Website or Instagram: That is the Question!
Publish Date: 29 December 2021
Estimated Reading Time: 11 Minutes
https://www.pingoteam.ir/en/vgYA/
In answer to this question, it should be said that both Instagram and a website are excellent revenue-generating tools on the internet, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we've tried to compare these two tools to help you more easily decide which one to use for your business.
One of the main questions from people who come to our company for advice or website design is: "Why should I even have a website? Isn't Instagram enough?" In fact, by asking this question, they are comparing Instagram to a website and consider having just a page sufficient. Conversely, they might think that having a website means there's no need to set up an Instagram page.
In response to this question, it's important to note that both Instagram and a website are excellent online tools with their own advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we have tried to compare these two tools so you can more easily decide which one to use for your business.
In response to this question, it's important to note that both Instagram and a website are excellent online tools with their own advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we have tried to compare these two tools so you can more easily decide which one to use for your business.
Starting an online business on Instagram: Good or Bad?
As you know, in recent years, the trend of using Instagram in Iran has greatly increased, and most of us spend hours each day browsing and exchanging information on Instagram. So it seems that starting an Instagram page and producing content on this social network provides a large market and you are likely to earn good revenue through it. However, let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of this social network.Advantages of starting an Instagram page for business
So now let's see what the benefits of creating a business on Instagram are?
1- Instagram is free to use
Joining Instagram and setting up a business page is completely free. Therefore, if you don't have a lot of capital to start an online business, Instagram is the best solution for you.
2- Setting up a page on Instagram is easy
Setting up a business page and generally using the Instagram app is very easy and you don’t need any special knowledge to do it. All you need to do is install Instagram on your phone and start uploading product images and introducing yourself.
Disadvantages of starting an Instagram page for business
Now let's look at the disadvantages of using Instagram as a business page:
1- Instagram does not allow for product categorization
Categorizing products into specific and predefined categories helps users find their desired products more easily. Unfortunately, this feature is not available on Instagram. Therefore, even if you have many products, the audience has to scroll through the page extensively to find what they want.
2- Updating products is difficult and time-consuming
You are likely aware that product prices are constantly changing and updating them on Instagram takes a lot of your time. Especially if you have many products! Additionally, there is no option to change photos in posts. Therefore, if a product’s photo changes, you must delete the previous post and upload the new product to your page.
3- Direct connection to a payment gateway is not available
If someone wants to buy from your Instagram page, they need to get your card number for payment and then send you the payment receipt after transferring the money. Sometimes this payment process becomes so long and tedious that the customer may decide not to purchase!
4- Instagram is always at risk of being filtered
Unfortunately, we live in a country where the risk of filtering websites and apps threatens us at any moment. So it's uncertain whether Instagram will still be operational when we wake up tomorrow morning ):
5- Users find it harder to trust you
These days, we hear so many news about fraud that it's hard for us to trust any page without having official licenses and electronic symbols. Therefore, gaining user trust on Instagram is a very challenging task!
Advantages and Disadvantages of Starting a Website for Business
Setting up a website is no longer as difficult as it used to be, and even if you don't have enough knowledge for this task, you can use experts to do it. If you still don't know whether you need a website for your business or not, read this article. But let's see what the advantages and disadvantages of working with a website or online store are.
Advantages of Starting a Website or Online Store
Having a website offers many advantages, some of the most important of which are listed here:
1- You can easily categorize products and services
Depending on the type of website and business you have, you can easily create various categories. For example, if you run an online store for digital products, you can create categories such as laptops, mobile phones, computers, smartwatches, etc. This way, users can more easily find the product they are looking for and won’t get confused.
2- Updating product and site information is easier
Changing product information such as price, inventory, photos, etc., through the site's admin panel is much easier. Additionally, some updates, such as updating product inventory, are done automatically after each purchase.
3- It is possible to use a payment gateway on the site
Thanks to payment gateways, there is no need to follow up on payments from customers, and users can easily access the payment gateway through the site and deposit the required amount.
4- Using a website keeps you safe from filtering
The risk of filtering mainly affects social networks and external messaging apps, and it is less common for online stores to be filtered. Therefore, you can sleep peacefully at night and not worry about your store being shut down :)
5- Users find it easier to trust you
Because websites need to obtain trust symbols to get a payment gateway, customers trust you more when they see the electronic trust symbol, making it much more likely they will purchase from you.
Challenges of Starting a Website or Online Store
Starting a website may come with challenges, some of which are mentioned below:
1- Website design is costly
To set up your website, you need to pay a cost similar to buying any other product. The cost of website design varies depending on the features and type of website.
2- Technical knowledge is required to set up a website
To set up your website, you have two options. Either you need to have the technical knowledge yourself or hire a specialist to do it. Therefore, setting up a website requires more expertise compared to Instagram.
Overall Comparison of Instagram and a Website
In this section, you can compare these two methods overall:
| Feature | Website | |
|---|---|---|
| Free |  |
 |
| Easy to Set Up | |
|
| Product Categorization | |
|
| Product Updates | |
|
| Product Search | |
|
| Online Payment | |
|
| Protection from Filtering | |
|
| Trustworthiness | |
|
What should I do now?
To complete this discussion, it's important to understand that a website and social networks are complementary to each other and neither can be ignored for creating a successful online business and for growth and increased sales. In fact, for tasks like advertising and customer communication, Instagram performs better, while for tasks like product categorization, online payment, etc., a website is significantly easier to use than Instagram. Therefore, our recommendation is to first set up your website and, alongside it, do not neglect social networks, especially Instagram.
If you need to set up your website, click the order button and provide the features you need along with a contact number so our experts can get in touch with you as soon as possible and guide you.
OrderIf you need to set up your website, click the order button and provide the features you need along with a contact number so our experts can get in touch with you as soon as possible and guide you.