5 Steps to Facebook Marketing
Facebook is no doubt the most popular social media network out there. With around 2 billion monthly active users, it is no longer just a place to meet new friends and interact with existing ones. In fact, major brands and businesses are already taking advantage of the local Facebook Marketing Platform.
If you have a business and haven’t started using Facebook yet, now is the time to do so. Here’s how:
Create a Facebook page for your business
The most important thing to consider when marketing your business on Facebook is to create a business page to properly represent your brand. Facebook pages look closely similar to profiles except that they come with various unique tools exclusive only for brands and businesses. For example, people can Like your page to follow your updates in their newsfeed, something that’s not possible with personal profiles. Doing so will allow you to maximize the business potential that Facebook has to offer.
Upload an engaging cover photo
A Facebook page allows you to upload a cover photo at the top of your page. This allows you to capture your visitors’ attention, hence you need to make sure that it’s properly optimized and well-designed.
You also have to include a profile picture that represents your brand. In order to get recognized easily, you have to make sure that the picture is unique and interesting enough for your target audience.
Facebook Dominates the Social Media
Facebook
WHatsApp
Messenger
78%
WeChat
Instagram
Optimized Your Page for Likes and Comments
Your Facebook marketing efforts all begin with your Facebook page. Ideally, you want your page to be on the first page of Google and Facebook so people can easily find you when they search your brand name. Also, your page should be appealing enough for people to hit the Like button and start following you. Here are some of the best practices that can help you:
- Pick a memorable vanity URL – the vanity URL is basically your Facebook page username. By default, you will be given a random URL with a string of numbers. Your username should be descriptive of your services or the full name of your business so that your target audience and search engines can find it easily. Keep in mind, however, that you need to get at least 25 Likes before you can change your vanity URL.
- Make sure you choose the appropriate category – I’ve seen quite a number of business pages on Facebook that have improperly set their category. This can be quite a problem, especially if you want your brand to appear in the Facebook Graph Search. If you have a local business, you should make sure to set your page as Business type as doing so will allow people to “check-in”. Meanwhile, if you don’t need check-ins, you might want to go for Companies & Organizations instead.
- Include descriptive keywords in the About section – the About section on your Facebook page is where you’re going to describe your business, what it offers, and who is it for. By using descriptive keywords, your target customers can easily find you in search queries. Also, don’t forget to include your website’s URL to encourage your visitors to visit your site.
Use Facebook buttons to encourage sharing
Proper Facebook marketing doesn’t just focus on your Facebook page alone. You also have to make sure that it’s properly integrated into your website. One way you can do this is to include Facebook social sharing buttons and plugins in your blog or website.
By adding a Like and Share button in each piece of content you have on your site, you can encourage your visitors to share your brand to their network of friends. Also, you want to share your content on your Facebook page so that your followers can click on them and be redirected towards your website.
Choose which Content to Post
Facebook allows you to promote a wide variety of content types such as Facebook Stories, status updates, image, and Facebook Live. However, before you even decide to post a content on your Facebook page, you have to make sure that it’s something that could provide value to your customers.
Don’t be overly promotional as this could only lead to a backlash. In fact, a report by the Sprout Social Q3 2016 Index stated that 57.5% of social media users are annoyed by the endless promotions done to them by brands.
To prevent this from happening, you should focus on posting quality, entertaining, and valuable content to your audience. It’s okay to post some promotions every once in a while, but doing it too often can only end up hurting your brand.
Conclusion
Facebook marketing, just like any other social media marketing or digital marketing strategies, can be a really powerful tool if done right. By interacting with your customers and following the above mentioned tips, you can certainly provide your business with the right presence and exposure on Facebook.
