4webmaster

Just read this: You Can Soon Make Restaurant Reservations on Facebook

FB already killed web designers because most offline businesses don't need a website and use Facebook to promote their business. And now they go mobile for restaurants in partnership with open table.

https://stevesuard.com

ContentWritingPhD

Another thing about Facebook is that you'd have to pay for more people to see your posts. If people have liked a page, they have the right to see every post, right? Small businesses don't have to pay for it.

luane

Wow - that IS a bummer....I know because I have some Offline clients too. I decided not to focus so much on website creation anymore and look and learn new ways of traffic so that I could promote my services online and offline.

Someone told me (another marketer that I met in Bring the Fresh forum) that Instagram marketing shows your updates to everyone in your account while FB only shows a small percentage of what you post in your newsfeed. Go with the cutting edge knowledge that these guys are putting in the WSO section. It rocks because they have found the source of sales - converting traffic without SEO! ) Kristie from Georgia

How I Made $1,050.53 With Simple, Silly Little Videos and How You Can Too!

NewParadigm

does anyone know how much traffic open table sends restaurants? (reservation lead gen) vs. people looking up an existing restaurant they know, and using open table as a reservation app?

In a moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing. ~ Theodore Roosevelt

ozlizard

Where are the numbers? Anyone can claim anything.
Why would customers search for restaurants on Facebook? Or any other business for that matter. The idea that Facebook is replacing web sites is farcical.

Mobile Sites/Web Sites/Mobile Marketing
http://www.zapmedia.com.au

4webmaster

It's not farcical!
People rarely search restaurants on Facebook but what we call the most effective marketing trend is word of mouth! Friends recommend others and share their experiences when they go to a great restaurant, and this is exactly why restaurant owners (or any business owner) do love FB pages better than a website or mobile site. It's no marketing effort from their side, and less money to spend on. I can tell you that most of offline clients I met always favor their FB pages rather than any website design. Of course that some small businesses will go Website and FB but not much compare to FB page only.

Many told me they can advertise for low price on FB with targetted ads (male, female, married, age, location, hobby...) why should they need a website?

https://stevesuard.com

Nail Yener

Facebook is here today, who knows what will be here tomorrow. It is good to make use of the current popular trends as much as possible as long as they last but relying only on third party stuff that I can't have full control over just does not make business sense to me. If I was a small business owner, I would keep improving my own web existence (i.e. my website) and at the same time support it by any other website that could bring in customers to my business. If you come across a client who doesn't want a website because they have a Facebook page, ask them what they would do if Facebook went down tomorrow.

Rus Sells

It's all over guys, the sky is falling.

Sorry but if you can't intelligently explain to a small business owner why a Facebook fan page isn't a true asset then you should learn to sell better.

NewParadigm

I am predicting we'll have an open source FB replacement become very popular. They'll only need to have some migration tool for your photos/profile/friends etc....

kimdotcom is coming out w/ encrypted email service, someone like that or a group of them could come up w/ an open source FB clone in a big hurry.

This will become more probable as FB is pressured to monetize and impose on users, as well as user security concerns of govt NSA databases etc...

In a moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing. ~ Theodore Roosevelt

4webmaster

Believe it or not SMB are fully relying on FB my competitors and our company did explain what you said but they are more confident on a giant like Facebook than you (web designers) also because they have positive results from FB that they stick to it. This is not blah blah but real experience and talking to offline clients.

https://stevesuard.com

sohag19

FB looks like the next Walmart,putting the little guys out of business.

sanusense

But these sites doesn't give you assurance that they will remain the same in future with their T&Cs, so i would go for own website rather depend on other sites whether it's good or bad.

4webmaster

I heard that everytime a web designer talks about FB, it's pure speculation and I can assure you that FB will never do anything against business owners it is in their interests also they are focussing on how to connect businesses with consumers so all you've heard about "never rely on FB because future....." is crap and speculation! How can FB turn down their clients by doing what other web designers speculates? No way! So business owners can trust eyes closed in FB, it hurts to say that (I'm a web designer too and lost 68% of clients grow compare to PRE-FB) but it's the true. FB have the best strategy and team for putting every web designer or webmaster out of business, best you can do is do social marketing by helping businesses advertise on FB.

also read this today's news: http://www.informationweek.com/socia...vice/240160029

https://stevesuard.com

w41210121314574

adapt, adapt, adapt.

if your offline clients are stuck on 1 track thinking - inform them.

its our job as an SEO or IM to help our clients make the right business decisions.

I have never had a problem explaining to my clients that authority and branding is essential to maintain a successful business.

How can you maintain a brand if your FB account gets hacked?

Whats happens if facebook goes down for 3 hours during your peak hours?

What if your competitors started spamming your page with bad reviews?

Did you know that facebook admitted that maybe more than 80 percent of their accounts are fake or spam accounts?

it may sound like scare tactics but real world scenerios always seal the deal.

if you use a "dont put all your eggs in one basket" type of thinking, it should not be hard to convince your clients to maintain a website.

You also have to remember that not all clients will be willing to change their ways of thinking.

Dont let their failures bring down your business and success rate.

4webmaster

Again these comments above are "what if" speculation, it rarely happens and if it happens like FB hack it could also happen to a website even with security enabled.
I also explain my clients about "same basket arguments" and they really don't care, FB is free (they pay ads only in some case) and my service (webdesign, hosting, marketing..) is not! So chosing what to go is fast and easy.

I don't say 100% of businesses do FB only but majority of them YES, the rest are really great established companies (big names but have their own webmaster in most cases or already have been working with a webdesign biz for long long time)

https://stevesuard.com

w41210121314574

At this point it feels like you have gotten into your own head.

It just feels like your selling skills are lacking and you dont believe in yourself.

I personally havent ran into the problems you describe in the 6 years i have been doing this.

YES free is good. but you get what you pay for.

YOU are the expert and YOUR expert advice and techniques make you irreplaceable, specially to a third party site that can do as they wish.

I say work on your selling skills and boost your own ego (you are an expert darn it), because right now you sound like a negative nancy.

If at the end of the day clients really want to stick to facebook -adapt.

become a facebook expert and show them how you can multiply this "free traffic" using your techniques and services.

dead ends dont exist on my map to success and it should not exist on yours.

4webmaster

I'm not trying to be negative but it's real life and you can't ignore that FB is taking webdesigners market. I don't put my arms down and never will so the sucess path is always in my mind not with web design anymore but other stuff that works better.

By posting this thread I just wanted to highlight on FB killing our business (web designers).

https://stevesuard.com

digmarket

fb is a very good platform to those who are the starters also but it is not killing the businesses...think the way that will help you grow your business using fb itself..

EmmaGraham

I'm not terribly worried about the restaurant booking system either, but I do agree that the wheels are already in motion to take business away from companies who are currently providing FB specific services.

In the UK right now they're calling up businesses and offering their own specialist marketing support, then following it up with the email below...

---

Dear ****,

It was a pleasure speaking with you today.

As discussed, we are offering free account management support for 30 days should you choose to run any campaigns for your company on our platform, as well as the added benefit of FB page technical support e.g. vanity URL changes, page fan migrations, name changes, page merges, regain admin.

During these 30 days, the account managers’ goals will be:

• Driving traffic to your website from your FB Page.
• Deepen relationships with prospects, clients, customers and convert more sales.
• Build / increase brand awareness.
• Significantly increase FB community and create online social conversations.
• Suggest proven methods, strategies and tips through the ad creation process.
• Advise on how to maintain a thriving FB page.
• Run events, promotions, groups and drive it to/from your business website.
• Assist and monitor ad campaigns and offer improvements / tweaks to maintain/increase ROI.
• Answer any queries you may have regarding FB page / Ads.
• Assisting in meeting FB Page and Ad objectives.

This entire service is free for companies who meet the qualifying criteria as discussed on the phone.

Here is a link to our case studies page for campaigns we've been involved with.

Even more benefits to working with us:

• No Contract.
• ‘Like’ button and FB social engagement is the only real online word of mouth.
• Have your own FB Marketing Account Manager to support you for 30 days.
• You remain in complete control.

Plus, you’re working directly with us at Facebook!

If you have any questions or queries regarding Facebook ads or the program please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards,

---

I don't do much work on Facebook at all, not for clients anyway, so it doesn't really affect me, but if your clients are being contacted directly by FB offering something they're currently paying you to do, then I'd perhaps be a little worried.

~ Emma

globalpro

Do you have any statistics to back this up? Maybe some split testing would help.

mediamarket

Its about adapting your business, things change everyday.

EmmaGraham

I don't really think that split testing will help with what I said. It's a fact that FB are phoning people now with the offer that's in that email. And if you're running a business that revolves around any kind of FB management type service, then I'd be a little bit concerned to be honest.

That email was directly from FB and they do put it across rather well ;-)

~ Emma

Rus Sells

Neither is my post bla bla bla and perhaps you should learn to sell better.

Action Junkie

Ok they are offering their services free for 30 days go to the business owner and let FB set everything up after that you manage it.

Google offered the same thing with adwords for a minute. The benefit in most cases you are a live person and can offer the attention a large corporation like FB cannot

EmmaGraham

Yeah, that's true, I agree with that, but the guy who sent me that runs a fish and chip restaurant in Edinburgh, Scotland, and straight away he was on the phone to me saying "This sounds really good. Do you think I should go for it?". I said yes, because it's only a fraction of his advertising budget and for the type of business he runs I think FB advertising could work really well for him.

They're actually selling this really well, by phone to start with, then follow-up emails and calls, and the follow-up calls are offering pretty good advice too. I actually quite like what they're doing to be honest :-)

Get a client onboard for that, with FB working for you for a change, even if it is only for 30 days, and then charge the client a monthly retainer to manage it for them from then on.

I'm actually going to promote this tomorrow, you know. Seriously. I've been thinking about it over the weekend and I'm going to try and get a bunch of existing clients onto that FB offer this week. And get this... FB are going to call them all for me. How cool is that?

~ Emma

natebunger

Facebook is definitely a goldmine but you'd have to work hard for that. It's difficult to say but I still believe that Facebook is a great place for social media marketing. Another thing is it gets tricky because many accounts in Facebook are fake. :s

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SpeedyeProducts

That is a GREAT point. I see that Google is pointing to BRANDING and FB is pointing to FB [ie. not the business/owner]. If I want to look up a business, should I go to FB or do I go to Google?

I understand that Google lists FB pages and is that FB page listing going to stand out
or is the BRAND/Service of the business going to stand out for what I am looking for?

If a business owner is saying FB is good enough, ask them if they do any other advertising
and then ask them why.

Most likely if the business is saying FB is better than a branded website
or that they do not need their own website presence, first
they are losing an alternative way to be found when most businesses are seeking
to be found as many ways as possible including SEO, paid ads, mobile, mailers....
and yes including FB.

Secondly, ask the business owner how I can find them on the web.
They say: ' Go to our FB page '
ME: ( Immediate response should be) What is your FB web address?

How many businesses have a hieroglyphic FB page address
let alone are going to know what it is versus knowing they are widgets.com?

Lastly, Opentable is not exclusive. It can be incorporated into a Branded Restaurant site
without FB is what I would end up saying. They aren't really going to be "paying" clients are they?

RC
aka - Speedy
http://www.1stopmobi.com/

SpeedyeProducts

[quote=EmmaGraham;8403853]I'm not terribly worried about the restaurant booking system either, but I do agree that the wheels are already in motion to take business away from companies who are currently providing FB specific services.

In the UK right now they're calling up businesses and offering their own specialist marketing support, then following it up with the email below...

---

Dear ****,

It was a pleasure speaking with you today.

As discussed, we are offering free account management support for 30 days should you choose to run any campaigns for your company on our platform, as well as the added benefit of FB page technical support e.g. vanity URL changes, page fan migrations, name changes, page merges, regain admin.

During these 30 days, the account managers’ goals will be:

• Driving traffic to your website from your FB Page.
• Deepen relationships with prospects, clients, customers and convert more sales.
• Build / increase brand awareness.
• Significantly increase FB community and create online social conversations.
• Suggest proven methods, strategies and tips through the ad creation process.
SHORT Version ............



---------------------------------------------------------
During these 30 days, the account managers’ goals will be:

• Driving traffic to your website from your FB Page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Kind of shoots that 1st one in the rear when the business owner says
to the FB marketer caller ---> but FB IS my website Mr. FB Guy.

RC
aka - Speedy
http://www.1stopmobi.com/

4webmaster

Just read this, web developpers are not just their target now : Facebook kills 100 startups with new collaborative photo album feature | VentureBeat

https://stevesuard.com

threadexp1

Exactly.. we need to do best marketing with quality service to increase sale.