When it comes to a strong online marketing presence, what’s worse: a web site that has no social media activity or a web site with social media activity – and the two aren’t remotely related?

It’s the latter.

If these two efforts are miles apart, I’d rather see a site that’s professional and has engaging, inspiring content but no obvious social media component. Maybe your company’s not tweeting or posting to a corporate Facebook page yet. OK, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and believe that one or both are in the works.

But when I follow a printer or any company on Twitter or Facebook, I click through to the URL and expect to see a site that resembles the Twitter and Facebook page in look and feel. I also expect to find the SM sharing buttons in an easy-to-spot location on the home page – and every page.

Imagine my surprise when a printer’s Twitter and Facebook buttons are nowhere to be found on his or her site. What gives? Why would you have Twitter and Facebook accounts and not post these links on your site?

Presumably, you’re active in social media to build your community, engage with customers, and impress prospects who might turn into customers.

These two online efforts (web site and social media activity) MUST be connected to one another. Your social media content should be interesting and original enough to make your followers want to click through to your URL and learn about what you do.

What if your social media activity is more interesting than what they find when they land on your site? Uh oh. This really bugs me. It makes me think there are two different teams at work, and they don’t talk to one another. Ever.

Your social media activity should support your web site. If you’re a commercial printer, your web site should be the “mother lode” of information about your company. Your social media activity should amplify this information and lead people to visit your site, where they can learn more.

Your web site and your social media content should be doing the tango together. The latter is an extension of the former. They need to represent you equally. This means in style and in substance.