[Opinion] A Facebook Takeover: Facebook Pages Instead of Websites?

I read an interesting article this morning I found on Alltop, talking about corporations slimming down their websites in favor of a Facebook page instead. Am I the only one, or is that not a crazy notion? I can understand why a corporation like Starbucks or Coca-Cola would want to take full advantage of Facebook and Twitter but slimming down their own websites?

Although I completely against the thought of dissolving or slimming down a website, I can see why some smaller businesses may decide to go this route. Hosting a large website is expensive, small businesses in this economy are struggling more than they used to, a dedicated Facebook page would suffice if they didn’t have the budget to host a large website. (They would instead host a few sales pages and an about section)

Stephen Haines, commercial director of Facebook’s U.K. operation furthered the argument for businesses to transition to a Facebook  page with statistics on how many people clicked a “like” for said companies, compared to how many people visit the corporate

website. Via CNet: “For Coca-Cola, it’s 20.5 million compared with 270,000; for Oreo, 10.1 million compared with 290,000; and for Dr. Pepper, it’s 4.1 million compared with 325,000.”

Comparing “likes” to page views, really Mr. Haines? I’m not sure I agree that that’s a valid argument. I have randomly clicked like buttons here and there on websites but it means nothing to me. Yeah, I like Coca-Cola, I’ve clicked their “like” button. But is that really comparable to a page view, not in my eyes

Every marketer knows that social media is dominant now and has to be leveraged if your company wants to profit. I look at it like this: Facebook is the Lobby to your website, people are constantly coming in and out, conversing and having fun. The nitty-gritty, the meat and potatoes…that’s your corporate website. Someone should be able to find everything they need on a corporate website, leaving the chatter for Facebook pages and Twitter.

Facebook is a bandwagon that gained too much traction, and now they want more. Something else will come along, be it this year or next, and knock them off their high horse. Anyone remember AOL? How about Friendster? Or MySpace? Each of these websites had their moments to shine but now sit in the back of the classroom. I like Facebook for the social network it is, not for a replacement to my favorite websites.

Why would any business put themselves at the will of Facebook and slim down their own website? Really, tell me your opinion. What are the pros to doing it? I can only think of one, and that would be the initial savings if you’re a small business or a start-up.