There are many small business owners out there who try to save a bit of money by using a Facebook page as a stand-in for a real website. This is not a good idea for (at least) the following reasons:
1. Facebook was never designed to be a replacement for websites
2. If you try to use Facebook as a stand-in website, most users will find it annoying
3. Not everyone has a Facebook account, so you cut out a large potential market
4. Many users avoid search-engine links to Facebook pages, as such pages are usually not helpful for what the user wants to find out. They will visit websites of your competitors instead.
The last point is especially important because users who do a search for your company name are usually doing that because they want to find out some specific information about who you are and what you provide. That kind of information is classified as “static” because it doesn’t change very much over time.
Facebook is not very good at displaying static information unless you never post anything. The moment you do post something, previous posts get pushed down the screen, until they are eventually out of sight. Other forms of social media are typically even less suitable for providing general information about your company, products, and services.
Appropriate use of social media
So, if social media sites are not good for displaying general information, what are they good for? The short answer is that they are good for interacting with your customer-base. This means posting about things like:
1. New product launches
2. Promotions, special offers, and competitions
3. Announcing things such as that you have won an award
4. Announcing changes to the way you do business, such as changing opening hours
Social media can also be part of your customer relations mix, allowing you to interact directly with your customers. There is one thing you need to beware of, however, and that is the potential for people to post negative or even offensive comments on your page.
While you have some freedom to censor what others post, doing so can also be a bad idea. The best way to handle this is to have expert customer service staff who can put a positive spin on absolutely anything.
Above all, your social media p
