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With nearly 7 out of every 10 US adults on the site multiple times a day and 2.45 billion monthly users worldwide, Facebook is the most popular social media platform in the world. Facebook reported that over 140 million businesses use their apps every month. With that massive of an audience base, a host of updated features to drive engagement, and talk of rules and algorithm changes, Facebook can seem intimidating. We’ve compiled steps to get you started as well as a list of ‘do’s and don’ts’ to help you build your brand and ensure you reach the right people in the right way.
Creating and Managing Your Business Page
When setting up your business page there are a few things that will pop up from Facebook for you to fill in. Include all information like your business name, address, phone number, hours of operations, and a description of your page so that customers can recognize your business. We suggest using your business logo for your profile image. Don’t leave multiple sections blank or lack of information - this is your chance to show potential customers who you are.
Look through the various features with your page and brainstorm ways to use them. People prefer variety, and giving them a range of ways to experience your business keeps them interested and gives them a reason to return to your page in the future. Facebook is about building relationships with viewers, not pushing products and services. Constant sales pitches will turn people off quickly, especially when first establishing your page.
Brand Recognition
Branding your business on Facebook is a key element to the success of the page. If your Facebook page does not have the same look, feel, tone, and voice your website and other marketing, this inconsistency will confuse and frustrate consumers. Going through the process of developing a Target Persona will clarify your business’ voice. That tone should be carried out on your page. Facebook users love authenticity, information and humor, and they should be able to quickly understand what you are all about the first few moments they spend on your page. You only have a few seconds to grab attention and tell a potential customer the story of your brand, so take the time to make sure you are doing it right.
Proper Planning
Deciding to start promoting your business on Facebook is like owning a new puppy. Once you make the decision to get one, your work is just beginning. Ignoring the dog just because you don’t have time to train, feed, groom and give it love and attention is a recipe for disaster. Having a Facebook that isn’t kept up makes your business look bad. Designate someone in your company to be responsible for regular posting and updating of information, as well as answering questions and handling complaints. If you don’t feel confident that there is someone in your company that can do that, then outsource it. Responsiveness builds credibility, and credibility builds trust.
Social Media Calendar
Using a social media calendar will help with planning and keep your social media campaign on track. Social media calendars require thought and planning. The best ones are built around themed campaigns and are designed to stimulate interest and activity in certain areas at certain times. Calendars also ensure that everyone knows what’s being posted and when, as content is designed and scheduled 30 days or more in advance. It also makes sure posts are regular and consistent, supporting the voice of the brand.
Customer Service
When you create an opportunity for customers to engage with you, they will. Be ready to field questions, respond to comments and handle concerns in a timely manner. Failure to do so will also be noted by viewers. Here are a few tips on how you can monitor customer questions, comments, and reviews:
- Assign a social media manager to keep up with reviews 2-3 times throughout the week.
- Reply to any questions in a timely matter.
- Keep a professional rapport even for negative comments or reviews.
- Add a customer support tab to your page.
- Provide a Facebook customer service number to go beyond the chat feature.
If you are fearful of profanity or extremely negative comments, you can turn on filters that limit and screen comments. Facebook Messenger is a handy tool that more and more consumers are using to talk with businesses and brands. Make sure your social media manager is monitoring questions and conversations, and providing timely responses that follow your company’s protocol.
Advertising on Facebook
Facebook has an insights page that allows you to see who is most engaged with your posts and see how well your page is performing. You’ll be able to see what types of content perform best with your audience, adding another layer of strategy into your planning. Boosting a post is an inexpensive way to get your content to rank higher on the news feed of your customers and increases brand visibility. It also gives you different ways to target specific consumers. Wait at least 24 hours after your initial post, set a budget, start the paid promotion, and watch your post increase in engagement, likes, and shares.
Conclusion
Overall, Facebook is a great tool to connect with your followers and customers. You can tell more of your business’ story, celebrate successes, and even have fun with people...all for the goal of building a stronger relationship with consumers and fans. It’s an extremely flexible tool with lots of ways to engage people - and in 2020, a ‘must have’ for most social media strategies.
