Marketing your small business doesn’t have to cost a fortune. The internet is full of tools you can use to get your brand out there, open up new markets, and ultimately, create leads.
In 2019 there’s no better way to do that than with Facebook! Marketing your business on Facebook is an easy way to engage with your current clients, find new clients, manage your reputation, boost your search ranking, build a brand-image, and launch advertising campaigns direct to the people who want your services.
And although Facebook can feel overwhelming at times, it’s pretty straightforward once you know how to use it. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make the most of your Facebook business page and create new leads!
1. Create a Facebook Business Page with Accurate Information
If you want to use Facebook to market your business, you’re going to need a Facebook business page. Different from your personal Facebook profile, business pages are specially designed for brands, organizations, and businesses.
Make sure that all the information on your Facebook business page is up-to-date and correct. It might seem obvious but it’s worth mentioning. Far too many small business owners fail to do this and, as managers of hundreds of social media accounts across the US and Canada, we see this all the time! Incorrect information can confuse Facebook (and Google!) users and no one will be able to find you.
Think about your Facebook page like a business listing on YellowPages, Yelp, or Google My Business. All these directories help people find your business online and on-the-go. Each one should contain the same:
- • Business name
- • Phone number
- • Address
- • Website Address
By keeping this basic information consistent across all your listings, you give your business a strong presence in local searches. This is the basis of local SEO—LinkNow Media’s specialty! So, when someone searches for you in Google Maps, you’re likely to show up as a result. Wrong addresses, phone numbers, business names, etc. can confuse search engines and make your business more difficult to find.
The other reason is simple: when Facebook users stumble onto your page through a Google search or a Facebook search, your page should accurately reflect your business. They should be able to use your information to get in touch and convert.
Otherwise, what’s the point?
2. Add a Profile Picture and a Header that Capture Your Business
Facebook’s minimalist layout means that the header and profile pictures will shape all your first impressions. Make them count!
Choose a logo that fits in the space without being cut off. Or choose an image that reflects your business and will be accentuated by the circle frame. You may have to try resizing your images to get them to fit nicely into Facebook’s restrictions. Two things to remember:
- Avoid written text that gets cut off or obscured by the frame—especially if it’s your business name or contact info!
- Make sure that your logo is not cut off by the frame.
Your profile picture needs to be relevant to your business. If you’re the sole owner and you’d like to be the face of your business page, use a picture of yourself—just be sure it’s flattering!
Next, consider your header. The frame is wide and narrow. Select an image that suits the shape and is directly related to your business.
You’re trying to describe your business in two pictures. Keep it simple and relevant. Convey your message in a straightforward way.
First impressions count toward leads and conversions.
3. Add Your Mission Statement and Describe the Story of Your Business
The Mission statement and Our Story sections should give Facebook users a brief overview of what your business is all about. Like the header and profile picture, these are all about first impressions. Make sure there are no typos or grammatical mistakes!
Your mission statement should tell Facebook users what you do in as few words as possible. Keep it short and specific. Don’t add any extra information.
In the Our Story section, tell users how you got started and what your goals are. Tell them what you specialize in and what sets you apart from the competition. The rule is that most users don’t want to read a lot of text. Keep it short and to the point.
Finally, add a picture to the top of Our Story to make it eye catching!
4. Promote Your Facebook Page and Get People Interested in Your Brand
The moment your Facebook page goes live, you need to invite all your friends and current customers to Like your page. After all, what good is a Facebook page if no one knows it exists!
Facebook is designed to connect people. And they’ve made it very easy for businesses to connect with followers. Don’t be embarrassed to send invitations to people in your social network. Most people are happy to give you a like.
What you’re doing is building an audience. Over time, that audience is going to be an automated lead-generating-machine.
Let’s say you invite old friends from high school that you haven’t spoken to in years. All they have to do is look at your page. The next time either they or someone they know needs the service you provide, you’ll be the first on their list. Facebook makes it so easy to create new connections that you’d be crazy not to take advantage of it!
5. Create Posts that Engage with Your Followers to Get Leads
Once you have your Facebook page set up, it’s time to start using it. Your goal is to create a following. Every follower is a lead.
Unlike your personal Facebook profile where you become ‘Friends’ with other users, anyone who clicks the ‘Like’ button on your business page will start to follow you. That means they’ll see your updates and posts in their newsfeed. And if you create posts that people read and share in their own networks, you can see your following grow exponentially!
Keep your posts short. No one’s on Facebook to read. They’re on Facebook to scroll. And people scroll fast. A recent study showed that posts with 80 characters or less receive 88% more engagement. We know that that’s really short. It’s hard to say anything with so few characters. Use pictures, videos, and links to other sites that can stir up controversy and conversation around an idea. Not every post has to be an advertisement for your business! Get people talking and they’ll remember you.
Your goal is to write punchy, catchy, headline-like posts that encourage users to engage with your business. Use a picture that’s attention grabbing so that they stop scrolling and read your post. Don’t forget to reply or like comments that your followers leave.
And remember to experiment! Every market is a little different. Try out some different ideas and scrap the ones that don’t work.
6. Frequent Facebook Posts Create Trust by Showing that You Are Not a Robot
It’s important to maintain a continuous level of engagement with your clients. Try to post a few times a week. Frequent posts will create a natural and continuous communication channel between you and your clients.
The kind of direct communication that Facebook posts make possible, was unheard of before the time of social media. Facebook allows followers to engage with you at their own convenience and without any pressure. You can present yourself as an honest, real, authentic company that genuinely cares about its clients.
And by showing that there are real people behind the Facebook page, you’ll subvert the feeling that everything online is automated and artificial. Stand out from the competition by showing people that you’re a real human! A real human, doing real work—a real human that cares.
7. Master the Facebook Algorithm by Creating Conversations
We’ve known for a long time that the Facebook newsfeed selects posts it thinks are relevant to specific users. Sometimes it’s successful and sometimes it’s not. But it’s important to know how Facebook’s algorithm works so that you can work with it.
Facebook makes connections between users a priority. Each type you engage with a post, it’s considered a signal. It will change the way that post appears in other users' newsfeed. Facebook uses four main signals:
- Comments: Whenever people leave comments on a post, it shows that that post has the potential to start a conversation. By creating posts that people comment on, you’ll have no problem showing up in the newsfeeds of your followers.
- Reactions: Although it is weighted a little less than a comment, post ‘Likes’ tell Facebook that people are interested in your post. This is one reason there’s no dislike button. It’s not necessary. All Facebook (and its users) need to know is whether others are interested in it.
- Sharing: When someone shares your post in a message to a friend or even on their own wall, it’s a huge vote of confidence—not just for that post but for your company! Get the people in your social network sharing and start ranking.
- Engagement: Sharing is a good sign that you have something to say. But it’s even better when people re-share an already shared post. That’s true engagement and it’s the beginning of going viral!
The more your posts create connection and expand the interactions between Facebook users, the more your posts will be seen by Facebook users. Know that engagement is the ultimate goal of Facebook, makes it easy to make the most of Facebook without spending a dime!
8. Encourage Your Clients to Leave Facebook Reviews
Facebook reviews are a great way to make people trust your company. Not only do positive Facebook reviews show that you have a great product, they also give your clients the ability to communicate with potential clients.
Unlike Google, Facebook reviews are designed to start conversations. People that are merely interested can ask questions and get the answers they want from your previous clients. It’s a convenient way to build trust organically.
Remember to always respond to Facebook reviews. Because Facebook is all about connections and engagement, it’s important to show potential and current clients that you care what they have to say. Even negative reviews deserve a comment—leaving the right comment behind is a great way to turn a negative into a positive.
The ratings that people leave on your page get tallied into a total rating for your business. This rating shows up on your Facebook business page and, more importantly, on the search engine results page. When someone searches your company name in Google, your Facebook business page is likely to show up as one of the first results. Google users will see your rating, compare it to your Google, Yelp and other ratings. If your ratings are good, you’re sure to get clicks and leads!
9. Use Facebook Ads to Boost Your Posts and Increase Your Visibility
Although this article has been focused on all the ways Facebook offers small businesses free marketing tools, it’s important to make use of the platform as a whole. If you don’t have a big following, Facebook Ads can be a great way to increase your post visibility and get new, unexpected leads.
Facebook allows you to target users living in specific geographical locations. This makes it a great local marketing tool. As you might expect, Facebook’s newsfeed algorithm does prioritize paid ads. With a small investment, you’ll get your posts seen by the people most likely to be interested in your products.
Conclusion: Use Social Media to Promote Your Small Business
At the end of the day, our goal is to help small businesses get leads. We want our clients to be successful. And in a world that’s practically designed by social media, it’s important to make use of the tools it offers. Everybody’s using it. You should too. Don’t get left behind!
If you need help promoting your small business to your target markets, we can help. LinkNow Media’s local marketing and content marketing teams will ensure that your Facebook page is optimized for search and conversion. We’ll get you the leads you’ve been looking for. As our ratings on Facebook make clear, our clients are very happy with LinkNow Media’s digital marketing services.
Join the LinkNow family and get the leads you need!
Obviously Aubrey is very knowledgeable about Facebook business marketing. It’s just unfortunate that the subject is so excruciatingly tedious.