It’s safe to postulate that social media is vital for almost all businesses in the twenty-first century. With social media expanding its umbrella and platforms such as Facebook offering product catalogues and the opportunity for social selling, I can’t help but wonder if websites are still relevant for businesses?
Consumers want to be informed. Information about companies are listed on their websites but the modern method for companies to fulfill this demand is through the usage of social media. Because, in comparison to websites, social media provides companies with a more human element and touch to consumers. Live videos, stories, and chat provide companies with the opportunity to engage consumers directly and provide them with examples of their products, services, company culture and social awareness. However, measuring the return of investment on social media is challenging because no one can 100% say what metrics such, “tweets, likes, shares, views and comments are worth.
Websites on the other hand provide companies with more data about consumers and also more flexibility to analyse consumer behaviour. Therefore, websites aren’t just boring placeholders; they are important in validating a company’s image and Credibility. Websites are the homebases of a company and provide companies with the opportunity and flexibility to present themselves in the way that they see best. They establish strong online brand identities and provide the opportunity to operate professionally. Websites provides businesses with control over their brand as they can create, edit and update the look and features as needed.
But, some businesses do not need a website in order to start operations or even operate daily. For example, a consultant may not need a website to begin with. With platforms such as LinkedIn and Xing, consultants can create profiles which provide all relevant information for their operation.
Until social media provides a features such as customised E-Mail addresses that make it a direct competitor to websites, websites will continue to remain vital and the heart of businesses.
Special thanks to Dr. Yasene Jesernik, a marketing consultant with over 10 years’ experience, for sharing her thoughts on the importance of websites in a social media era. You can follow Dr. Yasene Jesernik on https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheppie/ or check out her latest projects at https://www.mm-frankfurt.de and https://www.epoxa.de
