Real talk: As a small business owner, you can’t afford to sleep on Facebook. So here are 5 ways to use Facebook to promote your business.
Even as new platforms hit the scene, Facebook continues to reign supreme as the king of social media, with 1.84 billion people using the app every single day.
(Yes, you read that right. 1.84 BILLION.)
That statistic alone reflects the massive audience you can reach on Facebook. But how that audience uses the platform is even more significant to small businesses.
While many people think of Facebook as the place to simply share pictures, connect with family and friends, and peek in on the lives of acquaintances we haven’t seen in 20 years (come on, you know you do it!), more and more people are using the platform to research products and services, especially locally.
In fact, two-thirds of Facebook users report visiting a local business Facebook page at least once a week. And 78% of American consumers have discovered a retail product via Facebook.
So, what does this all mean?
As one of the most visited websites in the world, Facebook is a crucial tool for business owners who want to engage their customers and attract new ones.
But with so many ways to promote your business on Facebook, it can be difficult to know where to start. Here, we’ll share five easy steps to make Facebook work for you and your business.
Create a Facebook business page.
- For a solid and professional Facebook presence, you need to have a business page.
- A business page is similar to a regular profile page but includes specifics about what you offer, contact information, and posts that let people know more about your brand.
- To start a Facebook business page, you must have a personal page first. From there, just select the type of page you wish to create and fill in the details. Your business page should be as complete as possible, so you look professional when users land on your page. Add your logo, a cover photo, and some background on what makes your business unique, the products and services you offer, and any other information relevant to a potential customer.
Post quality content consistently.
- Consistent posting provides fresh content for your audience and anyone landing on your page. If you don’t maintain an active presence, potential customers will likely forget about your business and choose another option when searching for local products and services.
- My suggestion: Post 3–5 times per week to feature services, photos, tips, announcements, and videos. You should also post to Stories at least three times per day. (More on this below!)
- While it’s important to post regularly, you’ll also want to post quality, relevant content. Take the time to understand your audience, so you can align your social posts to what problems they’re trying to solve, what they like, and what they’re interested in.
- If you’re unsure what your customers want to see, experiment. Use the poll feature and check out your insights regularly to see how many people engage with each post and how many people it reaches.
Use all Facebook post features.
- Facebook is always rolling out new features, so make the most of them!
- Facebook Live allows you to go “on-air” live to engage with your audience in real-time. Your followers will receive a notification that you’re going live and can tune in to watch, and then the recording is made available for playback so anyone can watch at a later time.
- Facebook Video is a great way to get video content in front of your audience. (With 85% of businesses utilizing video as a marketing tool, you don’t want to miss out on this opportunity!)
- Facebook Stories allows you to create content that will appear on your feed for just 24 hours. This is a great tool for boosting organic reach and sharing fun content like photos, videos, boomerangs, text, music, and shared posts. Stories are meant to be spontaneous, so feel free to post as many times as you want.
Engage your audience.
- Not only does the Facebook algorithm favor posts that create engagement, but engaging your audience is always good for business.
- Before posting, ask yourself if it will create conversation and interaction. Get to know your customers by posting polls, asking questions, and responding to comments and reviews. This signals to Facebook and your followers that your business is active, engaged, and customer-focused.
Make the most of Facebook groups.
- Facebook has always been about community and nowhere is that more apparent than in Facebook groups.
- Search around on the platform and join groups that are immediately related to your business, adjacent to your business, or meant to organize people around a cause relevant to your business.
- You can also create new groups to build communities around your brand. Use these groups to share industry information, create networking opportunities, or simply get to know other like-minded people and small business owners.
Bottom line: Facebook is an invaluable tool for business owners and one that’s easy to integrate into your marketing strategy with just a little planning.
Take the time to optimize your Facebook presence, craft thoughtful posts geared toward your target audience, and engage frequently and authentically — little steps that can make a huge impact on your success.
And, as always, if you need help creating a social media strategy customized to your business, the Brand Social Marketing team is here to help.
Check out our services, follow us on social media, and reach out at any time for more information about how we can work together to tackle your business goals.
