Well, is it? Sheer strength in numbers alone has many businesses looking at Facebook as their potential ticket to social media marketing stardom. You can’t blame them, really. I mean with more than a billion users connected, it would be downright silly to not at least consider how this popular social channel can help your efforts.
Facebook offers the opportunity to connect with a huge audience, but many brands are learning that it is one of the toughest social networks to master. Paid advertisements, blog updates, and even embedded videos will all fall on deaf ears without the right approach — no matter how intriguing the content is. It’s more proof that the biggest network doesn’t always produce the best results.
Garnering success with Facebook can be challenging, but it is possible. Many brands have already revealed the formula to making it happen.
Look Presentable
The visual aspect of Facebook is overlooked far too often. Because it is a third-party platform with very little leverage for physical modifications, several marketers don’t take the time to do the decorating that will enable them stand out. For example, have you taken advantage of your cover photo space yet? It may not appear to be a big deal, but the simple addition of this image will encourage more fans to take notice and start connecting. You should also make sure you are being represented properly by a profile photo that bleeds your brand identity.
Consistently Share Valuable Content
Content is king — even in the social web. Whatever your marketing strategy revolves around, content needs to be factored somewhere in the mix. People lust for content that is interesting, relevant, and most importantly, valuable. Sad to say, but the average person wants to know what’s in it for them. Why should they watch your video? Why should they read your blog post in full? What are they going to get out of buying your new product?
Not only must you answer these questions, you must answer them on a consistent basis. With so much competing for their attention, the average Facebook user won’t miss you should you stop posting. It may not be a bad idea to get on some type of schedule where your updates are prepared and planned to be posted on specific days. ‘
Be Engaging and Responsive
The cool thing about Facebook marketing is the high potential for engagement. Once you get a page up and running, it may be your fans who are actually doing the most of the posting. But that doesn’t free you of your responsibilities. There will come a time when your supporters want you to engage, and when it arises, you better respond promptly and be ready to interact. Content is one part of the plan. A well rounded engagement strategy is another that can help you build the thriving community environment Facebook offers.
Get Connected
Thanks to API technology, the Facebook experience lives both in and outside of the popular social platform. You can host it on your very own destinations by integrating the available social plugins. From the Like button and Recommendations Bar to the Comments box and Login button, these plugins give you the ability incorporate desirable elements from the social network into your website or blog. Facebook plugins help drive traffic, and also create the community that can benefit you in so many ways.
Measure Your Marketing
Some marketers avoid social media because they feel they don’t have access to the tools for tracking and analyzing their impact. If Facebook is your target social network, there is no excuse. Facebook Insights, its analytics tool, is built directly to the platform, and you have convenient access to it via your page’s dashboard. Insights delivers statistics in some important areas, including:
- Daily active users
- Impressions and clicks
- Referral traffic to apps and websites
- Reach
- And much more
Combined with your own custom metrics and key performance indicators, these insights can give you a great idea of where you really stand with your efforts.
Conclusion
Say what you will about Facebook, but it’s the biggest thing going in the social space for a reason. It serves up a rabid fan base of internet users who are already fully engaged and ready to interact with your brand — if you play your cards right. Add these tips to your Facebook marketing strategy, and I bet you’ll at least enjoy better results than you’re currently seeing.
