Why Social Media Isn't A Substitute for a Website

As a business, should you invest more on your website, or social media?

Vancouver Webflow Designer

By: Michiko Araki

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

As a business, should you invest more on your website, or social media?

In this blog post, we'll cover the top 5 reasons why only focusing on social media alone may not be the best long term solution for business owners.

Here are the reasons why social media isn't a substitute for a website:

Professionalism

Let's face it - if you came across a business without a website, would you feel unsure about working with them? Chances are, many people ultimately choose to work with a business based on their website.

Your website is your digital business card, and you want to make an impactful impression as soon as someone lands on your website. Having a well-designed website shows people that you mean business, and you take your business seriously.

Limited Control

Although social can be a great place to start, social media platforms limit content length, which hinders your ability to provide enough details about your products and services.

In addition, when working with a social media platform, you're confined to the platform's features, design, functionality, and algorithms, potentially impacting your reach and visibility. On the other hand, owning a website gives you total control over its layout, content, and user interaction, allowing you to establish a distinct and custom digital presence.

Think Long Term

Social media platforms and trends come and go. Oftentimes, social media platforms and social media trends fluctuate throughout the course of your business, leaving you as a business owner to keep jumping from platform to platform to gain an audience. Having to keep up with all of these social media platforms can be a time-consuming endeavor for small businesses.

It's great to get views on social media, but ultimately, you want to drive traffic to your website. Having a business website allows you to be less reliant on one social media platform. If one day, the social media platform you use to drive traffic to your website is gone, this spells big trouble for your business. Having a well-designed website that your social platforms link to allows you to build a home base for your business, even if one day the social media platforms you use end up becoming irrelevant.

Websites Appear In Search Results

According to Statista, Google processes 5.9 million searches every minute. That's a lot of people in the world that could be searching for your products and services!

A website optimized for SEO helps your business get found by search engines, helping you connect with people around the world. Although social is great, you may be missing out on thousands of people who are looking up your services online via search engines if you don't have your own website.

Marketing

Overall, a website is the perfect marketing tool for your business. Your website is a great place to showcase your products and services, and ultimately, help make a sale for your business.

Your website is an essential tool in digital marketing, complementing your marketing strategy and allowing you to drive ads to your website, check out website analytics, and tailor content to your visitors. Ultimately, your website is a vital marketing tool for small businesses, strengthening your current marketing efforts and helping you progress towards your marketing goals.

Websites vs Social Media: A website is a must.

Social media can improve visibility, whereas a professional website fosters relationships and drives sales. Although having a huge social media presence is not always necessary to succeed, having a business website is essential.

For businesses that want to position themselves for long-term success, social media truly isn't a replacement for a website. Websites and social media can go hand in hand to achieve your marketing goals, but a website is something that is a must for every business looking to succeed long term.

Michiko, SEO specialist
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MICHIKO ARAKI

Web designer, Certified Webflow Partner and SEO specialist with a marketing background working with growth-focused businesses.