Facebook marketing is changing the way people do business, it’s as simple as that. There are millions of members and millions more signing up each day. Therefore, it is a great tool for any business marketing strategy which wants to reach more clients via the platform. Keep reading to discover how.
Facebook marketing for businesses is an essential tool a business owner should capitalize on. Even business owners that have no interest in being on Facebook or having a page, do so because they know that’s where their customers are, and that’s what’s going to give them an edge over their competitors – which could be you!
In order to get over the hurdle in your mind that Facebook simply doesn’t bear any importance on your business, consider these facts:
- Facebook has more than 800 million users as of 2013.
- One out of every 13 people on the planet is on Facebook.
- More than 71% of Americans use Facebook.
- About 50% of Facebook users logon to the website at least once a day.
- Facebook has become the number one choice of social networks.
- The average Facebook user spends more than 13.5 minutes each day on the website.
- About 48% of Facebook users aged 18-34 check their Facebook page as soon as they wake up.
- Over 1/3 of professional marketers call Facebook “critical” or “important” to their business.
Facebook Marketing 101
If you’re using Facebook to market, make sure you’re also posting there! No one will visit a business page which rarely ever has updated content on it. Don’t overwhelm your followers, but be sure to post at least once per weekday so that people will often check back just to see what’s going on.
Use Facebook Insights to improve your social media marketing campaign
Check Facebook Insights to find out which updates are the most popular. If possible, share more similar updates. If you notice your subscribers are losing interest in your Facebook campaign, make an effort to create more interesting content for your campaign.
If you’re having trouble gaining followers to your business page, you can offer a giveaway in return for their “Like”. Just place the giveaways in a tab on your business page and have them fill it out with their email address, specifying that only those who like your page will be eligible for the contest.
Know when you should and shouldn’t post on other walls.
You can gain lots of attention by doing this. Make sure it is the good kind of attention for your business. Post to other Facebook pages when you have something worthwhile to say, showcase or sell. Don’t resort to spam.
Do not post so much on your Facebook page that people will begin to feel too saturated by so much contents. You want to give them something to think about, so let a little space flow in between each posting. Facebook recommends new page owners post no more than once or twice a week.
Do not create postings that are far too long
While you may have a ton of information to share, nobody will want to read through 1,000 words to get to the point of what you are saying or showcasing. Try to keep all of your postings as short as possible, but make sure they are well-written. You want people to be able to grasp the main idea.
Offer an easy way for your followers to sign-up for contests
Give away something to provide incentive for people to do so. Hold contests or just offer free samples of the product.
Don’t think of your fans as numbers
That’s a big no-no in Facebook marketing. You aren’t collecting numbers, you are building brand champions. You are creating a community of people who love your company or brand, business product. Treat them with the respect that they are due. These people can make a difference for your company.
Create customized tabs to highlight information on your Facebook page
This way you can clearly separate promotions, coupons, freebies and other things that you would like to highlight about your business without having them get lost in your wall posts. When the contest or promotion is over, you simply remove that tab from your Facebook page.
Add pictures to your profile page
People love pictures and it really is true that a picture is worth a thousand words. When your fans can see what you have to offer, your customers with your products or services, or what you stand for, they will feel more of a connection to your company.
Get your subscribers to interact with you by asking some questions
You could, for instance, ask people to share a funny picture with you or to give their opinion on a certain topic. This is a great way to get your subscribers to interact with you and with each other.
Look for other brand’s best practices and learn from them
Facebook is not a new medium anymore. There are tons of companies dealing with Facebook marketing every single minute of the day. Look into what seems to be moving other businesses on Facebook, and figure out how your brand or company can be doing the same.
Always maintain a positive attitude on your Facebook marketing page
No one likes a sad or depressed seller, and this is especially true if someone has the ability to not be forced to deal with it. Be sure that no matter what you post on your page that you find a way to put a positive spin on it.
There are things that you should and should not do when you are Facebook marketing. You need to research both. Looking at the worst examples is often overlooked by many people who just look at the best. You also need to learn what you should not do.
Post pictures along with your text
It will make your post stand out in the news feed, and it gives it a little extra edge. Make sure, however, that you either use your own pictures or you use free images when posting. This is important because you do not want to essentially take someone else’s property without asking.
Include your customers as your business celebrates certain milestones.
Try sending a “thank you” quickly to all the people on your friends’ list, and make an announcement about the celebration on the main marketing page. This will make your followers feel special and appreciated.
Consider SEO when completing a Facebook profile.
Try to using the keywords you used on your website; additionally, post backlinks to your website on your Facebook profile. If your keywords are strong, your Facebook page is going to earn a search result rank before long.
Avoid doing all of your updates for Facebook in a single day.
If the content is spread out a bit, its impact will be greater. People find it hard to locate information useful to them if they are given too much all at once.
Do not pick a Facebook page name that is confusing and not consistent with your business.
Once you choose a name, it is very difficult to convince Facebook to allow a change. You have to send a request, which could take a while. In the meantime, you may end up losing customers.
There are many marketing opportunities when it comes to Facebook. You now know how to market effectively on Facebook. It’s time to start integrating Facebook into your marketing strategy.
Drop a comment below on how you make use of Facebook marketing for your business
