Website vs. Social Media Page: Which is Better for Your Business?

In the digital era we live in today, there is no doubt that your business needs to have an online presence. Social media has become one of the main platforms where brands communicate with their audience, and you might wonder whether websites are still relevant. In fact, Facebook and Instagram have gone further to offer catalogs of your products where your clients can buy.

One convenient feature of social media is that you can quickly set up a profile or a page. Within no time, you can begin to guide customers on how they can reach you. Besides, social media platforms have huge followings; thus, you can capitalize on the popularity. For example, as of January 2021, Facebook had over two billion users while Instagram had over one billion users.

Business websites also have their advantages. For instance, since you own the site, it is possible to customize it to your preference and decide what you want to put on it.

This presents a conundrum to many business owners who want to have 100% control over their brand. Is a website better than a social media page for your business? Should you choose one over the other, or should you have both a website and a social media page?

Read on to learn more as we answer these questions and double down on the pros and cons of each.

Website

Pros

1. Better Online Visibility

Since almost 90% of people search for local businesses using the internet, a website can help increase your brand's visibility by utilizing search engine optimization. Additionally, an organic search leads to 53.3% of website traffic, meaning a business that utilizes an organic search strategy and SEO can see tremendous growth in its lead generation efforts.

2. Establish Credibility 

Credibility means a lot with the huge number of consumers present in the digital space. In fact, a report reveals that more than 80% of consumers can only purchase from a brand when they trust it. Having a website is one great way of establishing credibility.

3. Provides Critical Data

For your brand to succeed in the current hyper-competitive economy, data-driven marketing is essential. A website gives you critical data that helps you establish what’s working for your online presence. Besides, it allows you to use Google Analytics tools to monitor user behavior on your site.

Cons

1. Maintenance

Websites require maintenance, and you have to regularly update the content, which needs some effort and resources depending on its size.

2. More Complex

If the website you wish to have has a more complicated design and functionality, it will consume more money and time to create and launch.

3. Increased Marketing Effort

A website requires that you develop and deploy a marketing strategy for it to get traffic.

Social Media Page

Pros

1. Connecting with Your Audience 

Social media is crucial for your business since it facilitates personalized connections with your website. Internet users spend an average of 142 minutes a day on social media platforms. Therefore, your business has a great opportunity to increase its visibility among individual users and connect with them.

2. Sharing of Content 

Although you can post valuable information on your website and reach your audience, social media platform are a better option for sharing the content. You can quickly share information with the masses, which propels your brand to become an industry leader.

3. Quick and Free Set-Up

If you wish to set up a Facebook or an Instagram profile for your business, it will take you a very short time. The platform has already developed background software for you. Besides, you won't pay for the set-up.

Cons

1. Limited Design

While you can customize the picture and header in your social media page or profile, you can't change the basic layout. You have to stick to the pre-automated design.

2. Open Forum

Social media pages allow consumers to leave comments on your business profile or page. Therefore, any negative comment is visible to the public.

3. Limited Reporting Tools

The level of reporting on social media pages is less unlike on websites. You can only access the information the social platform chooses to give you.

4. Limited Audience

Only a limited audience can view social media pages. That is only a Friend and Friend of Friends can view your business page. Meaning, your audience will depend on the number of friends that you have.

Which is Better?

Although both websites and social media platforms aim to get your business out to the world and convert leads to clients, you realize that none can replace the other. Regardless of your industry, from a restaurant, hair salon, accounting firm, law practice, dentistry, small auto dealership, personal training to home improvement services provision, the two have unique features and functionalities which together benefit your brand.

Therefore, you should consider your social media channels and website as complementary parts of one smooth-running machine. A good website and social media strategy are fundamental pillars in generating leads and increasing sales for your business.

However, depending on your business, one might be more appropriate than the other. But more than likely, you may need a combination of all platforms. Either way, Digiedg has you covered. We will help you get your business the digital edge it needs and in front of the right audience for your business type.

We Can Help

At Digital Edge Marketing Agency, we commit to assisting your business in meeting its digital marketing needs. Contact us today and grow your brand to the next level. Digiedg will help you to get there.