If used correctly, social media is an excellent marketing tool. It increases your brand awareness, positions you as an expert, and strengthens the loyalty of your fans. These and other benefits of social media are not lost on the many businesses using it. However, some small businesses unwisely use it as a substitute for not having their own business website. If you are using social media in lieu of a business website, consider the following reasons for rethinking this:
Lack Of Ownership
Because you don’t own the social media platforms you use, you must follow their rules. You invest lots of time and money building your social presence but that can be quickly lost or depreciated overnight by a simple terms of service change. A feature you may be using to great advantage could be banned tomorrow. One well known social media site decided to make businesses pay for the social reach they once got for free. While this isn’t an outright ban, it made using their platform less profitable.
Another problem with 100 percent reliance on social media sites is they can go out of business. This means your social presence that you worked hard to establish is gone. These platforms aren’t static. They often come and go, which a quick search on “social media sites that died” will reveal.
Inflexible Analytics
Social campaigns can’t be fine tuned without analytics feedback. The analytics provided by social media platforms are limited and inflexible. They are designed to be useful to everyone which is impossible because different users have different needs and requirements. You need web analytics that provide a large and broad range of measuring tools.
Uniform Look
An important element of branding is your “look.” When you use a social platform, you are stuck with its look and feel which is the same as everyone else there. The look and feel of a social site reflects the platform’s branding, not yours.
Restricted Communication Formats
Each platform has its own set of built in limitations on communication such as a 140 character limit, not being allowed to send emails, or prohibitions on collecting information. This severely limits potential profits from loyal fans who want your products and services.
A website that is yours with its own web Hosting is important because it serves as a central hub for the different social media platforms that you use. When you direct traffic to your hub, business transactions can be properly conducted. You can build an email list, blog, set up feedback forms, conduct surveys, and increase conversions by modifying and testing your web page design. In short, your business isn’t restricted or under the mercy of any of the social media platforms.
For information on building a business website and web hosting, please contact us.
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