Facebook has figured out they’re a great way to connect businesses with consumers. I recently attended a workshop they hosted for small business owners and non-profits. I learned a few things during this workshop, but mostly it reinforced what I already practice for my clients. If you use Facebook for your business (or want to), here are 12 tips:
Make sure you have the right type of page. You should have a business page, not a group, and certainly not a personal profile. If you mistakenly set yourself up as a person, no worries. There’s a way to fix that.I’d recommend doing this soon, as you are in violation of Facebook’s usage terms and they may shut down your page if they find out.
Be present. Don’t establish a page and post a bunch the same day, never to be heard from again. If you’re going to be on Facebook for business (and if you are a business serving consumers ages 25-60, you should be), do it well. Commit to posting 3-5 times a week, more if you can.
Shape up your profile. Your profile picture should reflect your businesses logo or maybe your building. Don’t change this too often… people should be able to know who you are by this little icon. You have more freedom with your cover photo, but make it attractive and reflective of your branding. Your hours, company description, etc. should all be accurate.
Verify your page. Once you start posting regularly, Facebook usually allows you to verify your page. Go to your “settings” section and see if they are giving you that option. It’s a simple process and seems to help people see your posts more.
Use your “action button.” This button is especially useful if your followers are finding you on their mobile phones. There are several options for this button. “Call now” is the most popular.
Be visual. Take pictures, even if it’s just with your mobile phone, and post them regularly. Every post should include an image. Be careful to keep it legal: Google images may not be your friend if you use someone’s copyrighted material. And if you take pictures of clients, get permission. And USE VIDEO! Facebook loves video right now. Experiment with “Facebook Live” when you have new products arrive or when you have a message to share. It’s a fun tool.
Schedule, schedule, schedule. Create a monthly schedule for your posts. This can be a simple printed calendar with post ideas written on it. Set aside time each week to schedule your posts. Facebook allows you to schedule posts from your business page (Check out the little arrow to the right of the “Publish” button), or you can use third-party tools like Hootsuite and Buffer.
… But be spontaneous, too! Don’t miss out on sharing a great story just because it isn’t on your schedule. If you get inspired, share it.
Interact with your followers. Make it personal. “Like” or respond to each comment. Address negative comments or reviews quickly and bring those conversations offline. Social media is designed to be SOCIAL, so don’t just use your page as a bullhorn to blast out messages.
Be willing to pay for advertising. The customization Facebook offers is gold to a marketer. Start out with just “boosting” a post for a few dollars to a specific audience (Facebook will walk you through this). Experiment with the ads manager. Don’t sink a lot of money into any one thing right away. The beauty of advertising with Facebook is that you can spend just $20 a month and still get great results.
Check your analytics. The “insights” section, located at the top left of your page, will let you know what’s working and what’s not, who your posts are reaching, and lots more. Use this data to make adjustments to your posts and ads.
Give back. Share information your audience will appreciate: words of advice, helpful tips, your mistakes and how you learned from them, community events, and happy stories of your happy customers. Support other businesses by letting people know when you received outstanding service from them. We’re all in this together!
And if this seems really overwhelming to you, let’s talk. I can stop by for a free business assessment and set up a training for you or a team member to make Facebook work for you.