social media - Best practices for Facebook Website Like vs Page Like

When you have a website, I feel like there are two choices of how to utilize Facebook's like button:

1. I can have users like the website itself and then monitor it via the administration dashboard that facebook provides me


2. I can have users like my Facebook page (http://facebook.com/vanity-url) from my website

The way I see it as of now - I might as well have users like my facebook page since it will in effect from a user's perspective like my website but generate likes specifically for my facebook page which I will have regardless of whether or not I have a Like button for my website's URL.

1. Is this misleading?


2. Does this segregation of logic exist for a particular reason?

Answer

If the user "likes" your web site (or even better, one of the articles on your web site), this is a one time action. As an effect, the user will post an "I like this page/article" on their wall and all their friends (or whatever publicity they choose) will see that post in their Facebook timeline. Then it will vanish into eternity... You will have no more interaction opportunity with this user.

If the user "likes" your Facebook page, then he will become a permanent fan of your page, and thus "receive" every post you make on your Facebook page in his timeline. So this "likes" scenario might have a narrow audience, since this "like" action will only affect this single user, but you will have a better opportunity to provide this user with valuable information. And remember, if your Facebook post is good, then the user might share that post with his friends.

I usually suggest that the main website should invite the visitor to visit/like your Facebook page. All your blog articles should have a "like this article/page" option to provide an independent sharing of your content.