Why social media isn't a replacement for a website

A local food truck visited my apartment complex recently. When the leasing office shared their info via email, it only included a link to the food truck’s Instagram profile.

Since I don’t have an Instagram account, I wasn’t able to view their menu or see pictures of their food. And when I Googled the food truck, there was no website, only Instagram.

So I decided not to go.

Using social media as a replacement for a website seems to be a trend among some small businesses. This is unfortunate for several reasons.

• Not all potential customers have social media accounts, which often require a sign-in to view profiles. This means relying on social media as a replacement for a website creates exclusion.

• Instagram profiles don’t rank well among Google search results, meaning if someone searches for “food trucks near me” they likely won’t find the business.

• Using social media means a small business gives up control over their content. Since social media now relies on algorithms, a small business’s content can become buried in a feed of hundreds of other posts.

On the other hand, having a website—even just a landing page—acts as a permanent home for a small business’s info. Using the food truck as an example, their landing page could include their menu, a calendar with up-to-date locations so customers can easily find where they are, contact info, and an embedded feed of their Instagram posts.

By having just a simple landing page, instead of relying on the pitfalls of social media, a small business can better harness their messaging, have an online home that they own, and can be accessible to anyone with an internet connection.