diverse customer needs. With the proper dual strategy, you can increase awareness, drive web traffic and sales, and deliver optimal user experiences.