One common question business owners ask is why you need a website if you’re on social media. My standard response is that your website is the best place to truly brand your business.
A Facebook page is a Facebook page whether it’s for your business or someone else’s.
Same goes for the other social networks. It’s a tough way to earn your brand identity.
What you can learn from LinkedIn closing it’s Answers feature.
Another reason you need a website is because you’re playing in someone else’s sandbox on social media. Sometimes you wake up and that sandbox is closed for business. As of today, LinkedIn removed its popular Answers feature. A lot of businesses have put in hard work using this feature, trying to establish trust and become a resource within their industry.
LinkedIn itself isn’t going anywhere, and it’s unlikely Facebook or Twitter will suddenly disappear. But LinkedIn’s policy shift should serve as a reminder that when you play in someone else’s sandbox, they’re in charge. They can change the game, and you’ll have little recourse.
Your Website Your Rules
Businesses should remain on social media. They should be active participants in social communities online and offline. But they should center their marketing efforts around their website.
It’s their online showcase. It’s where they can set the atmosphere, and decide what to show.
Your content and your blog are as important as ever. It’s that content and the design of your website that will set the tone for your business.
You need to be blogging and producing as much quality content as you can. When all of that content is indexed inside your website, you’ll gain more online visibility.
So plant a flag in your corner of the online world. You’ll be able to keep publishing content on your own terms.