Article provided by 1-grid
What do buyers do when they are happy with a product or service? These days, they talk about it on social media. How do they find what others have to say about a specific business? They look for reviews on Facebook. And what do people do when they are interested in buying something? Well, you’ve guessed it, they search for the business’ social media pages.
Social media has become a great platform to reach your target market as a small business. Specifically, Facebook has become the most valuable and profitable marketing channel. With a solid Facebook marketing strategy, you can raise awareness of your business, product or service, and grow your audience exponentially.
With Facebook, the options are endless: From simple boosted posts to increase brand awareness, to comprehensive multi-step ad funnels for leads. Let’s look at a few benefits of utilising Facebook for your business:
Benefits of having a Facebook page
Facebook is a great way for small business owners to connect with potential customers. Used correctly, it can make your sales boom.
Growth
Statista predicts that by 2020, the global number of Facebook users will reach 1.69-billion. As a business, you can no longer afford to not make use of it to promote and grow your brand. With a business page, you can quickly grow your audience by targeting people who are specifically interested in what you have to offer.
Great exposure at minimum cost
With Facebook’s Ads, you can promote a small business to a large audience without having to spend an arm and a leg.
Chatbots
Using Facebook, you can reach your audience quickly. The platform offers a direct messaging service where interested buyers can ask questions about your business. If you struggle to find the time to reply quickly to messages, Facebook offers a chatbot solution. This way, you can set up custom messages tailored to specific questions or queries.
Quick Feedback
With a Facebook business page, you do not have to wait for customers to email you. You can instantly answer questions and take orders from your Facebook page.
How to use Facebook to your advantage as a small business
Getting started with social media can feel overwhelming for small businesses, but it shouldn’t be. Try these steps as a guide to promoting your small business on Facebook.
Create a business page
The first step to creating a professional Facebook presence is to create a separate page for your business. There are many options on Facebook to customise your page. Prioritise adding as much information about your business as possible, including contact information, physical business address, business hours, information about your products or services, etc. You should also add a high-quality profile and cover photo that reflects exactly what your small business is all about.
As soon as your page is up and running, work on a strategic plan to get the most out of your page. This can include:
- Objectives and goals
- Budget
- Notes on competitors
- A social media calendar
- Inspirational accounts
Post interesting content
Once you have your page up and running, it is important to post regularly. Your audience wants to learn more about what you have to offer. Posts can include interesting facts about your products or services, advice, positive customer reviews, as well as specials and promotions you may be running. If you don’t have the time to do it yourself, invest in a company that offers a Facebook management service.
Engage with your audience
When someone leaves a comment on any of your posts or page, make sure you engage with them. Acknowledge any feedback you receive from your audience and answer questions as best you can. This creates trust and credibility for your brand.
Promote your page
With just a small budget, you can boost your page to potential customers quickly. Luckily, Facebook makes it incredibly easy to promote your page on the platform. However, it is also a good idea to advertise your page on other social media platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, and to add a link back to your page on your website.
Use Facebook ads
Once you are ready, you can start experimenting with Facebook’s advertisement service. Facebook Ads helps you to reach an audience that goes beyond organic users. Not sure how this works? Ask us how!
Track your success
Facebook offers a comprehensive, easy-to-use analytics tool to help you to understand which ads drive interest and sales, and how you are growing on the platform.
Facebook is a powerful platform and no matter how small your business is, it can help you to boost your success. If you still don’t have a social media presence, stop delaying and start today – you’ll see the impact immediately.
Need help with taking your small business to Facebook? Talk to our team about your requirements.