Using Facebook for Small Business Marketing
Facebook is a great tool to add to your small business marketing plan.
A big mistake that many entrepreneurs make when it comes to social networking sites like Facebook is the belief that these sites are only useful for big companies that have big brands. Actually, Facebook can be a great small business marketing tool for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Right now, Facebook is the most popular social networking site on the web. According to the official Facebook fact sheet, there are currently more than half a billion active Facebook users, 50% of whom log into Facebook on any given day. The average Facebook user is connected to 80 community pages, groups, and events, and he or she creates 90 pieces of content each month. There are more than 30 billion pieces of content such as web links, news, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc. shared on Facebook every month.
So as you can see, if you’re interested in adding social media to your small business marketing plan, Facebook is possibly the best place to start.
Facebook is a great place to build trust and authority on the internet. Adding a Facebook business page is also a great way to promote your business and connect with customers and prospects on a more personal and approachable level. Not to mention, your business page will give you more opportunities to appear in Facebook search results.
Although, of course, there is some work associated with creating and maintaining a good Facebook page, it is worth it in terms of marketing. Here are some tips for creating your small business Facebook page.
** Start a Facebook business page
The first thing you need to do is create a business page. This is relatively simple and all it involves is visiting the advertising section of Facebook, creating a page and posting information about your business. If you want something a little more elaborate, like a personalized landing page for new members, you may need to hire a consultant to help you. But if Jane’s simple version sounds good to you, you’ll be able to set up her own page in less than a day.
You can add small business marketing content to your Facebook business page, such as images, press releases, videos, blog posts, and any other relevant information. You’ll also need accurate contact and website information and a clear description of what your business does and for whom.
** Start interacting
Once your page is live and all of your information is accurate, the next thing to do is start interacting with your friends. Encourage your Facebook friends to “like” your Facebook business page (this used to be called “becoming a fan”) and share your page with their friends. You will need to post updates every day, which may include promotions, blog posts, and any other relevant company news.
The most important aspect of using Facebook for marketing is the ability to engage with your customers. If they leave comments on your Facebook business page, always reply. Visit your customers’ Facebook walls and leave comments there too. Create open, back-and-forth communication with your customers and prospects, and let your Facebook friends interact and experience your customer service too.
** Promote your Facebook page
The final step to having a successful Facebook page is letting people know you exist. You need to spend time promoting your Facebook Page to personal contacts and business partners. Be sure to add a widget to your website’s home page or blog. If you have a brick and mortar business, you can hang a banner asking customers to visit you on Facebook. Add a link to your Facebook page in your email newsletters, your yellow pages ad, your local newspaper ads, etc. You might even consider offering some sort of incentive, like a special discount or coupon, to customers who “like” you on Facebook.
Facebook is a tremendously valuable tool to add to your small business marketing arsenal. A Facebook Business Page allows you to create community interaction with your customers and prospects and create virally shareable content. If you’re looking for an inexpensive tactic to increase your name recognition, consider adding Facebook to your small business marketing plan.
