Facebook is one of the very high traffic social media sites and I am always being asked how to incorporate it into a digital marketing strategy and effectively use it to drive business results. Firstly you need to decide on your social media marketing strategy and see if Facebook is a good fit for your target audience. But let’s assume you have decided to use Facebook; what are the next steps?
Marketing your business on Facebook is just like using any social media site you need to build a presence, then establish credibility and educate your potential customers.
Here are some steps to help you get the most from your Facebook marketing:
It is best to keep your business profile separate from your personal page, so remember everything on your business page should be business related, you can have some fun with it but keep it professional.
Make sure your pages look professional: get some help to reflect the same professional image as on your web site; use the same graphics and colours; maintain your brand image. Consider having a welcome page specifically for new visitors.
Have a plan regarding what you are going to add, and what do you want the visitor to do once they find your page. Why should anyone return to your pages again? How will you react to negative comments?
Create a reason for people to provide their contact details and to pass the page onto their friends, this sort of viral marketing is where Facebook excels.
Remember to interact with others, you need to participate in the dialogue and be visible, keep adding fresh content, and answering questions.
Provide polls or surveys to engage with your audience, ask others to share their ideas and tips.
Keep everyone up to date with your latest offers and initiatives provide a good reason for them to interact with your business.
Consider hiring a professional to create an app and provide it on your page. This can really make your page go viral since fans will share them with their friends, which is all adding to your visibility and credibility.
The main thing is that once you have decided to create a Facebook page for your business you need to be consistent with your efforts and contribute regularly to keep things moving. Why not share some of your ideas in the comments section here to help others utilise Facebook to attract new business.
Get to know what your customers are saying about your brand online and learn what you need to develop an effective social media marketing strategy!
