Find Us on Facebook-The Irony of Small Businesses Sending Traffic to Facebook

Across the road from my office there is a sign on top of the barber’s shop. It is a biggish sign from a local painter/decorator who sought to capitalize on the traffic coming into town for the local canal festival.

His sign had his contact details, no website address and a “Find Us on Facebook” exhortation prominently displayed.

A couple of days later I was in my local garage paying for my car service. On the counter of the reception of the garage was a prominent “Find us on Facebook” sign-again no reference to the garage’s own website.

It struck me as ironic that these two typical small Irish businesses are sending traffic to Facebook.

On the one hand we have two small businesses suffering with the difficult economic and financial conditions in the Irish economy currently.

On the other hand we have Facebook, a global brand and worth more than McDonalds, Visa, Dell, Hewlett-Packard at approximately $80-$100 billion.

And these small businesses, along with millions of other small businesses in Ireland and worldwide, are sending potential and existing customers to Facebook. Once there can you be sure that your potential new clients will actually find you? Or is it probable that they will find something else that interests them?

It is hard enough for small business websites to generate traffic and visitors, either online or offline.

There has to be a better way than then sending them to Facebook.

There is in fact a better way-your own website catering for the specific needs of your business.

The type of website that is best for your business will depend very much on your particular business, it’s industry, your budget, and where and how your potential new clients look for solutions. Smart digital marketing involves recognizing that there is a way into every market and the key is to find that way at a price that suits you.