Is Facebook useful as a alternative to a website?

<p>I've recently put together a facebook page for my photography. (http://www.facebook.com/CorahNortonPhotography)<br>

But I was wondering if anyone thinks this is/isn't a good alternative to having an actual website?<br>

I'm only just starting out really, so I'm a beginner. Not sure if it will be worth an actual website?<br>

Thoughts would be appreciated. :)</p>

<p>If you pay for a subscription here on Photo.net, you automatically get an ImagePRO website that you can customize for your use. Pretty sweet deal for $25 a year.</p>

<p>No, it is not. But it doesn't cost anything so it doesn't hurt.</p>

<p>Why do you want a website? What are you planning to do with it? What goals do you have?</p>

<p>Facebook is great for sharing photos with people you know, or at least connect to via Facebook. That's it, but it's really easy, there's no significant effort or thought that has to go into it.</p>

<p>A website is great for an online portfolio and/or commercial marketing. It's a lot more work, but if you do it right, it looks the way you want, and you manage it the way you want. Rich's suggestion on ImagePRO is good, you give up some customization but you get a website that's yours, not Facebook's, without the work of doing your own site from scratch.</p>

<p>You can also do a blog with software from Wordpress, that's another approach.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I use both. I used to post links to my website galleries, but now I post to FB directly (in addition to my website). The advantage of posting photos on FB is that people can tag them and let others (who might not have known about the photo) find it.</p>

<p>Check out Neil van Niekerk's take on Facebook from Oct 9th: http://neilvn.com/tangents/</p>

<p>I don't think it is replacement for a web gallery but it is certainly indispensable if you are a professional photographer and would like to show off your work to future customers.<br /> <br /> A twitter account can be very useful too if you do photo walks, classes, etc. i.e. need to keep a group of people informed. Many use twitter with the appropriate hashtags to generate traffic to their website of Facebook posts.<br /> <br /> And while we at it, Google+ hasn't really taken off but it does seem to have hit the right note for photographers somehow and it is certainly easier to get exposure on Google+ with your photos than on Facebook.</p>

<p>If you want people to find you and give you business online, a website is a must. Facebook is a great (free!) marketing tool, but people might take your business more seriously if you invest in even just a simple website.</p>

<p>Jeff Spirer asks a good question: what goals do you have? Your facebook page currently states you are "An 18 year old from Hertfordshire who likes to take pictures." If you're happy with that, don't invest in a website--yet.<br>

<br>

Either way, I'd hold off on a big website investment until you are sure that's the direction you want to take.</p>

<p>Bear in mind Corah, that - for a variety of reasons - a lot of people flatly refuse to go <em>anywhere near</em> Facebook: personally I regard as a tacky, ugly, ad-infested hole in the internet, and I know I'm not alone there.</p>

<p>I do agree with Stacey Gibson. And by the way, I like your pics on facebook. Can U put your Watermark on your pics?</p>

<p>Thanks Peter for the very informative link. Two other things that bother me about using Facebook for photography are the clause giving Facebook blanket permission to reuse your uploads and the compression algorithms that visibly degrade the images. Facebook facilities in general will most likely slide progressively further from quality towards quantity as the number of members and activity levels continue to increase. Facebook can bring one's work to a wider audience but quality has to be addressed elsewhere.</p>

<p>I think it all depends on what your level of experience is..<br>

Personally I’m just starting to get into the ‘promoting ‘ world of my own photos and coming soon painting,<br>

Since I’m a beginner in this area I find fine enough to start with these social web sites, so I have created a portfolio in Redbubble <a href="http://www.redbubble.com/people/chelo">http://www.redbubble.com/people/chelo</a> and recently opened a Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CheloPhotographyAndPainting?ref=tn_tnmn">https://www.facebook.com/CheloPhotographyAndPainting?ref=tn_tnmn</a><br>

I only expect to create a personalized web if I start interacting more seriously and find myself in the position of having to present my work for more serious business. (which I wouldn’t mind at all ;) )</p>