Facebook is one of the world’s largest social networks. As of June 2017, Facebook had an incredible 2 billion monthly active users. And as Facebook continues to add and improve services, people are finding many more ways to use the social network.
For instance, people are buying and selling cars and real estate, inviting friends to local events, and creating special interest groups and pages all in one easy-to-access place: Facebook. Are they also finding your business on Facebook?
If not, it’s time to begin Facebook marketing. If you fail to make your presence known on this social network, you’ll undoubtedly miss precious marketing opportunities. Here’s how to begin Facebook marketing. As an inbound marketing company in Brooklyn, we are here to help you get started with facebook marketing. Check out our other social media guides where we explain how to begin twitter marketing and how to market on Google Plus.
Set Up Your Business Page
Facebook makes it easy for users to set up business pages. You’ll start by selecting a category for your business and then filling in important information such as your website, local address, and other basic information.
For best results, include professional images for your profile picture and background image. You can also include multimedia such as videos and photographs. These additions can go a long way toward making your products and services known and understood by those who visit your page. If you would like to keep your listings consistant, be sure to check out our local power listings and learn why they are important for your business.
Publish Your First Post
Use your first Facebook post to welcome fans and customers to your business page. Your first post will set the tone for your page and help people decide whether or not they want to follow you.
Create content for your post that is upbeat and professional, and share any important information you have to share. For instance, if you’re going to have a grand opening celebration, include information about how people can attend. If you don’t have anything special going on, announce your plans for your new Facebook page. What kinds of content do you plan to publish? What kinds of conversations are you hoping to start?
Invite Friends to “Like” Your Page
Why do you want people to like your page? Once people have officially “liked” a page, that page’s updates will automatically appear in their news feeds. In other words, you will have a free and simple way to funnel your content to people who are interested in your business.
Start by inviting your own friends to “like” your business Facebook page, and encourage them to invite friends in their own networks as well. You can also create promotions that encourage customers to like your Facebook page (example: “Like” our Facebook page and get 30% off your next burger meal). The more networks you tap into, the farther your can spread your marketing messages. Check out this infographic to check out what Facebook users generally like and why they like it.
Explore Available Facebook Apps
Facebook has developed a variety of apps that you can use to improve your business page. For example, you can create polls and surveys, coupons, and add more information to your Info tab. More and more apps are being created all the time, so check back regularly to see what new tools you can use to improve your visitors’ experiences.
Post Regularly
A business Facebook page doesn’t do you much good if you just create a page and then neglect it. Post helpful, engaging content on a regular basis, and then encourage interaction by joining in on conversations with visitors.
It can be helpful to set up a content calendar so you know ahead of time what you want to post and when you want to post it. You can also use social media content scheduling programs like Hootsuite to automatically post your content at the time you want it to be posted.
Buy Facebook Ads
Once your page is established, you can purchase Facebook ads to extend your reach to targeted customers. You can target customers who live in your area, who meet certain demographic criteria, or who have expressed interest in certain topics.
If your marketing budget is limited, allocate a certain amount of money each month to Facebook ads, and then “boost” your highest performing posts from time to time.
To learn more about Facebook marketing, or to talk about any other content marketing topic, reach out to us at Park Slope Softworks, your inbound marketing company in Brooklyn. Make sure you get a Free SEO Analysis today!
