It’s easy to think Facebook is good enough. Many breeders, trainers, marketers have built good businesses on Facebook and there is no doubt it should be an important piece of your social media marketing. However, Facebook’s rules ban selling live animals. Usually, they don’t enforce the bans but on occasion they do. All it takes is for someone to turn you in and an important post or, worse, your entire business page, will be taken down.
Your website presents a professional image
Even if you can live with that risk, you are better off using Facebook as an adjunct to your own website. A website presents a more professional, serious, long term and committed appearance to your potential customers. You control what appears where and in what order it appears. The parts you need to be permanent stay that way – no mysterious algorithm controls what shows up where. Facebook pushes important information, like that about your stallions, down in favor of those cute barn dog photos. On your website, your stallion’s page remains in the same place.
Speaking of the algorithm, don’t forget that your business page doesn’t show up in people’s feeds enough to be very helpful. It used to, but they changed that because they want you to buy ads to “boost” your business posts.
In short, you own your website. You do not own Facebook. You don’t even have a good lease.
Use Facebook to drive traffic to your website
Frankly, Facebook or a self-serve website builder will work well enough for some people. And without a doubt, Facebook is an important broadcasting system as part of a overall digital marketing system. Most horse industry businesses should have a presence on Facebook. (You don’t have to like it, but you should probably use it.) We will teach you to use Facebook without being consumed by Facebook. You will learn to make Facebook posts that drive traffic to your website.
You own your domain name and your content on your own website. If you want to move it, we’ll move it or we’ll provide the files to your new developer. It’s yours, you control what you say about your operations and your horses. We encourage you to say “horses for sale” all over your site!
While Facebook is undoubtedly an important piece of your social media marketing, relying solely on it can expose your business to unnecessary risks. With your own website, you present a more professional appearance, have more control over your content, and reduce the risk of having your marketing platform taken down. Consider investing in a website for your horse breeding operation today, and let us help you take the first steps towards digital horse marketing success.