If you've landed here, you're likely a new or newish business owner or someone who has been able to get business without an online presence. And you're having the website vs social media debate with yourself,
"Can I build my business just using social media? Do I really need a website?"
First, let's look at:
What Are The Different Types of Social Media Platforms?
There are plenty of social media platforms and the list continues to grow. Here are the main ones you've probably heard of:
YouTube
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
Pinterest
Twitter
Each social media platform attracts a specific type of demographic. As a small business owner with a small marketing budget, knowing which social media platforms your target market are on is a critical piece of information. You don't have the time or resources to waste on things that aren't going to grow your business.
Social Media Pros
Social media can help you:
Quickly build an audience
"Publish" information at the push of a button
Develop and hone your creativity
Share your ideas on various platforms
Get in front of your target market pretty easily
Advertise your services and products
Connect with people around the world
Connect with other influencers
Reach a very diverse and broad audience
Build habits of consistently showing up
Understand your target market better and what does and doesn't resonate with them through comments, queries, and any analytics available on the platform
Gather customer data about your target market
Create products and services that your audience is looking for
Keep in touch with your followers and connections
Start conversations with potential clients you want to work with
Potential to bring in leads and sales
And some other perks:
It's free to set up accounts on different platforms
Starting social media accounts and creating profiles are pretty easy and quick
The learning curve on using a new social media platform is usually brief
Positive responses can boost your confidence
And now for the cons.
Social Media Cons
Social media definitely has a lot of perks, no doubt about it.
But, as with everything in life, there are some negatives, such as:
In order to use it effectively as a marketing tool, you have to post content regularly (anywhere from a few times a week to several times a day, depending on the platform)
It can be challenging to manage several social media accounts
People can (and will) post negative comments
Potential for online stalkers
You can't control who sees your content or how often they see it
Your content can get censored
You can get kicked off the platform and lose all your followers and connections along with your revenue source
You can get locked out of your account and it can take weeks before you're able to get back on
Your account can get hacked
It can be difficult to determine ROI
Your personal information and data is used and shared outside your control
You're not told who your personal information and data is being shared with
You have to work within the design and character limits of the platform
You're limited to the active users on the platform
You can waste hours and hours of your time on social media because the platforms are intentionally designed to keep you scrolling
Algorithms will "penalize" your content by decreasing the priority of your post if you share a link to your website or anywhere off the platform
You're constantly being advertised to
The content that you're exposed to can cause you to feel angry, sad, depressed, or anxious
It can cause you to compare your life to others and leave you feeling unfulfilled
Hmmm...let's take a look at the pros and cons of a website.
Website Pros
Here's one of my favourite lists to make:
You can design your website the way you want in terms of layouts, images, font styles, colours, etc.
Platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly offer templates that make your website look professional without a lot of work
Some website platforms allow you to create a website for free
Your website doesn't censor your content
You have unlimited characters
Unless you're doing something illegal, you'll never get shut down, kicked off, or locked out of your website
You can create sales funnels to sell your product or service
You can create content to help grow your email list and continue conversations outside of social media
It's easier to track ROI
You control how much you want to be found on browsers through the frequency and type of content you publish
It doesn't require a lot of work to maintain
You don't have to post content to it daily or visit it regularly
You're in control of the "conversation"
When someone leaves a comment, you can review it and choose whether to allow it to be published on your site; you can also choose whether to allow any comments on your site
Much lower risk of "stalking" concerns
You don't have to provide personal information to set up a website
You nor your visitor will waste hours and hours scrolling on your website
Amount of advertising is significantly reduced
You can use Google Analytics and Search Console to help you better market to your target audience
Writing the messaging on your website can significantly help you get crystal clear about your business
It distinguishes you from the side-hustlers and hobbyists and can be a powerful digital marketing tool
When done strategically, your website can be selling for you while you sleep
Website Cons
There are none!
Okay, okay, maybe there are a few...
Depending on the complexity of your website, it can take days to months to create
Unless you have website copywriting, design, and/or development experience, it can be a big learning curve to get a website up (unless you pay someone to do it for you)
Even if you do it yourself, you still have to pay annual domain and hosting fees (which can vary significantly)
Understanding Google Analytics and Search Console is another learning curve
To get your website selling for you takes time—it requires work to initially get your website up, test if it's working, and revise if it's not
Unless you're in a very niche industry, it takes time for organic traffic to flow to your website; you need to be working at gaining and maintaining organic traffic regularly—it's a long-term game
Unless you're paying for advertising, it's difficult to show up on the first page of Google searches—and then maintain that standing; it requires you to learn about SEO and how to apply it to your website
So, the big question is...which is better—website or social media?
Which Is More Important—Website or Social Media?
If I could only choose one—website vs social media—hands down I would choose a website for all of the reasons listed above.
However, it's easier to direct traffic (and potential leads!) to your website using social media.
Website and social media compliment each other, like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.
Social media generates traffic to your website. Your website converts visitors into leads.
So really, there isn't a website vs social media argument at all.
If you're just starting out with little to no social media followers and no website, this would be my general recommendation on how to get started:
Step 1: First, start a following on the social media platforms where your target market hangs out.
Step 2: Once you've got into the habit of posting regularly, start collecting insights about your target market so you can narrow it down to your target audience.
Step 3: Once you've gotten insights into your target audience, create a freebie that will help them solve a problem they have.
Step 4: Create a landing page for your freebie where they have to provide their first name and email in exchange for the freebie.
Step 5: Use social media to direct traffic to your landing page so you can start building your email list.
Step 6: By now, you should have enough insights into your target audience to start creating your website.
In the end, social media should never replace a website. However, it should work with your website as part of an overall marketing strategy.
How Do I Start a Website?
Ah! You've come to right place!
That should be enough to get you started, friend!
Psst... If you need help getting your website to convert web visitors into leads, let's find out how I can help you by booking time on my calendar.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As a published children's author, StoryBrand Certified Guide, copywriter and marketing strategist, Sandra Beatty helps service-based business owners convert web visitors into leads by implementing website and marketing strategies and getting clear on their messaging.
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