Does Facebook have a strictly professional website yet?

Why would a brand have a Facebook page rather than a website?

• Facebooks apps / pages are websites running in an iframe inside Facebook - which means you go to all the trouble to create a website then have it surrounded by all the crud that comes with FB. This would make some sense if Facebook were a closed system, but it's not - you can use the graph API to add all of the Facebook-ey social goodness you like - without sacrificing the quality of your website. So why on earth do brands think that pushing people to their Facebook page makes any sense at all? (Clarification: I'm referring to Facebook pages that include offsite hosted content - not just the default in-FB apps. This is a great example from Nike - http://www.facebook.com/nike?sk=app_6009294086 - sticking this app inside Facebook adds nothing, and looks terrible. Sorry Nike.) UPDATE: this tweet sums up my original frustration - http://twitter.com/#!/DouglasCrets/status/85463448368062464 - although I am still interested in anyone answering this question.

• Answer:

  I'm going to give this one a shot... Since the launch of Facebook groups in the early days of Facebook, I've seen hundreds of businesses use Facebook for marketing. During the early days of Facebook, I'd argue that businesses took this approach because they were attempting to understand the space. They were trying to get their feet wet in a place where everyone else existed. Since the launch of Pages however, businesses have really recognized the importance of having a presence on Facebook. This presence is important because of some of the reasons found in the answer provided by . Those include: People are on Facebook: As you read this post there are currently more than 800 million users registered on Facebook. While there are more active users on the web than Facebook, this is often overlooked due to human perception. People who use Facebook see their friends and family on Facebook actively using it to chat and "like" other businesses daily. While on the web, the "people" using it are only visible in terms of visits via Google Analytics. On Facebook they see real faces which makes it easier to visualize what it will be like when a customer visits their page. This simple factor makes Facebook a top choice for many businesses. The Viral Loop of Facebook: If I like iPhones on Facebook my friends are going to see that I like iPhones. If I check in at a Mac Store on Facebook my friends are going to see that I'm at a Mac Store. If I comment on a status update from iPhone my friends are going to see that I commented on that status. All of these actions have the ability to seed a reaction from my connections on Facebook. The average user has a little over 130 friends on Facebook. If even 50% of my friends see that I "Like" iPhone - The business is getting publicity and potentially another connection to their page. Easy Integration: Some business owners have been using Facebook since the time it went mainstream and no longer catered to the University and College market. Thus, they have learned the ins and outs of Facebook like the back of their hand and have no problem using the features like uploading photos, videos, status updates or inviting people to "like" their page. On the flip-side, the creation of a website is still gibberish. They don't understand PHP, Flash, Java or even Flash. As a result, they are still scared to jump into something that is not familiar. Real Time Updates: Many businesses were put into tough situations with their first websites (Flash usually) where they couldn't make quick and easy updates to the site. They had horrible content management systems and were a nightmare to build and maintain. If they wanted to let their customers know about a deal they were offering - They could update the site but not know how many people would see it or what their audience thought about it. On Facebook, a simple status update claiming "20% off for the next hour" would give the business a vast range of info - Qualitative and quantitative. These are the reasons why businesses create a page on Facebook but your question is why they would make a page rather than a website. I think the answer to this question is much simpler. Individuals who choose to use a page and not a website are either (1) unaware of the true benefits of a website, (2) unable to rationalize the cost associated with web development and design or (3) they truly understand the benefit of running an integrated approach. I think the example you give with Nike falls into the 3rd category. They understand the benefit of running an integrated approach for their advertising as it gives them the opportunity to develop long term relationships with their customers. Long term relationship development If you persuade consumers to like your Facebook page through compelling content you can communicate with them on a daily basis (as long as they don't hide your updates on their news-feed.) As demographics get younger - users are becoming more likely to like a page than giving a business their email. If a brand can convince you to like their page that brand has an opportunity to connect with you for weeks after your initial visit. Websites face a difficult problem as one visit doesn't necessarily mean long term communication. Thus, one visit could very well be the last.