Do you work in digital marketing or brand management? Are you a small business owner trying to generate leads for your company? Are you a newbie to the social world and wonder if a Facebook page for your business is enough?
There are many reasons brand managers and business owners continue to use Facebook to promote their products and services. Today, a social media marketing strategy without Facebook just doesn't fly. That's because Facebook remains the leading social media platform with more than 1.5 billion active users.
Considering the latest statistics, Facebook is here to stay. But although a Facebook page is good for your business, it's not enough to get ahead and survive the tight competition. If one of your goals this year is to broaden your audience reach and increase revenues, read on some pro tips on how to effectively use and maximize Facebook as an advertising medium.
A business profile on Facebook won't mean anything without relevant content. Remember that when your existing customers and potential clients visit your Facebook page, they want to see more than just your logo, contact details, and website address. It's imperative to share news about your products or services regularly, and information pertinent to your industry or niche. Example case study is Walker Reid Strategies which promotes content about services they offer with the 179D Tax Deduction and the 45L Tax Credit.
A Facebook page creates exposure. Similarly, it communicates to your target audience that you are tech-savvy and can adapt to the changing times. But you'll also need to demonstrate your business' ability to connect with your target audience by sharing information they need to make a decision.
It's worth it in the long run to experiment with paid advertising on Facebook. Set a small budget and then play around to see how far your message can go. What is critical to a successful Facebook ad is in the targeting function. You can customize a message for a specific demographic of your customer base -- women in their 20s who also like art, for example.
You then boost the post with a little money and give it time to get in front of Facebook users. Include a link to your website in the ad so you can track click-throughs. You'll get a sense of how well your ad is doing by seeing how many referrals you get to your website, and from there you can continue to track the path of your user to see if he or she makes an actual purchase. Facebook for SMEs won't work without a little experimenting with targeted ads. Have fun with it, and you'll learn something about your audience and what they respond to in the process.
Facebook now is prioritizing live videos through a function called Facebook Live. When you turn on the "live" functionality, your video is streamed in real-time on your page and will get a higher ranking in the news feeds of your audience members -- giving you the chance to create energy and buzz around your brand.
Facebook Live can be a very useful strategy for small and medium businesses, not to mention that it's very simple to use. You can do a live Q&A with your company CEO or product developer, give a live tour of the workplace and show your happy employees, tease your latest product/service, or announce an upcoming event.
There are a ton of ways to connect and engage with your customers via Facebook live. Be creative!
At the end of the day, effective marketing is all about telling a great story. Stories stick with us and shape us. They remind us of our humanity and our common bonds. They convince us that we need this product or that -- and that effect is exactly what you want from every post you make on your Facebook brand page.
To get there, think about the success stories of your business and how you can weave them into posts in both explicit and subtle ways. For example, you might have a customer do a short testimonial via video that shows how your product is making a daily, real world difference in her life. Or, you might just use an inspiring quote and engaging photo to underscore the worth and value of your products and services.
In telling your stories via Facebook posts use different ways to communicate your messages, such as infographics, photos, and videos. Facebook likes multimedia especially videos that have the potential to go viral, so you should be thinking "video first" as much as you can as you put together a calendar for Facebook posts.
Remember that your users want to be engaged in some ways -- so make them laugh, smile, or even cry. When you make them feel something, you've essentially told them something they can hold onto and remember for days -- maybe months to come -- and hopefully, that emotion will motivate them to check out your brand.
You won't find your brand is getting traction unless Facebook is part of your marketing strategy in 2017. With the largest consumer audience and with the rise of mobile technology, it pays to get your messages in front of your target audience via Facebook.
But once again, a simple brand page isn't enough on Facebook for SMEs. It's critical to explore other strategies -- including Facebook targeted advertising, sharing relevant content, and actively engaging with your audience.
Post content that gets higher placement in user's feeds -- such as Facebook live videos and posts that tell stories. A layered marketing approach on Facebook will yield bigger returns for your brand.
Need more advice on how to get ahead on social? Contact the social experts of Bright Vessel today for low-cost, creative approaches to your brand's social media strategy on Facebook!
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