Is the Website Losing to Facebook Pages?

I was pondering on this question awhile back. So much so, I wanted to ask a few Malaysian social media enthusiasts and drivers about their viewpoints. Even today whilst having lunch with a client-turn-friend, she was sharing with me how powerful Facebook in general had become in generating business.

From building websites to SEO and social media today, I’m wondering where’s the line drawn in having to need a website for your business. Is it possible to generate business without a website and only a Facebook page?

We used to say an online presence is unavoidable. A Facebook page also does just that. It could be used to establish your online presence. Plus, you can create a Facebook page to:

• Introduce your company.
• Upload works in photos and videos.
• Get clients to become fans. (bonus)
• Get instant feedback. (bonus)
• Organize and manage events. (bonus)
• Get clients to introduce or share your services with their own friends personally. (bonus)

From an apple to apple comparison, I’d say Facebook pages are:

1. Easier to create.
2. Faster to deploy.
3. Scalable with Facebook applications.

Thus, I ponder. Is the website dead? Do businesses only need to create their own Facebook pages in replace of a website?

Or, is a website still prime real estate for a corporate entity? Or, because not all products and services will benefit from a social media strategy, they will still need to rely on a website?

Do you think building a website is dead, or getting there?

How Many Hours Do You Really Use The Internet?

While I was writing my comment on UXMatters, I was thinking; how many hours does a user really spend on the Internet? In fact, how accurate is this data?

I thought this because I remember the time I had to teach my mum (50s) to use the computer and setup her email account. Therefore, I’ve been the one looking over her shoulder and answering her questions when she faces difficulty.

When a new Internet user is online, his/her actions takes prolong periods and pauses because he/she is extra cautious about them. As they become more familiar, their actions speed up with confidence.

So my question to the question; how many hours do you really use the internet? is, what type of user are you?

If you were only taught to use the Internet yesterday or 2 days ago, you could be spending twice the time to complete a task than an average user would.

Therefore, my thoughts and beliefs of the data to the question; how many hours do you spend on the internet? is easily corrupted.

A user who spends more than 4 hours on the Internet on average may not mean the user is Internet-savvy. It could be my mum accessing and sending 2-3 emails to her friends.

Hence, ensure your surveys or questions is directed at the right user.