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In this internet driven age, not having a consistent social media presence is almost the same as putting a closed sign on the door. This means that most successful businesses invest heavily in their social media networks, but if you’re a newbie – where do you start?

There are so many different platforms – how do you understand each one and maintain them all?

First social media steps

Your first step is to recognize that some platforms are better suited to certain types of businesses than others. If you’re not sure which social media platform is best for your business, it’s best to ask for help. This way you can focus your energy on the right platform from the start.

On the other hand, you could always pick your favourite platform and see if it works for your business and if not, refocus on another social media platform. This approach, however, can often lead to wasted time, money, and energy.

What you really need is a social media plan that evolves over time, because it will play an important part in the success of your business. So, let’s look at Facebook and how you can raise your brand’s awareness using this extremely popular platform.

Why use Facebook for your business?

Facebook is still the most popular social network in Australia with nearly 70% of the market share.  No longer is Facebook just a trendy online forum predominately used by teenagers to find out the latest gossip. Instead, Facebook has quickly made its way into the business world.

That’s because a Facebook business page is a fantastic tool with lots of potential benefits, all of which can ultimately lead to increased sales and profits. Correctly setup and managed, these pages promote your business name, brand, and products and/or services to millions of people. I am witnessing some amazing results on Facebook, across many different industries.

There are many reasons why a Facebook business page is an ideal platform to help grow your business, here’s four that might apply to your business:

  1. Facebook is a low-cost platform, making it ideal for small to medium size businesses with a limited marketing budget.
  2. It’s an easy way to communicate with existing and potential new customers.
  3. With a single post, you can reach all your followers at once –a feat that is nearly impossible with other marketing tools.
  4. Facebook is perfect for raising brand awareness and promoting your products or services using word of mouth recommendations.

How to encourage traffic to your Facebook business page

It’s important to understand that Facebook is not a quick fix or just a sales tool. Instead, it’s a highly effective platform that helps to build relationships and educate your customers, both of which encourage sales and profits.

Facebook is also ideal for gathering feedback from your customers. That’s because asking your customers what they think about your products or services can be very illuminating. If they love your products or services, others will want to jump on board, and you will know you’re on the right track. Alternatively, if customers complain or raise issues, then you can use this feedback to iron out any kinks and improve your business. When legitimate criticisms are addressed openly, tactfully and in a timely manner, you may even turn an unhappy camper into a loyal customer.

Facebook also makes it amazingly easy to invite your followers to road test new products or new business ideas that you’re developing before rolling them out. You may be surprised at how many people are willing to try something out and freely give their opinion. These interactions can also help establish and build relationships with potential and existing customers.

You can also use Facebook to share information related to your business that’s useful or interesting to other users. It shouldn’t be all about sales or self-promotion because your followers will quickly tire of that kind of treatment.

So, try to think about what information your customers need and what they would like to see posted on your page. Sharing excellent quality and relevant content increases your credibility and promotes your business by building long-term relationships with other Facebook users. For example, a vet could post tips for looking after pets, timing them to particular seasons or health issues (tics in summer or obesity come to mind).

It’s important that you’re creative with your content, but it’s also crucial that make these interactions fun! So, here’s our top tips for creating a successful Facebook page for your business.

Top tips for a successful Facebook business page

  • MAKE SURE ALL YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION IS UP TO DATE AND EASY TO FIND. If potential customers like what they see, you don’t want to lose them because they can’t find a way to contact you easily. People are lazy – if a phone number or alternate contact information doesn’t fall into their lap, they tend to put it in the too hard basket and move on.
  • SHARE CONTENT ON YOUR WEBSITE. Whether blog posts, updates, news, product launches or promotions – all this content helps generate traffic to your website. You can even direct people to your contact page for more information.
  • USE HIGH QUALITY PHOTOS. Eye catching photos with a few words always work best. People are usually busy and just generally scroll through their newsfeed so this is the best way to grab their attention. There are lots of sites you can purchase affordable photos online, but you can also use your own stock photos or take new photos. I use adobe.com which has paid and unpaid options, but there are many other sites that are completely free, such as Unsplash or Canva.
  • ASK QUESTIONS TO ENCOURAGE INTERACTIONS. There’s no better way to encourage interactions than to ask questions! Your followers will love to give you their opinions, so if in doubt – ask a question!
  • BE CONSISTENT. I think that consistency is the hardest part for business owners, but it’s essential that you post on a regular basis. Consistency is important as it builds a positive relationship with your followers and leads to increased sales and profits.
  • HAVE FUN. If you’re between projects, think about using Facebook as it was originally intended – as a social site where you let people know what you’re doing. Share things that you find funny or you feel are important for people to know. This shows that there is a human behind the posts at your business.

For help organising your social media network check out our Packages or talk to us about a custom package. You can book an initial jam session HERE.