08 Sep Don’t Let Your Website Play Second Fiddle to Facebook

Where should you focus the majority of your online marketing efforts? Campaigns in the major social networks, such as Facebook for business, Twitter, and increasingly, Instagram, have been high on the priority list. However, because it is important for businesses to maximize revenue, organizations should think twice before outsourcing all marketing to a third party.

Initially, the appeal to use Facebook and its allies was strong. Businesses could benefit from the exposure the popular networking site would provide. Consumers would follow the company page, and when the company posted on the page, it would appear in the timeline of everyone following the page. This is no longer the case, as Facebook has changed the algorithm. Now, if businesses want to drive traffic to their Facebook page, they have to pay to promote it.

This represents a significant loss for companies that have spent time and money building their ‘lists’ in Facebook. Had they instead focused on building a direct relationship, than they would never have to worry about whether they paid enough to appease Facebook’s mysterious traffic formulas.

Although, Facebook for business slowly transitioned to its paid advertising platform to let businesses adjust, other sites may not provide as much warning.

The internet has facilitated closer interaction between brands and their customers, than ever before. Why risk eliminating that relationship when you let an outside company moderate that interaction? Don’t expect a company to look after your bottom line when they have shareholders to answer to.

The large social networking sites definitely have their advantages. They cast a wide net, can deliver viral traffic levels, and create brand awareness quickly. But, brands should think twice before handing them total control.

Use your social media landing page as a lead generation tool, not as the main event in your advertising landscape. Not only do you build a closer relationship with your customer over time, you maximize control over your brand, and ultimately your profits.