Social Media is just that, social. So too is advertising. The conversations advertisers have with their consumer base are just as important as those conversations being had with connections on social media. These conversations inform how consumers see a brand’s identity, how much they trust that brand, and if they will continue to do so in the future. According to a recent survey, 75% of people now utilize social media before making a significant purchasing choice. This means that more than ever, companies should be leveraging social media to market their brands and to have these conversations with their customers.
With over 221.6 million users in the United States alone, Facebook is one of the best social media sites to utilize and offers both organic and paid marketing possibilities for your business. Advertisers may utilize Facebook advertising to achieve a range of marketing goals, such as increasing brand awareness and driving on-site transactions. There are both free and paid advertising choices and free does not always mean failure. At 7Social, we can help you make the most of Facebook.
Facebook Pages an Option that Won't Rock the Budget
Before you can start to leverage Facebook to begin marketing your brand you will need a Facebook page. Your page, once built, will connect your company to Facebook's more than 2 billion members. Facebook pages, in addition to connecting you with old and new clients, include a number of services to keep people interested. People who visit your company's page can learn about your company culture and values; those things that make you stand apart from other businesses. Facebook pages allow you to provide information about upcoming advances in your industry as well as important information about the discounts that your company can offer prospective customers. Facebook pages may also be used to arrange events, surveys, and connect with customers via Messenger.
How to Create a Facebook Page
1. To create your company page, go to facebook.com/pages/create. (Please keep in mind that while you must be signed in to your personal account in order to do so, you, however, will be able to conceal your personal information later on.)
2. You will be given the option to choose either a business/brand or a community/public person. Select business/brand.
3. Include information about your company (name, phone number, and location). Then, under Edit Profile, provide your further information, such as operating hours and a link to your website.
4. You may post your profile and cover photographs on Facebook. Your page profile photo will be 170x170 pixels on a computer, 128x128 pixels on a basic smartphone, and 36x36 pixels on a premium phone. For page covers, the image must be at least 400 pixels wide and 150 pixels tall. On PCs, your cover picture will be 820 pixels wide by 312 pixels high, and on smartphones, it will be 640 pixels wide by 360 pixels high.
5. Next, you will need a vanity URL. Vanity URLs may be up to 50 characters long and help people find you on Facebook. Click Create page @username to create your vanity URL.
6. Click Add a Button under your cover photo to add a call to action. "Contact Us" and "Get an estimate immediately" are two excellent buttons.
Tips for Running Your Facebook Page
Be Consistent
Choose one day or two during the week to write new posts. This way your audience will know when to anticipate fresh material from you. The more authentic information you offer, the more buzz your page produces and the more searchable it becomes. Write in a light, easy-to-read tone. Use hashtags to reach out to those who may be enthusiasts in your field, but don't go overboard. Spamming may be detected by programs such as Facebook and Instagram, and it reflects poorly on your business. Instead, limit yourself to one to five hashtags. You will organically acquire followers and develop an interest in your business without investing any money.
Be Social
Make a point of following and commenting on pages related to your brand. Follow other automotive brands and sites for automotive lovers, for example, if your company is in the automotive sector. Posts on these pages can be commented on and liked by your page. This will draw the attention of potential clients while also increasing the frequency with which your page appears in search results. You may also make video blogs and upload photos to add to your page. This is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of your industry and can assist you in developing a fan base.
Listen to Feedback
Be sure to listen to your followers as well. To truly leverage Facebook for marketing, employ social media monitoring tools to monitor what people are saying. You may check your company's mentions and follow hashtags to stay up to date on what's trending and what's going on with your consumers. Customers may leverage your page to leave feedback or reviews. Show that you are willing to listen to customer feedback and that you appreciate the customers who take the time to interact with your brand. This goes a long way in building brand loyalty and costs you nothing but time.
Have Fun
If you’ve never checked out the Facebook page for Arby’s, yes, the roast beef people, we definitely suggest doing so. Arby’s is king when it comes to making posts look fun and spontaneous, despite the hours of effort we know goes behind the scenes. There is something organic and engaging about the way they use nerd culture to make their followers laugh and share. You can’t help but want some curly fries after seeing your favorite Skullgirls character lust after them.
It all goes back to the idea of social media as a conversation. Too often brands get stuck having the same conversation over and over again. Those kinds of conversations are forgettable. You want your page to host the kind of conversations that get people talking more, not less. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Make a page people want to visit.
Final Thoughts
It is no secret that a Facebook Page can be a powerful tool to promote your business and connect with customers on a regular basis.
At 7Social we want to help you hone that tool, into a finely sharpened weapon you can use to grow your business. With packages starting at just 995 dollars per month we can help create and manage your page and turn followers into customers.
Let's get stated today!