With countless businesses utilizing social media to market their products and services, one might consider social media marketing as the way to go. After all, if the platform is free and you already have an audience, why even bother to invest in building a website?

Here are the top reasons why a website matters:

• Ownership: Social media is like renting an apartment; Having a website is like buying a house

When you open a social media account, you agree to the platform’s terms and conditions. This means that at any moment, the platform can decide to block your account or restrict your access. Worse yet, a malicious customer could report your account for suspicious activity, restricting your access. This directly threatens all the content you’ve ever posted, placing you many steps back.

By having your content on your own website—fully owned, controlled, and managed by you—you avoid the risk of losing everything you’ve worked on.

• Central Hub: A Space for Everything You!

One of our favorite reasons for having a website is that it acts as a central hub for all things related to your business. Managing various social media platforms can become overwhelming, especially when you need to post links to register for an event or purchase a product. At that point, you’ll likely need a third-party site to upload your links. Depending on the scale of your business, this can get very messy—especially when you want to share PDF documents like terms and agreements.

A website eliminates the mess and ensures nothing gets lost. You can share a wide range of information with potential clients, beyond what social media platforms allow. Plus, you have the freedom to design your website to showcase the essentials for your customers, with the flexibility to add more details.

• SEO: “Just Google it”

Think about it—when searching for something, the first thing that comes to mind is to ask Google, Alexa, or whatever platform you use. The same applies to business. Think of all the times you’ve Googled “food near me” or “car wash near me.”

With a website, you can implement built-in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which helps you rank higher in search results when people look for your product or service. When someone is in a rush, there’s no way they’ll open an app, try to remember your name, sort through accounts, and then check your products. You can capture sales by being the first result on the search engine. After all, the data reveals that the most web traffic flows to Google.

• Audience: Social Media is for Socializing, Websites are for Business

A large segment of social media users reserves social media strictly for interactions with friends and family. As a result, they see social media as a space for chatting, sharing, and connecting—not for making serious purchasing decisions.

If you invest all your marketing efforts on social media, you may hit a dead-end when potential clients search Google for your products or services and can’t find you.

It’s perfectly fine to use social media to build relationships, but there needs to be a landing platform where the business decision can be finalized.

Additionally, many companies in the Caribbean enforce strict data and productivity policies, blocking social media on their networks. If your products or services are aimed at a corporate audience, you risk losing these clients. Imagine a procurement officer trying to find you and you are only on social media—that’s a major opportunity lost!

• Credibility: Any Scammer Can Open a Business on Social Media

The reality is that social media is free and easy to use. We have no idea who is behind the content posted. This makes it easy for scammers to pose as legitimate businesses. They can be so convincing that it’s almost impossible to guarantee a safe purchase.

However, it takes more deliberate effort to create a website, which positions you as a professional business entity. Your website gives you the space to showcase your business history, portfolio, and catalog. All your content is organized and connected, presenting you as a credible business and putting customers at ease when making decisions in a crowded market.

If you need assistance in setting up a professional business online, contact us to learn more.