Facebook is an important marketing tool for any business, it is the biggest social media platform and it is advisable to have a business page if you would like to grow your business online, engage with customers and attract new ones.
More and more small businesses are turning to Facebook to market their products and services online, every small business should be on Facebook. .
There are so many benefits as to why you should too.
It is very important to note that setting up a business page on Facebook is FREE. You can reach so many people organically (naturally). Now don’t get me wrong, obviously it is not all free – if you want to run ads, this is a feature you will have to pay for. However, you have the added benefits of all the data Facebook collects along the way to maximise your potential if you decide to run ads.
You can create groups to create a unique customer experience, run special promotions within your groups and build a community of people that are supporting you and your brand.
Here are some tips that may help to get you started.
Create a business page
Yes actually create a business page – you must have a personal profile to do so, however this is not enough to set your business apart from your competitors.
Add your logo and cover image. If you are happy to design yourself – Canva.com is a great FREE tool to use to help you create all your header images, even your logo and your first post on your page.
Pick your user name – a name unique to your business, as this cannot be changed down the line.
Add all your information. Name, address, email, how people can contact you, complete your about section, what products and services you provide, and get the feel around each section and become familiar with it.
Post regularly on your Facebook page
You should post no less than once a day, over time you can view your analytics and this will tell you the best time to post.
According to a Buffer study, the best time to post to Facebook is between 1pm – 3pm on during the week and Saturdays. We also found that engagement rates are 18% higher on Thursdays and Fridays. The best time to post to Facebook is between 1pm – 3pm on during the week and Saturdays. (Buffer.com)
If you visit https://buffer.com/library/best-time-to-post-on-facebook/, other platforms have stated when they feel is best to post on Facebook. Do your research.
Make sure you have a variety of content, from posts, videos, questions, tips, advice, reviews etc. to keep your followers interested in your page. Again I would highly recommend trying out Canva.com and all of its amazing features.
Engage with your followers
When people follow / like your page, post or comments, be sure to respond. People like when you are interactive with them and communicate. You would not like to go to the shop and the person behind the counter to ignore you – people feel the same on social media.
Separate professional from personal
Your followers don't need to see the latest pictures of your pets, or hear about your latest haircut. Keep your personal information on your personal profile, and establish a separate page for your business. You can share your business page on your personal profile, invite your friends to like and share your page to get some support starting out – and use personal networking to your advantage.
When you set up your business page, you can incorporate those friends who share your interests into your target market. Still, your personal profile and business pages should be separate.
Set up your automated messages
When you reply instantly on Facebook messenger you get the “Very Responsive to messages” label on your business page. If you’re not responding fast enough this message will be different. During times that you are not going to be available there is still a way to quick respond to your messages.
The solution for the first message is the Auto Reply on Facebook Messenger.
You can also set up automated responses through Facebook Messenger, and this is a great way to keep your audience engaged while also saving you some much-needed time.
You can do things such as:
Say hi to someone after they first message you.
Respond to common questions.
Customise messages to provide quick answers to people asking for contact info or the location of your business.
Ask your audience for feedback.
Direct your followers to your website and other platforms.
This is a great tool and you should use it from the beginning and review it based on your most popular questions, and tweak it as you go along.
Your landing page
This is like the "home page" of a website. It needs to have a compelling image and good information right off the bat so that visitors will be inspired to click the "Like" or "Become a Fan" buttons. You can use something called FBML, which stands for Facebook Markup Language, to create a unique and interesting landing page.
Tabs
You can also use FBML to create tabs, which are visible buttons on your page that represent applications, or apps. Twitter, Networked Blogs, Events, and Inbox are just some of the apps you can put on your business page. These really help promote your business as they give visitors and fans a chance to interact and connect with you and your business.
The value of personal communication
One of the appealing things about Facebook is the personal interaction it encourages. In a world of automation, customers appreciate a "live human" at the other end of the keyboard, mobile device, or computer screen! The telephone used to provide this, but with more and more businesses resorting to automated customer service, Facebook gives your business an edge. So try to communicate with your fans and followers regularly, and on an individual basis as often as possible. Happy fans then tell their friends.
If your business grows to the point that you can't handle all the individual contact, consider outsourcing this to someone else who is closely associated with your business.
Conclusion
I would highly recommend that if you have or want to set up a business, or even a group that you have a Facebook page to promote it or your losing out.
Even if you are only starting out and want to get the word out there, Facebook Ads is a great resource to spread the word on your business / project.
I would also recommend mixing content, and plan your content to ensure you are posting consistently and using a variety of content to keep your followers engaged.
Canva.com is a great resource where you can make beautiful designs, and the best about it is, you DO NOT need any design experience to get started on this platform and it is FREE.
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