“Why have a Facebook Page for Business?”
Is it a total waste of time, a distraction, or a gimmick for the Marketing set? Let us help you with these 30+ tips on how to use Facebook in your business.
Facebook for Business. Who is it for?
Can you identify your audience? How do you connect with others? Is a social media channel like Facebook an option? Facebook for Business makes it easier for your Facebook page to generate traffic from the right consumers. Targeting is critical, otherwise, you end up advertising to the wrong crowd. In order for your page to excel, you should identify the necessary steps needed to connect with your audience, create a plan, give someone the responsibility to manage the plan, and then review performance regularly, so that you can continually tweak the plan. Before you post anything, do research to see what others, bigger companies, in your business are doing on Facebook to give you ideas for design and layout and make your page look good. If you have something to promote, Facebook for Business can do wonders for you.
Facebook Tips to Make it Perform Well for You
Ensure your website has engaging content
1. Create most of the content on your website first, and then post link it on Facebook.
2. Include a relevant and intriguing image that will encourage clicks. For example, larger images, rather than the default small ones, that include a “CTA” or Call to Action should ideally bring people to your website. After gaining attraction, you can engage your audience with more information or offers.
3. Add content, such as a bit of pertinent intro text, to coincide with the image.
4. Create and add video content, or repost an interesting video. It can be raw and rough, but a video for mobile, ideally with subtitles or explanatory text since many people will not click a video until they know what it is about, is going to be huge.
Update your Facebook page
5. Background – Make sure that your Facebook page reflects your company, has your corporate imagery, and logo, and tells the story of what you do.
6. Share Testimonials via Facebook using Teasers that showcase the main content from your website pages.
7. Display accurate company information on your About page to answer FAQs, give contact details, and contain commonly researched keywords to help people find you.
8. Use Facebook to create authority, and show that you are an expert in your field.
9. Posts should contain content that is 80% useful or interesting. They also should not include more than 20% of content about you or your products/services.
10. Include a Facebook button on your website. In other words, show you have a Facebook page and allow website visitors to connect via Facebook if they use it.
Utilize Facebook Advertising
11. Create adverts to boost your post and get seen by the target audience – After boosting your posts, gauge reaction from your audience. Try advertising in different ways and find out what works for you – Facebook advertising works well and has low costs.
12. Use Facebook to get feedback on option A or B – ask a question and get responses.
13. Test your Facebook Advert copy to ensure you do not have too much text in your content (it should be lower than 20%) – FREE check here. Make sure the image is high quality, tightly cropped, and includes a CTA Call to Action.
Promote your content and make use of your insights
14. Include options to share different articles on your website.
15. Be timely – use content that is current or trending. For example, in early February you could mention Valentine’s Day, and June 21st the longest day of the year.
16. Promote your customer newsletter and any exclusive offers to help followers stay connected. This way, your audience identifies themselves for you.
17. Ask for opinions or feedback to start a conversation with your audience.
18. Special offers, such as a discount, 2-for-1, or Promo code, work well.
19. Target your posts to the right demographic (age, location, sex, etc…) Be specific, niche down until you get it right
20. Run competitions to engage your audience.
21. Analytics – look at your reports/Page Insights, and review the performance of your posts. Are you using the appropriate call to action? Are you promoting at the right time of the year? Time of day or day of the week – it all matters.
22. Invite business contacts, friends, and potential customers to your events.
Show interest to connect with others
23. Connect – identify the businesses you want to meet, follow them, like their posts, and maintain a conversation. Show a connection or interest.
24. Be authentic and respond to any comments. Stay consistent in the way you post, respond, and display your personality/character.
25. Be authentic and respond to all comments. Stay consistent in the way you post and respond, in your personality or character, and in the way you post content.
26. Post content that interests your audience rather than simple and overt sales pitches.
27. Use Tagging tool to connect with other companies’ content.
28. Use #Hashtags to connect via Twitter.
Use resources or get inspiration from others
29. Get tips or training from the Specialists such as Amy Porterfield (who I recommend highly) NB: It may take some time, however, Amy can help you get on top of Facebook or even just understand it so that you understand what has to be done to become successful. Amy is capable, experienced, professional and offers training if you need it to create a Social Media Sales Funnel. If you do not mind someone who is more sales pushy, have a listen to Pam Moore who has loads of energy and great tips.
30. Facebook offers Advertising Tips here.
31. Go back to the audience you have created to ensure that you are advertising to the right people. Look at the message and ensure it is working.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
32. Avoid publishing mishaps with Page roles. Managing multiple Facebook pages, both personal and business can be complex. The last thing you want is for personal content to get published on your business’s social media page. To prevent this, limit the number of people who run those pages, and make sure that those who do run them are properly trained on social media management.
33. Don’t ignore negativity. Listening and appropriately responding to feedback to crucial. When faced with a disheartening comment, make sure you have a comment procedure to follow. For example, developing a document with answers to FAQs that includes links that are commonly asked for. This will help your responses to be more consistent over time and will gain you credibility.
34. Avoid posting clickbait. Your followers want to know that your posts and the links attached to them will deliver on what was promised. Make sure your links go to the right pages on your site and focus on providing clear information to generate more traffic.
35. Don’t leave the meta description as is. Usually, Facebook will pull information and an image from your site to include when you make a post with a link. However, sometimes that content does not correlate to that post. Make sure to replace that information and image with something more relevant.
36. Lack of a Clear Value Proposition – Your value proposition lets your audience know what benefits your business provides. By ensuring you have a clear value proposition, you can strengthen your campaign.
37. Don’t Go MIA. This may seem self-explanatory, but be consistent with your posting schedule, and utilize Facebook scheduling when you have less time to post.
How to Create a ‘Page’ on Facebook for Your Business
Are you looking to create a professional presence for your brand or business on Facebook? The new Page experience allows you to do just that for your Professional Services firm.
Here are the steps to create a Page on Facebook:
Before you begin, ensure that you have a personal Facebook profile.
Creating a new Page from your phone:
- Open the Facebook app and tap your profile picture to access the Menu,
- Tap on “Pages”.
- Click on “Create” at the top left corner.
- Enter your Page name and select a category.
- Tap “Create New Page”.
- To set up your Page, add your Page Name, Category, Bio, contact information, location, and hours.
- By uploading a profile image and a cover photo, you may personalise your Page.
- To build your Page audience, invite your friends.
- Turn on Page notifications on your profile if you want to get notified about your page.
- Tap “Done”.
Creating a new Page from your computer:
- Log in to Facebook.
- Click on “Pages” on the left side.
- Now choose “Create New Page” under “Your Pages and profiles”.
- Enter your Page name and category.
- Click on “Create Page”.
- Customise your Page by adding your bio, profile picture, and cover photo.
Updating your classic Page to a new Page from your phone:
- Select the page you would like to modify to a new page.
- Choose the More ( … ) menu, and then click on “Settings”.
- Choose “New Page experience”.
- Choose “Get started”.
- Choose “Next”.
- If everything is all setup, pick “Update and use Page now.”
Updating your classic Page to a new Page from your computer:
- If you meet certain criteria a message presenting new Pages will appear on your classic Page.
- Tap on “Learn more”.
- Tap on “Get started”.
- Tap on “Next”.
- When done, click “Update and use Page now.”
- As your classic Page is updated to a new Page, start building connections by following other Pages and profiles.
Key Things to Remember
Metrics – Measure your return on time invested, so that you do not waste time. For example, Facebook can be seen as a Social Distraction if the time invested is done without a proper plan and subsequent analytics. Making use of metrics, and utilizing Facebook to connect and engage with your audience to channel interest or sales is key.
Time – In addition, take the time, or have someone available, to manage Facebook (outsourcing it to someone who specializes in this work, for as little as one hour a week at around €30 an hour, is also an option.) Set targets and check performance quarterly. Be sure that the content you put out is suitable for your target market.
Bottom Line – A copy blogger turned off their Facebook page because whilst Facebook has certainly got the traffic, it is looking to increase advertising revenue and makes businesses pay to get noticed. Facebook’s reach has been significantly reduced, as 10% of the content is read, so posts do not get seen as much. As a result, native advertising is the way of the future, for smart marketers. All advertising, including Content Marketing, has to have a point. It could be to increase sales, reduce costs, speed up delivery, or improve customer satisfaction/retention. Facebook does work for a business, but the business has to work for Facebook – in other words, it takes some time to see progress. It is social, so get involved with your friends, suppliers, and target market. Show some personality and that you care. Facebook Business Page Tips for Sales Facebook Business Page Tips for Posting
