Whether you’re starting a small business or beginning to build your social media presence, one of the easiest platforms to use is Facebook. In some ways, this platform led the charge for small business advertising by allowing users to create a profile and compete with national brands. However, it can be taxing to learn how to use any new program, so some business owners see the opportunity as a hassle. We’ve come prepared with several super simple ways to get the most out of Facebook, so read on for a quick tutorial.
Likes vs. Followers vs. Friends
It’s not enough to just have a personal profile on Facebook. When it comes to running a small business’s account, impressions matter — and you’re in no position to reject friend requests. Instead, you’re going to need to learn how to build and gain daily impressions and keep track of how your content fares. If you’re running the account without any analytics programs, this will be a little more difficult, but just make sure to keep notes on your daily progress.
While you may have a sense of what content is true to you and your brand, you have to be willing to learn what kind of content resonates with your users. Push yourself to examine what your competitors are posting, and read about different ways to encourage new impressions online. Try to test out at least one new idea every week and see how it does. Sometimes, we can’t predict how content will perform. It may create a ton of buzz simply because it aligned with a recent — or upcoming — trend or was discovered and shared by someone with a large following. In either case, it’s important to remember that you’re using the platform to grow your brand — and that means trying new things.
Connect With Your Customers
Because Facebook allows businesses and individuals to peruse the website at the same speed, it can be a great way for large brands to connect with their customers. Keep track of your messages and try your best to reply directly to customers when they have a question. This will not only make them feel heard but also affect your “reply rate,” which is visible from your profile. If you have a “usually replies within an hour,” button customers will be much more likely to reach out and interact with your brand. This can help you rank higher and reach new customers in the future.
Update Your Customers
When the holidays roll around, or it comes time to make some menu changes, you’ll be glad you created a Facebook profile. With one “status update,” you can warn customers about any changes to your hours or let them know about any products or services you’re shifting away from. Warning them in advance will not only save you a headache down the line but also prove that your business is active on social media and make them more inclined to check your status updates.
Learn About Your Customers
If you’re using Facebook without any attachments — good luck. Of course, the platform is an awesome way to connect with your VIPS and offer information about your brand, but if you’re looking to grow your reach, then you have to level up.
Some of these tools will measure your posts’ performance in terms of how many people viewed them, clicked on them, or saved them — which are metrics that would normally remain invisible (unlike likes or shares). Then, some tools will help you “optimize” your posts, so they are more likely to reach users you haven’t already connected with or rank higher amidst the content your fanbase is already consuming. Then, of course, there are boosters that will help you straight up run ads on Facebook and help you target new customers. One of the most common examples of these types of programs is Facebook Pixel. This connects businesses with new users by finding customers who share or match your current customers’ information.
If these tools sound intimidating, don’t worry. They range in accessibility, but the majority are designed to be very user-friendly, and you can always look into Facebook’s own guide into advertising directly on the site.
Run Specials and Promotions
Another fun thing about Facebook is that it allows you to get your message out fast, so it’s ideal for running a “flash sale” or special 24-hour promotion. For example, say you take to your page and upload a post that says, “show this coupon to receive 25% off your next purchase.” The graphic serves as a quick, easy coupon and will go out to your most loyal customers. Running these kinds of ads to reward your followers is a great way to keep them engaged with your content and make sure they keep track of what you’re posting. No one wants to miss out on a sale, so they’re sure to return to check on your page more often!
The one thing to be wary of with advertising on Facebook is that you can’t always ensure where your ads are going to land. For national chains, this is less of a concern, but it can be frustrating for small businesses to learn that your coupons are going out to fans three states away. Instead, consider combining your social media with a local campaign through grocery store advertising.
Grocery stores often draw the majority of their customers in from a three-mile radius of the store, so you know that any campaign you run will hit on a valuable consumer base. Through programs like coupon-receipt advertising, your supermarket advertisement could go home in the pocket of every single customer — which is part of why grocery store advertising continues to be a huge platform for small businesses. Look into how much you could be saving on print and ink costs today, and learn more about coupon-receipt advertising here.
By IndoorMedia Marketing
