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Original poster

Website vs Facebook

13 replies

birdbrain21 · 10/06/2014 20:36

So I'm in the process of setting up my own business selling handmade baby products fx it's going to be successful or I'll have to start looking for a job! I've designed a website (not live yet) through wix.com and it's going to cost £10.10 a month to host it, I think that's a good price from looking around please let me know if there's anywhere better! But I can't decide is it worth also having a facebook page? I see on a lot of websites that people have facebook but will it actually help bring in sales or will it just take up my time maintaining it?!
Opinions would be much appreciated. My DH keeps saying 'I don't know...' so I'm turning to mumsnet to help me instead please!!

OP posts:

lilacmamacat · 11/06/2014 13:25

Hi Bird.
I'm not a Facebook person but more and more small businesses are getting on it, if only to make announcements and direct people to your 'proper' website. You can link Facebook and Twitter (and various other social media thingies) so people can choose how they want to stay in touch with you but you only need to do the work once. Either way, you may only want/need to update a couple of times a week so the work shouldn't be too time consuming.

Related:
Depending on what your products are, you could try Etsy (although I've heard that you need to spend quite a lot of time promoting yourself on it to stop from getting lost in the crowd) or Folksy (a UK-only version of Etsy). I know several people that have their own sites and also sell on these platforms as well.

Get some feedback on your website before you go properly live. I've seen other MNs do this and get good constructive responses.

Apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs (there should be an acronym for this!)

Original poster

birdbrain21 · 12/06/2014 13:13

Hi lilac
Thanks that's really good advice. I know about folksy and etsy already but like you say there's already a lot of people selling on there and it's just me doing everything at the moment so my focus has got to be making products to sell not promoting myself on these sites.

I think maybe I will start with the website and when I have time create a facebook page to do a bit of promotion. I don't have facebook for myself so really don't know much about it...

When you say other MNs have got feedback have they done it by posting a link on MN I thought you're not allowed to do anything that's promotional for yourself?

OP posts:

lilacmamacat · 12/06/2014 15:07

Hi Bird,
What I've seen is people asking for advice on layout, presentation, content etc. So not promotional but more a case of "I think you need more pictures on that page" or "your check out link doesn't work" type comments. A constructive critique.

If you want to PM me the link, I can have a go for you.

Original poster

birdbrain21 · 13/06/2014 00:11

Thanks I didnt know I was allowed to do that! What section do people post it under? I thought business start-up would be good but can't find it...

OP posts:

Original poster

birdbrain21 · 13/06/2014 00:14

I'll send u a pm when im at my computer thanks! Dh is very supportive of starting a business but thinks I should know all this stuff because I like art and wanted to do a graphic design course

OP posts:

lilacmamacat · 16/06/2014 22:48

Hi Bird. Have you sent me anything because I haven't received anything yet... (checks spam filter...) Nope.

If you changed your mind, that's fine.

fuckinglondonballs · 17/06/2014 00:30

Facebook used to be good. Now you don't get as much out of it unless you pay for promoted posts. People simply won't see your stuff.

Regardless, do reserve yourself the Facebook page, twitter account, YouTube channel etc. Even if you don't use them for now at least you will have them reserved under your business name so no one else can get them or imitate you.

You do need to drive traffic to your site though, so look at seo and do consider social media. Also set up google analytics. Again, you don't have to use it at this stage but once set up you start to gather the data.

Good luck!

Original poster

birdbrain21 · 17/06/2014 14:27

Hi Lilac, haven't changed my mind just been doing a lot of editing it and adding more photos so thought no point sending you a half done site...plan is to finish it this week providing my 1 year old will leave me alone for two mins I'll send it to you when it's done thanks

Fuckinglondonballs thanks for your thoughts. I considered setting up a facebook page etc already now but didn't want to confuse people by finding an empty page...will have another look into it. Maybe I can persuade my brother or someone to do it for me. I'm not old but just find all this sort of stuff difficult!

OP posts:

lilacmamacat · 18/06/2014 22:51

Oh I know the feeling - my DS is three and can't seem to do anything without me, including play with his lego or even watch tv. I have seen more PawPatrol and Dinosaur Train than I ever thought was possible!

I was just a bit worried in case you were cursing waiting for me and it was lost somewhere in the ether (or my spam thingie).

Re what Fucking said, you could always just have some images of products on your FaceBook page with a link to your website. I think you can also set up FaceBook so that it posts anything you tweet which would create some no-effort-on-your-behalf content. That way it's not a disappointingly empty page but it can sit there and still work for you (send people to your 'proper' site) until you need it to do more.

Original poster

birdbrain21 · 20/06/2014 12:52

Lilac sent you a pm

OP posts:

Countrymun · 06/08/2014 16:12

I know someone making crafty things and she only has a FB page - I think it has taken a while to build up a following but she now gets lots of orders direct through fb. When she makes something new, she puts a pic on her fb page with price and postage and then people send her a message or a text with their order. Not sure how payment works - guess she sends them a paypal invoice.
Are you set up with paypal for business - or a card processing provider?
The other one for visual products is pinterest - I think lots of craft and handmade people put pix up there.
Good luck :)

Countrymun · 06/08/2014 16:15

Sorry - meant to add - yes, you can use something like Hootsuite to reduce the burden of social media.
I write our business blog page and I just check a box that says copy to FB and twitter - or you can uncheck if you want to do something different for them.

MillyDots · 06/08/2014 16:29

I am in the early stages of starting my own business online and have set up a blog to show my clothes and how to wear them and what with, accessories etc and have also set up a facebook page for the business and have liked other small businesses that are similar and they have liked mine etc . The more small business like yours you can add then the more you will get yourself out there. I think its a useful tool.

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