Facebook is perhaps the most famous global phenomenon that continues to grow
exponentially since its launch. Originally designed for college students, we don’t need statistics to prove that Facebook has moved leaps and bounds beyond its original use. Over time, it is recognized as an extremely powerful networking medium for businesses.
What Is Facebook?
Facebook is a type of social networking service launched way back in February 2004, and is privately owned and operated by Facebook, Inc. Recent reports as of February 2012, Facebook has reached an astonishing 845 million active users. To use its services, users need to register and create profiles, exchange messages, post statuses, upload photos, chat with friends and so much more. From a simple social medium it has evolved into a widely popular professional networking site.
Why Use Facebook?
Great Exposure.
With millions of users, Facebook offers unrivalled potential for
exposure. When used strategically and consistently, Facebook can contribute to the significant increase in your company’s online presence and visibility. Post comments, provide insights, advice and tips to earn respect and credibility in your network, and ultimately gain leverage.
Improve Google Rank. With Facebook’s “Pages” application, you can create a professional profile for products, services and business. Within these pages, you are provided with the option to include links to your website and “like” buttons. This helps drive traffic towards your website and generate more interest.
Powerful Marketing Platform for Free. Facebook use, as you already know is absolutely free of charge. It allows you to reach out to hundreds, even thousands of people with a host of user-friendly applications and tools you can use to market products and services.
Targeted AD Space. For a reasonable free, you can also create ads and target them to reach specific gender, location and age group, as well as track its performance.
Provide Regular Updates. Facebook offers you a convenient way to update your network on new products, promotions, and general information about your company to stay fresh and relevant in the minds of your market.
Facilitate Online Discussions to Gain Valuable Inputs. Use newsgroups and networks as a venue to discuss, and respond to comments and inquiries. It can also be a great source of constructive feedback to help you enhance your products or services.
Stay Connected and Nurture Relationships. Provide useful information to your fans and network on a regular basis. This includes helpful how-to videos and other relevant content which your market may enjoy.
Enhance Customer Service. Consumers these days prefer real-time response to queries and concerns. The Facebook page for your business offers a convenient and accessible option for your market to reach you.
How to set up a Facebook page?
Setting Up Creating a Facebook Page (also known as Brand Page) can provide you a powerful tool to interact with your market on a different level that traditional media will not be able to provide. By helping your customers gain a close connection with your corporate brand, you can turn them into loyal patrons and unpaid brand ambassadors.
To get started with a Facebook page, follow the simple steps:
- If you don’t have an existing account, sign up for one. If you already have one, log in and click “Pages” button located on the left-hand side of the screen.
- Select what type of Facebook page you want to create, such as Brand, Company,Institution and Organization.
- Fill in all the specific information.
- Agree to the detailed Facebook Pages Terms.
- Enter all the relevant information required. Once you have indicated the specific category of your business, you can start customizing your page. Facebook walks you through the entire customization process by providing you a list of pending things you should complete to get started.
Upload a company image or logo, which you can also include website, tagline, and Twitter page, along with other social media pages you maintain.
Save your settings.
Configuring and Optimizing Facebook Pages
Add content. Include key information such as website links, location, business hours,and photos/products/menus so people will have a general idea what your business is all about. Focus on providing brief but engaging information under
Info tab. Think SEO and use keywords since each tab can be indexed by search engines.
Power Tip: If you will key in your website URL starting with http:// in the info box right under the profile picture, Facebook will automatically turn it into a clickable link.This will allow you to conveniently refer visitors to your website, twitter account or company blog.
Claim your place. Connect your Facebook Page to your physical store location people can find you as well as check in.
Invite your customers. Invite current customers to like your page. You can send out newsletters, advertise in your website, post links, or promote in-store through flyers,etc.
Power Tip: The efficient way to set up your Facebook Page and add existing clients is to create a separate Gmail account for your Facebook account. Import the email addresses of your clients there. When you create your Facebook Page, the system will automatically find your clients from your address book and suggest them as your friends.
Add the “LIKE” button in your website. To effectively promote your Facebook page,add the like button in your website and blogs so people can engage with your Page as well as share it with their own network.
Engage Your Customers
- Interact and join conversations. Maximize visibility and presence by posting regular updates on your wall about your business. You can also provide exclusive offers that will generate interest and comments and drive active engagement.
- Build deeper relationships. Use this opportunity to get to know your loyal client base or “fans” and go out of your way to make them feel at home by responding to comments in a timely manner.
Consider Reading
Seven Proven ways to Build your Personal Brand
Gain valuable insights. Learn and study how your audience interact and make the necessary adjustments to increase and encouragement more engagement.
Promote Your Business
- Create Ads. Make use of Facebook Ads to promote your business and get the word out based on your targeted criteria like location, interest, age group, etc.
- Run Sponsored Stories. Set up Sponsored Stories, so you can encourage friends/fans to spread the good word about your business to their network. Remember, word of mouth marketing is twice as effective when it comes to driving results compared to traditional advertising.
Stand Out from the Crowd
- Get a vanity URL. Instead of the unappealing “”3267783386?ref=sg&ajaxpe=1&_a=7″ URL, customize it into something for professional, like http://facebook.com/mybusiness name.
- Customize landing page. To stand out, you need to have an attractive and striking landing page, which can significantly help visitors become fans of your page.
Power Tip: If you don’t have access to web design skills, you can purchase a Facebook template from templates stores.
More Tips on Promoting Your Facebook Page
Using your social media Manager:
Actively add people that can potentially become customers or those who related to your specific line of business.Use the Search function to discover relevant or related pages, events, people, groups and even messages. This can also be used to keep track of any brand mentions as well as provide timely feedback.
Communicate. It’s an interactive page, so make sure to answer back.
Power Tip: When you are composing a post or message, put an @ sign and type in your business page so you can mention it. You can even use this as a signature for your regular updates.
2. Cheat a little.
Ask employees and fellow staff members to post comments and “likes” on your status updates in order to boost rankings. Status updates that has 5 or more comments and “likes” can show up in the Top News section. This will also help make your Facebook wall more alive and inspire fans to participate in conversations and be more active.
3. Fill your Page with media content
- Encourage fans to post photos of how they use your products and/or services
- Upload photos of your products and/or services, including your team and office so fans can easily relate to you.
- Upload photos of events you hosted and tag your fans
- Post videos that features any of your team members talks
- Use video to respond and entertain your fans
- Show your products and/or services in action
4. Treat your fans.
It is important to reward your fans with special or exclusive offers every now and then. You can reward loyalty by offering discounts limited only to Facebook fans.
5. Keep your fans updated.
Direct messages are very powerful, but make sure not to abuse it. Before you send messages to your fans, think twice. Your updates should be valuable and a welcome news since your goal is to inform and engage and not irritate.
6. Ask your fans for help.
Seek help from your fans in building your community using “Suggest to Friends” and “Share” tools.
7. Build partnerships with other Facebook pages.
Each page on Facebook feature a function called “Add to my Page’s Favorites” button. Any “favourited” page will have their logo displayed in the “Favorite Pages” featured on your Facebook page.
8. Use applications.
There are some really useful apps on Facebook that you can readily use to promote your company or brand. You can conduct polls, quizzes, and games where people can play against each other and outrank. There are even apps for giveaways and sweepstakes – something most consumers love to participate in.
9. Spy!
Yes, you also need to keep an eye on your competitors, most especially those that are highly successful in their own campaigns. Check out what they are doing every now and then and study their strategies. If you choose to copy, make sure you offer the better version.
There is no longer a question on the power of social media in driving all types of businesses forward. No matter what type of industry you operate in, you will find that you can reap many benefits. With the full understanding of each social media and complete guidelines on how to use them to your advantage, it is now up to you on how you can maximize its benefits for your business.
Need a Facebook page that builds your brand beyond borders? Look up our plans and get started with one.