In local websites and websites at large, the integration of social media into the website creates a challenge. The way you can integrate is constantly changing so it is important to stay up to date.
I came across a great post at Social Media Examiner. They share 10 Ways to Integrate Facebook into Your Website. At first, I thought ten ways was a little overboard, but then I read through the entire list. I was at the bottom of the list of ten before I came across a method I hadn’t used in a website. What a surprise! This journey reinforced my view that there are so many ways to include social media in your website – sometimes TOO many ways.
For a local website, let’s consider WHY you want Facebook on your website. First and foremost, you want it to create and grow relationships with current and future customers. Having a LIKE button on your website gives your website readers a way to link into your Facebook page. By LIKING you from your website, they’re saying they’d like to hear more. If you are posting and responding on your FB page, you’ll be solidifying your customer relationships.
Another reason to have Facebook on your website is to continue the conversation. There are different strokes for different folks – even with social media. Some folks like to get a glimpse of what’s going on with you and your company all in one place. By having your Facebook conversations on your blog, you can draw your website customers into the conversation.
Finally, one of the biggest values of Facebook is the viral marketing aspect. By placing a SEND button on your website pages, you encourage the website reader to share what they’ve seen with other friends. Put up some great local content on your website and it may go viral. Even a little viral goes a long way in drawing more visitors to your website and even your storefront.
While you can include Facebook in at least 10 different ways into your website, consider WHY you want to use each method and then apply it (or have your webmaster do it for you). Either way, get your Facebook page and your website friendly with each other to create and build better relationships with your current and future customers.
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