I was o
n some website the other day when I noticed a Macy’s ad that caught my attention. Rather than try to direct people straight to their website, as is the intention with most ads/businesses, it sought to encourage people to head to their Facebook page.
I wondered what caused Macy’s to opt to elevate this particular Facebook promotion in an ad, rather than their own website, or some specific product. I hadn’t before recalled seeing an ad from a regular website to a social media one. It’s typically the other way around.
On one hand, it’s a great idea in that it actively encourages consumer engagement and interaction. It locks you in and forces you to participate with others around hyped-up excitement for this particular brand.
On the other hand, is the same person that’s going to play a game on Facebook going to be subsequently enticed to go visit the store? It seems the “ROI” would probably be lower via this route than had they gone another one.
Chime off below on whether you think this is a good or bad use to marketing dollars.
I always, always advocate for a company to have a website that they own and control that serves as their hub – their central marketing vehicle. It’s an asset that you control and own. Versus a Facebook Page (a borrowed network – where they set the rules).
Why? As an example, one Real Estate Agent grew her Fan Page to 6,000+ Fans. Then one day, Facebook shut her page down. No reason. No explanation. Just “off” – gone. She had to start from scratch and now only has 1,500 (though engaged) fans.
So why run the risk? At least, that’s the way I see it.
Then again, I did see a slide-deck somewhere where quite a few big name brands had a Facebook Page and page only (I think it was on techepedia.com). They’re busy growing their number of Fans and they’re seeing a great deal of success with it. But they have the brand name visibility. They’re already popular and established. In my mind, they can take/handle the risk. A small business owner on the other hand can’t.
So do I think ads are a good thing? If you’re a big name brand…sure, doesn’t hurt. If you’re a small business owner. Build your hub first – own your assets. Work on getting people there, first. Everything else comes second.
Thanks for your inciteful comment, Ricardo! i totally agree; I’ve always perceived the website as the central hub for a business, and then all the other “side” entities (whether they be a blog, twitter or facebook page) as additional resources for promotion, interaction, etc., but hopefully eventually leading the consumer to book/purchase, which usually happens through the website itself (if not at a location in person).
This being said, for hotels specifically, more and more are starting to integrate booking and other travel-related options directly into their Facebook pages, so, in that regard, Facebook is become a more resourceful place for visitors. I’m still curious about the benefits, though, of retail brands emphasizing their social media presence rather than their websites, and how then that shift affects the customer base as well.
I really liked your points and distinctions between big and small businesses, too. Makes sense.