How Small Businesses Can Utilize Facebook for Marketing
Let’s face it. As a small business, you probably don’t want to spend hours each day managing different social media accounts. Although you’ve heard social media can help your small business flourish online, you simply don’t have the time, talent, or money to keep up with social media.
The reality is, if your business isn’t active on social media, then your business doesn’t really exist. Without a Facebook page, it’ll make it much more difficult for your target customers to find your business online. This is why small businesses need to utilize Facebook as a part of their marketing strategy.
A strong Facebook page can also help you attract more customers to your business and spread the word about your product. If you’re new to Facebook and you’re thinking about creating a Facebook marketing strategy for your business, here are five ways small businesses can utilize Facebook for marketing:
1. Post quality content regularly.
The type of content you post influences your business’ success on Facebook. This is why it’s important to create quality content that will engage your Facebook fans in conversations. Don’t simply post on Facebook to blast your customers with information about your sales and products; share information that will add value to their lives.
When creating content, it’s important to post a mix of educational, promotional, and entertaining content. For example, you could post a tutorial video about your product, a status update promoting a new product or sale, or share an industry-related blog post. These are different ways to get people talking about your business on social media.
2. Host Facebook giveaways.
Facebook giveaways are a great tool for advertising your business to a new audience. Especially if you’re hoping to spread the word about your business, Facebook giveaways are a great way to attract more people.
Facebook giveaways are very useful for small businesses because they help start a conversation about your business. This will help you drive more traffic to your website and build awareness of your brand online.
3. Respond quickly to followers.
When people use social media to interact with brands online, they expect a quick response. In fact, 42 percent of consumers expect to hear a response within 60 minutes of interacting with a brand.
Although you might not have the time to dedicate to managing a Facebook page, it’s essential you spend at least five to 10 minutes a day checking your page for questions or comments from followers. If you have a post scheduled for the day, it’s especially important to check periodically to make sure you’re engaging with your target audience.
4. Use location check-in.
It’s specifically important for small businesses to active location check-in services. This step is crucial because it will encourage people to check into your business upon visiting. For example, encourage people to check into your business and in return, provide them with a coupon or discount for their next visit.
5. Invest in paid Facebook ads.
If you have room in your marketing budget, paid Facebook advertisements can greatly benefit your business. Research shows 77% of brands that have used Facebook to market their business have acquired customers. Facebook advertisements enable brands to select their target audience and create content to reach their desired customer.
Paid Facebook ads are especially useful if you want to advertise a new product launch or a special promotion for your business. Facebook advertisements will help you reach your desired demographic and direct more traffic to your business.
As you can tell, Facebook is a powerful tool for building brand awareness and attracting customers to your business. By following these Facebook marketing tips for small businesses, you’ll experience more sales and engagement from your customers.