Can Facebook Replace A Traditional Web Site?

Paul Dunay of Buzz Marketing Technology and author of Facebook Marketing for Dummies argues that if you have a good Facebook page you don't need a web site.

He argues that you don't need a web site because With Facebook Fan pages you can build your own website on the Facebook "Platform". A website that is totally FREE of hosting and server costs, public and indexable on all search engines, with unique URL's for individual landing pages that you can tune based on if they are Fans or Non Fans, where you can host all your video (so long as it is under 10mb) and upload your product catalog with detailed descriptions (and get feedback from Fans), where you can throw an event or show presentations on a Slideshare ap, run a contest or a survey, host your blog or retweet your status updates (or better yet - just use Facebook instead of Twitter). Oh don't forget send emails to your Fans for FREE and if you want to buy targeted ads you can do that too.

I disagree

The benefits of a traditional web site, with your own businesses domain are invaluable and something Facebook simply can't match. Being able to customize your web site and market it a portal for your videos, blog, gateway to your Facebook page and etc is why you need a web site.

Sure, a Facebook page is something you should have as a compliment to your web site. For example, instead of building your own discussion board, feel free to post answers to questions on Facebook. There are many other things you can do on Facebook as well, which can compliment a great web site.

One of the comments on Paul's blog reads Facebook is only one way of driving traffic but I would still have a decent business website to build a list. You don't own the traffic on facebook but you do own your own list and website. Blogging as Tracey suggested is another method of driving traffic but you still need a main lead capture page.

Invest in building a great web site, with great content and links to tools such as Facebook, Twitter and your email newsletter service that can enhance and bolster your web site. But DO have your own web site, with a domain name. In the long run, it's like having a house that you can always improve and make better and better.

tags: facebook , web site | 2 comments

Comments

#1 posted by Johnathan, March 23, 2009 11:31 AM

Absolutely, Facebook, Myspace, and now Twitter have become so popular that one of them are normally the first website people log into when they sit behind their PC / Mac.

So, it would be ignorant / not smart if you didn't utilize these websites to empower your brand.

Learn these sites and learn them well, but ALWAYS have your OWN website to bring these web browsers to. From your own website you have more control over making them do what you want them to do.
Facebook,, Myspace, or Twitter may not yet have a functionality that you would like your users to have.

#2 posted by Joseph Manna, March 23, 2009 6:28 PM

I would add that social media destinations are excellent supplements to traditional Web sites and landing pages because you can reach out and connect with others on that space. You are also able to be discovered by visitors on that network who are looking for businesses like yours.

~Joseph