This is a very common question for club leaders to ask. Online marketing is a very confusing topic for many, so the answer isn’t as easy as blurting out one or the other. Let’s take a closer at what each has to offer.

What’s the Difference?

Websites offer more control over your visitor experience

A website will allow you to present your brand your way. Using a content management system (CMS) like WordPress or Joomla makes designing a website easy. Your pages and menus can be laid out in a way that make it easy for visitors to get the information for which they are looking. Facebook pages are subject to the algorithms and terms of service that you must agree with in order to use their free platforms. Free is not always free. You are trading information about your visitors in exchange for some space on their platform.

Google has the biggest share of searches

A website will get you search traffic. Search terms are usually not single words anymore; people often type phrases or questions before hitting the search button. Search engines have improved over the years. Originally, one could just associate a bunch of keywords with a page and then the page would get offered on the search engine results pages (SERPS). Today, search engines work around the clock reading and figuring out what is the topic or content of each page then indexing it accordingly.

Why should you care? Because Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. do not index posts, articles nor events on a Facebook page. According to Statista, Google owns over 85% of the search engine market. That’s a lot of potential that gets missed when relying on a Facebook page for your organization.

Having a website builds credibility

A website has a domain name (myawesomewebsite.com). You have the ability to send and receive email with your organization’s domain name (jeff@myawesomewebsite.com). A majority of people are aware of how easy it is to get fake information from a Facebook page, so naturally they give more credibility when an organization has a website.

Competition on Facebook is stiff

Facebook does not show every post from those you follow or pages that you like on your feed. You probably see about 9% of what is actually posted. Facebook uses their algorithms to determine what exactly they show you. If someone hasn’t visited your page lately or liked your post or shared your post, then they most likely won’t see your new event or post. For a fee you can boost a post to allow more people to see it.

Do I Need a Website if I have a Facebook Page

Let’s list some reasons why you might:

1. You don’t own a Facebook Page.
2. Facebook has SEO limitations.
3. A website is more credible.
4. Attention on Facebook is fleeting.

No Bias Here

To prove that I am not totally biased towards websites, I will provide 12 benefits of having a website and 3 reasons you may not need a website.

12 Benefits of Having a Website

1. A website makes you look professional.
2. It can be an essential step in a potential member’s/donor’s journey.
3. Having a website increases your visibility.
4. It’s essential for local businesses/clubs.
5. It offers social proof.
6. A website offers lasting value.
7. Creating a website is easier and cheaper than ever.
8. Websites let you collect money online.
9. You have complete control.
10. Websites are easy to manage.
11. Improve member/donor/ customer service.
12. You can edge out your competition.

3 Reasons You May Not Need a Website

1. You’re not looking to grow.
2. You have enough leads.
3. You’re operating in a virtual monopoly.

Conclusion

I have explained some of the differences and you may think I am against Facebook at this point. Wrong! You need more than one marketing channel online. I am in favor of having both. But remember, a good website will offer you more benefits over time than a Facebook page.