While teaching a Facebook for Business class last week, I went around the room and asked why everyone was there. I was amazed at the number of people (at least a third of the group) that were there because they didn’t have a website and thought Facebook would do the trick.
I immediately pulled out my soapbox and carefully climbed on top. You’re trying to market online with no website?!? In today’s connected world, it’s a snap to pop on your computer or smart phone and do a quick search for any business. Without a website, how are you going to get found? And assuming someone accidentally stumbles upon your Facebook page, just exactly how much information are they going to get to make their buying decision. Plus, my totally un-scientific observations tells me that if someone doesn’t have a website, there’s a pretty good chance they don’t have a customized Facebook page either.
Short of suggesting a Facebook business page to friends (which recent changes to Facebook severely restricted), how are you going to drive traffic to your business page? A “Follow Us On Facebook” link on your website can help drive traffic back to your FB page where you can begin an interactive dialog with your potential customers/clients.
Online marketing is like a big funnel. At the top of the funnel is Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. These are like the card tables in the grocery store on Saturday where you can get a taste of new food product. If you like it, you will go find the product so you can have more. When people read your 140 character bites and want more, where are they going to go?
Fresh and timely content that showcase your expertise is where you want them going. And the source for that is your blog. A blog should give a reader just the right portion for them to digest. Like the story of the new country preacher on his first Sunday. With all the preparations made, he’s standing at the door waiting to welcome everyone. But to his dismay, only one old farmer shows up. He asks the farmer what he should do and the farmer replies, “Well son. If I only have one cow in the barn, I feed it.” So the young preacher launches into his service complete with a 45 minute sermon and 2 alter calls. As he is standing by the door after the service he asks the farmer what he thought, to which he replied, “Well, I would feed the one cow, but I wouldn’t give him the whole barn full.” We are an impatient society. We don’t want the whole barn full in your blog post, just a nice, digestable portion.
Your blog is the bridge to your call to action which should be your website. (If your website doesn’t tell the browser what action to take, that’s the subject of another post.)
Whether your business is a brick and mortar business, home based business or internet business, having a website is a crucial component that adds legitimacy. It’s the anchor point of your marketing program, where the efforts poured into the top of your funnel come rushing out.
Gary Wagnon and 800biz Online Marketing Solutions specialize in web site design, search engine optimization, social media marketing and text message marketing. Need to know how to better use social media — check out Ninja Marketing Dojo, providing step-by-step instructional videos on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Blogging.