Many small businesses achieve social media irrelevance by simply ignoring the opportunity to connect with existing or potential customers. But...there is a better way.
Yes it’s easy to get fed up with the slew of Facebook changes, especially the over-emphasis on timelines and advertisements. Hang in there. There’s still plenty to ‘like’ about staying active and using this channel to promote your brand.
Always Remember and Never Forget:
Your FB business page is meant to gain fans and engage with them. Start with a call-to-action--a simple graphic or image inviting people to “Like” your page. Then use the available Apps. From simply customizing your page to potentially running your entire online marketing strategy, find ones that will work for you.
Equally important is that being active makes your page a destination, not just a pit stop along the way to somewhere else. Stay committed to your fans by always providing incentives for them to remain supportive and reward them with: fan-only content, insider access to breaking news and secret contests or deals. They will, in turn, reward you with their loyalty and grass roots promotion within their circles of influence.Listen, in order to stay relevant on Facebook, you have to be in there using the site and continuously updating your page. Applying the good ol’ ‘set it and forget it’ method = Bad. Frequency and consistency are key. The more you do in there, the more your company will appear in your fan’s news feed = Good. This keeps you top-of-mind with them while simultaneously seeping into their friend’s feeds every time your followers interact with you.
Not every business that jumps into the Facebook fray is going to be coming in with a rock-solid brand and high-octane website. And that’s perfectly ok. Regardless of your resources, small businesses’ can certainly drive plenty o’ traffic and generate mucho leads with a business presence on Facebook.
The Must-Dos:
Know who you’re targeting. One reason why business pages slide into oblivion is because they’re not aimed at the right visitors or potential customers. Some people are just not the FB-type. Are yours? Be realistic about your product/service/information offerings and manage your expectations accordingly. What about advertising you ask? Well, that could be useful to kick start a page, but like any successful blog or website, it’s shareable content and organic growth that forms the foundation for long-term engagement and success.
Upload your blog. You are blogging aren’t you? If not, do this before you do anything on Facebook. Merely having a FB business page or adding another keyword phrase to your website’s homepage isn’t going to change anything. Create remarkable blog content on a regular basis. Then sync that with your Facebook business page. Now you’re being productive.
Connect all your online platforms. Use your company’s website as the hub. Chances are many of your followers are not searching for your business page when they’re on Facebook. You’ll need to nudge them along from wherever they first encounter your brand. Make this step as simple as possible. Provide plenty of opportunities for visitors to share with their friends, with your company, or with each other.
Establish a publishing schedule. This really applies to all your internet marketing efforts. Once-a-month newsletters, weekly webinars, daily posts-- it doesn’t matter what your level of activity, as long as you’re clear on what your loyalists want and when they want it. Then be relentless about delivering it. However, the days of recycling the same content across all your online outlets are gone. Say or do what you need to do on your Facebook page, then move on. Don’t try to broadcast the same message everywhere all at once.
Become a resource. This is more of a branding exercise then one you can definitively measure. Whether it takes the form of a separate resource page or how you approach every interaction with fans, it can expand your company’s visibility and help you gain the reputation as a trusted source of information. All while building the love among your existing tribe.
Encourage user participation. What’s in it for your fans? Give visitors a reason to join your page and become more involved in your brand community. Contests, weekly deals, coupons, freebies/discounts-- all good examples, but there are many more. Be creative. And be mindful of who you’re targeting and what you want them to experience.
Be very clear about your social media goals. Put a timetable on them and stick to it. Go!
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