First of all, 80% of Internet users say they use the Internet to get information before buying a product or service according to reputationvip . This is why more and more companies are competing to be visible in the first results of Google, on social media and / or with a website (corporate or merchant). Today, it becomes complicated to be visible and to stand out with a corporate site. To this extent, one can wonder about the future of “corporate” sites.
Is the “corporate” website becoming obsolete?
Digital has changed the behavior of internet users as well as the strategies adopted by companies. It is more and more difficult to be present on the internet, and in the SERPs with the demands of Google’s algorithms.
Google’s algorithms are more and more sophisticated and refined in their analysis, which complicates the job of the SEO. With all of these upheavals, are websites still as relevant?
31.5% of French companies were not equipped with a website in 2017 according to Statista . Many companies focus their communication strategy on social networks. Indeed, these are free platforms where it is possible to create a company page and present their products and / or services simply and for free.
Take the example of LinkedIn where it is possible to create articles directly on the platform (which are also privileged by the network unlike links redirecting to a blog page). Can this device replace the blog?
In 2016, 30% of entrepreneurs did not create a site because they thought it was too expensive according to Statistics TPE . These companies prefer to focus their efforts on social media. It may cost them less, but will these channels of communication be enough for them?
With the business pages of social networks and the functions of Google My Business (such as the appearance of consumer reviews, the location of the company on Google Maps or even contact information), the need to own a site would become- it less relevant?
The design of a “corporate” website is a financial investment that includes several aspects …
The actions to be put in place to have a site that reflects your company and is optimized require a lot of effort. Added to this is the increasing complexity of visitor acquisition on its site due to ever stronger competition in the SERPs.
The multiplication of acquisition and communication channels therefore accentuates the difficulty of optimizing your corporate site.
You can take a look at our professional corporate website design service
The corporate site will remain essential
Despite the complexity of being visible on the internet with a corporate site, it remains essential to have it for your digital strategies. 3.3 billion queries are made every day and 100 billion per month according to Business Insiders .
Social media have limited power on the internet. Although they are very optimized, when the consumer makes a request on Google, he will want to find as much information as possible about his request in a short period of time.
This is where the corporate site comes in! All information about the company will be available in one place.
With the emergence of digital, the power of consumers is growing. They can express themselves through different platforms such as social networks or forums for example. So they have more freedom and will have more in the future. Since you cannot control what is said on these platforms, a site is still a good way to mark your territory. Thus, you will promote your brand as it should and you will define your own rules.
Since social media can strengthen your brand image, it will not be enough to convert your audience.
Finally, let’s not forget the data aspect that you can get from a website. It allows you to understand the behavior of visitors to your website using tools such as Google Analytics or Google Search Console. For example, you can analyze the source of your traffic, the keyword from which they landed on your site, the most or less appreciated pages etc …
In this way, it will be possible for you to analyze the navigation path on your site and to collect important data.
This will make it easier for you to understand the needs of your target audience, which will allow you to optimize the user experience and stand out more easily.
The corporate: more effective than a page on a social network!
Here are some strategic advantages of a “corporate” site rather than a business page on social networks …
By simply having a business page on social media, you are restricted to the UX level. Indeed, it is possible to insert a large amount of content on these platforms but all business pages are alike. While a corporate site can be personalized as you see fit, which helps provide a better user experience to your audience.
It is possible to collect, centralize and manage the data of your website, this is the DMP (Data Management Platform). In this way, you will have the opportunity to question your when your strategies are not sufficiently optimized and to improve the precision of your marketing actions. This data can also be used in your CRM strategies. It is not possible to use it on the business pages of social networks.
The corporate site gives you the opportunity to analyze each page that makes up your website using KPIs. Thus, your conversion rate will be improved. While business pages on social media are data-restricted. It is certainly possible to know what content interests Internet users more or less, but the tools available do not allow the conversion rate to be measured.
Warning ! However, you shouldn’t overlook the power of social media for your brand. The SMO (Social Media Optimization) presents an important role for your company, here are some examples among many others:
With the deployment of social networks, acquiring traffic to your website becomes easier. For example, with Call-to-Action (such as “Contact us”, “Subscribe”, or even “Find out more”) on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn that you can add to your publications or directly to its business page.
With social media you can generate interest in your brand using content curation . It helps provide your audience with relevant content. By posting informative content on social networks, you will attract more visitors to your website. In addition, by providing concrete solutions to your community, you meet the needs of your target, which feeds your lead generation strategy.
Social media have a crucial role in the brand content strategy. It is these platforms that make it possible to stand out from the competition by creating a unique link with consumers. This is where storytelling takes place in order to inform its audience while entertaining it.
To summarize…
Although developing an effective digital strategy is increasingly complex, consumer habits and communication channels have evolved and will continue to evolve over time. However, the premises of a digital strategy such as “corporate” sites will remain and will last over time.
Social media do not have the same functions as a corporate site. They will complement it in the development of a digital strategy.
If you want to be really impactful and visible on the internet, it is better to have a website and be present on social media. Indeed, the two are complementary.
Your website will need social networks for its promotion and social networks will need a website as a basis for communication.
It therefore remains important to invest in the design of a “corporate” website.
