Every time Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads) goes down, the masses take to X (formerly Twitter) for information and updates and, of course, to complain. While these outages seem humorous at first, business owners and nonprofit groups who rely on a Facebook Page or Instagram reels to serve as their sales funnel or communications platform become perplexed, nervous, and anxious, to say the least.
With Facebook broken, how will these organizations market their brands and charities? To them, when Facebook goes down, it means that their bottom line takes a hit. That is no laughing matter.
However, many other businesses and nonprofit groups are not at all impacted by the interruptions of these social media platforms. Do you know why? It’s simple: they all have performant websites.
Here’s a piece of advice to keep in mind always. Think about writing it down and taping it to your laptop:
A Facebook Page does not a website make.
Oh sure, having a Facebook Page seems like the easiest and cheapest way to create an online presence for your company. It’s free, and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how to create one. But, knowing that Meta isn’t a dependable platform, do you really want to leave the success of your business or nonprofit in the hands of Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media platform? Naturally, you do not.
Having your own website gives you three things you’ll never get from social media: control, freedom, and ownership. Let’s dive into these elements further.
When you have a website, you’re in control.
What makes your Facebook Page different than any other page out there? They all look alike, restricted to a style of design created by the platform. With your very own website, you decide color scheme, fonts, layout, etc. It’s all in your control.
You also get to control content, user experience, and your own experience as the owner. For example, how happy are you with how you receive messages on your Facebook Page? Have you ever received a notification of a new message, only to log in and find no such message? Owning your website lets you control how you receive customer communications.
And there are, of course, views. Oh… Facebook loves to control how many views your Facebook posts get, having developed an algorithm that the average business owner cannot figure out. When you have your own website, blog regularly, and apply SEO tactics, the world of organic views is your oyster!
Owning your own website gives you freedom.
With your very own website, anything is possible. That isn’t the case with a Facebook Page.
It’s true that, as a website owner, there are still a few restrictions to consider. For instance, you cannot steal or borrow content from other sites and add it to yours. But for the most part, you’re free to do what you want on your website.
Think of having your own website like owning a home where there is no HOA. You set the rules. So long as you refrain from illegal activity, you have the freedom to do as you wish on your own website.
You own your website. Everything on it is yours.
Have you ever seen one of your Facebook friends post something along the lines of, “I give notice to Facebook it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute, or take any other action against me based on this profile and/or its contents…”? It’s a hoax, actually, but Facebook has been under investigation for its data deals.
That is something we should all be thinking about. So, while you shouldn’t be quick to believe that Facebook owns anything you’ve ever shared on its platform, you shouldn’t presume it’s not sharing it with others.
In terms of social media content, the waters are awfully murky. When you have your own website, you can rest assured that, yes, you own its content and images. Your website is yours. Facebook and other social media sites belong to, well, them.
Whatever you do, keep your social media.
Should you delete your Facebook Page? By all means, do not! Keep your social media. Keep investing time into it. Keep its activity robust, helpful, and entertaining. However, do not fully rely on it. It will never provide you with the same benefits as a website does.
Social media should be used as a marketing tool to drive traffic to your website. Your website should be the center of your digital universe—the platform you use to funnel leads, make a sale, share company news, promote an event, collect information, and communicate and engage with your customers or visitors.
If you find yourself running a business or nonprofit group solely relying on social media and lacking a website, contact us. Let’s talk about getting you the control, freedom, and ownership you need to grow your organization. This way, the next time Facebook goes down (and it will happen again), your business or charity group won’t even notice.
Editor’s note: This blog post was updated on March 5, 2024.
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