Facebook Only: Should Your Business Ditch the Website and Go Strictly Social Media?

Last night a web designer friend called me, seemingly ready to quit the business. A long time client is thinking of scrapping the traditional website and using Facebook as their only online presence. This client caters to the younger generation and they hope that by going Facebook only they can generate more credibility with that age group.

My friend the web designer was understandably upset. A trusted client was ready to abandon the work he’d done on their website over the years. I can understand his frustration. Going Facebook only is a bold but risky move.

Does the business have the content and social media strategy to pull it off? Can they offer up enough consumable content that will keep people coming back... and sharing the Facebook page with their friends?

This particular business sells to the high school crowd, but their product isn’t cheap. That means most purchases are actually made by parents. And many parents don’t have a Facebook page. They don’t want to be bothered by creating an account, or inputting personal information just to see a potential product.

Social media is a great tool to add to your marketing tool kit. But it can’t be the only one you use. That would be like a contractor deciding he’s going to try and build a house using nothing but a screwdriver. In my opinion, Facebook fan pages aren’t comprehensive enough to facilitate all the different types of marketing strategies a business should be using.

Content has to come first.

You can’t expect results from social media if you go into it half-heartedly. You only have once chance to make a first impression. If you aren’t offering up usable content people won’t come back.

To generate traffic, you have to set yourself apart by making your business an authority. Find ways to answer the questions your potential customers have. Offer up insider deals. Create a forum where potential customers can gather to give you their input. Find ways to give them content they’ll want to share with their online friends.

Friends and fans don’t translate into results. Teenagers are fickle. They get distracted easily. They might start out as a fan at first, but unless you offer info they can use and that keeps them engaged, you’re never going to get them to buy.

Every business should have a Facebook fan page. It’s a necessity these days, especially when targeting the younger crowd. But you can’t alienate the rest of your potential customers. They need to have multiple ways to find your product.

So I told my web designer friend to rest easy. He’s not obsolete yet. He still has a few more years left before Facebook officially takes over the world.

Facebook circa 2012