November 24, 2010
OPEN Forum Message
Social Media for Business 2012
Learn which social media tools are best for your business, whether or not you should buy Facebook fans and much more.
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One question we’ve heard often from small business owners is, “How can I get more from my Facebook Page?” What we tell people is that it’s not just about creating a Facebook Page, which is the free public profile that enables you to share your products and services with your customers on an ongoing basis, but also maintaining it. Those who do a good job of maintaining their Page are able to better connect with their current customers and develop relationships with future ones. With millions of people sharing on Facebook every day and learning about new things from their friends, a Facebook Page can make your business part of their conversation. I recently chatted with Morin Oluwole, our resident Pages Associate, about Facebook’s Top Five Tips for maintaining a successful Facebook Page for small businesses.
Here’s what Morin recommends:
1. Promote your Page to your current customers
Morin says, “The first step you want to take after you have created your Page is to increase the number of connections to your Page by promoting your presence on Facebook to your current customers.” Once they connect to your page, they’ll tell their friends, generating “word-of-mouth” marketing for your company and allowing you to develop relationships with potential new customers.
There are a couple free ways to encourage users to connect to your Page using Facebook tools. One way is to create a Page badge, which allows you to promote your Facebook Page on your website. Your customers can directly click on the badge, taking them to your Page.
For businesses with web expertise, we recommend implementing the Like Box on your website. This deeper integration allows you to gain more connections by giving customers the ability to like your Facebook Page from your website.
Another great way to drive more connections to your Page is to include a link in your newsletters and emails encouraging your subscribers to connect with you on Facebook.
If you are willing to invest in getting more connections, you can also promote your Page on Facebook with Facebook Ads. To learn more about Facebook Ads, click here.
2. Publish relevant information
Morin says, “It’s important to build a connection with your customers that they can relate to and easily apply to their daily lives.” Be personal and write in your true voice, and not as a business. Talk about things that are important to you and your customers.
Make sure to provide interesting, fun and relevant updates. For example, if you own a kitchen supply store, consider posting recipes or tips that would be of interest to your customers. Or if you’re a real estate agent, you could post news about home prices in your area or information about local schools or community events.
Many people ask “how many times a week should I publish on my Page?” Morin says, “It depends on the business. For a restaurant, it could make sense for them to publish every day if they want to share a happy hour special or their soup of the day. For a retail business, it probably makes sense to post two to four times a week depending on when you have new updates to share, for example, a new shipment of clothing.”
3. Talk to your customers
Encourage people to write on your Page – and if you have time, respond to their comments. Morin says, “If one of your customers posts that they love your product, thank them and let them know if you have any similar products launching soon.” If you have a negative post, take time to address it and use it as an opportunity to show that your business is approachable and has a real person behind it.
Calls-to-action are very important to drive more word-of-mouth marketing. If you manage a restaurant and are serving a special menu this weekend, create a post about it on your Page and ask people to tell their friends and share the post.
Also, you can use your Facebook Page to ask your customers for feedback on new products or services you are thinking about rolling out.
Remember to review your Page Insights, which provide aggregated, anonymized statistics about the people who are connected to your Page, including demographic data and how often people are interacting with your Page. This will also help you tailor the content on your Page to those connected to it.
4. Use photos and videos
Using tools like photos is a great way to make your page more interactive and drives customer loyalty. “Photos and videos are the No. 1 tools used on Pages as they bring your business and products to life,” says Morin. Think about how you can use them in a fun and innovative way. For example, if you own a store and you have a new line of clothing, post photos and invite people to come in. If you manage a restaurant, ask your connections to upload photos of their favorite meal next time they are in the restaurant.
5. Update your Page anytime, anywhere
Morin says, “Many people don’t realize that it’s very easy to update your Facebook Page when you are on the road.” Facebook has a custom email that Page Administrators can use to post photos or videos directly to their Page from their mobile device. To learn more about using your mobile to update your Page, click here .
If you haven’t created a Facebook Page, click here to visit the Pages Help Center. If you would like to hear more about Pages best practices and updates, connect with Morin’s Page at www.facebook.com/FacebookPages.
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MERLE OBRIEN 10 months ago
good tips, thanks for sharing, I actually am looking at bringing on a social media intern to help me get more from my facebook and twitter and blogs, since I am so busy with my business, family and life. Social media can be a full time job!
If anyone wants to intern and get some cool eco bags, let me know!! or if you have ideas where to find an intern, I have posted to craigslist and to a school near me.
thank you-merle