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Let’s Get Started! Start with these three thoughts as you consider engaging on Facebook - or any other social network for that matter - in order to effectively market your business:
1. Goals - Always start with your specific business goals. 2. Audience - Know whom you are trying to reach. 3. Actions - Be specific what you want your audience to do. Determine achievable and measurable goals for social media. Social media is not a silver bullet - it is not a Swiss Army Knife. It is better for quick and simple actions like signing up for something or answering a single question. Sales can be an eventual outcome of your social media marketing and engagement efforts. Like any advertising or marketing, people rarely respond immediately to your message by making a purchase. Sales can and do happen, but selling something as your immediate or only goal for using social media marketing is unrealistic. Decide what types of posts will appeal to your target audience. Plan the information you will be posting, particularly based on specific events and promotions.
Tip: Be action-oriented - tell people what they can do now actions they can take: like, sign up, join, and share, just to name a few actions. Make your posts: ● Action oriented. ● Image focused. ● Post on weekends when many people are active. ● Post some evenings, keeping your audience in mind.
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Tip: Use “you” more than “we” in your messaging. Let people know what is in it for them and what you want them to do. Consider what your “foundational” messaging is based on your goals, and schedule those weekly and across several weeks at a time to relieve the burden of frequent posting. Then spend your time online in your social networks to respond to messages and comments directed at you. Next, review what people are talking about in general and add to the conversation. At any time, post “in-the-moment” messaging about current events, organization news and other timely content. Don’t be too rigid about how frequently you post. Find your posting rhythm that also works for your online community.
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1. Add a cover image and profile image Your cover image should be branded in some way and relevant to who you are and what you do (as a business, as an organization, or as an individual). Images of people can be helpful in attracting attention and getting people to immediately relate when they arrive at your Facebook Page. If you sell product, show an image of your product or an image that relates in some way to your product. If you are a service company, illustrate what you offer in some clear and basic way. Don’t get too busy or complex. Don’t use obscure or dark images that require too much time to interpret. Be careful not to use too much text. To change your cover image, hover your cursor over your current cover image or the space where one should be.
Choose a photo that you’ve already uploaded or upload one. You can also choose to reposition the image.
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Add your profile image Hover over the profile image box and click on edit profile picture.
Choose either a photo you already have uploaded to your page, take a photo or upload a new one. You can also edit your thumbnail to properly position the image when it reduces down to the 47x47 pixels.
Here are Facebook’s instructions for cover images and profile photos: https://www.facebook.com/help/492441920771107/
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2. Change an App image Apps (formerly called Tabs) are boxes under your cover image that link to sub-pages within your Facebook Page. Effective Apps add useful content to your Facebook Page or bring content in from other sources. Choose Apps that help you drive actions. Some examples of Facebook Apps include: ▪
Email subscription. This App is usually available through the 3rd party email management system you are using like Mailchimp or Constant Contact.
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Twitter or Pinterest feeds. Bring your content from other networks into your Facebook Page to allow fans to interact and follow you in other places. You can use 3rd party App platforms such as Woobox or ShortStack to build custom Apps.
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Blog or Other Web Page. Use Woobox, ShortStack or a similar App platform to pull other web content into your Facebook Page.
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Contests and promotions. While you no longer have to use a 3rd party platform to build a custom App for contests and promotions, you can still use one such as Rafflecopter.
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Online store. You can use a custom App platform to pull your online store into your Facebook Page. Some eCommerce solutions such as Shopify and Ecwid can integrate into Facebook.
Here’s how you modify the Apps on your Facebook Page that appear below your cover image. Start by clicking on the upside down triangle to right of your App boxes.
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Open up Apps and you are now in admin mode. You will see all your extra Apps, if you have any. If you add an App using Woobox, you will see it appear here.
Hover over the App box you would like to edit. A menu will appear. Pick “Edit Settings.”
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You can edit the name of your App box in this mode. Then click “Change” to add a custom image.
Upload a custom image from your computer. It should be 111x74 pixels.
Go back to the hover menu to “Swap positions” to make your new App box visible. Only 4 Apps can show at the top level and Photos remains fixed on the left.
Here is more information about Facebook Page Apps: https://www.facebook.com/help/493707223977442/
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3. Types of Facebook posts you can use There are basically 4 types of posts you can publish on your Facebook Page, and these are dictated by Facebook as Page features: 1. Photo Posts - These are compelling images that people will Like and share images from the region, images of your work in communities in action, quote images with compelling messages. Keep in mind that the image can be an illustration.
2. Photo Albums - You can also post a number of images within an Album, and the result is a more visual post that compels people to browse through the images. 3. Video Posts - Video Posts are variations of Photo Posts and require that you upload the video directly to Facebook. Because of how people scan their News Feeds, very short videos are most effective. Note that linking to a video on YouTube or another video-hosting site is certainly possible, and it will appear more like a Link Post. Page 9 ©2014 All Rights Reserved Aliza Sherman
4. Link Posts - Link posts to blog posts, articles, and content on any other web page will often (but not always) pull a preview image - it depends on the source. You can edit the text in the preview or remove the preview entirely. You can link back to your own website or blog regularly from your Facebook Page to drive traffic to a site where you have more information and more control over messaging and presentation. Wherever you link, make sure it is clear once someone clicks over what they should do. Just linking to your home page may not get any direct actions. 5. Text Posts - You can post text content only. Opinions are mixed about how effective this can be, but mixing up the different types of posts can be helpful in attracting attention and getting reactions.
Use an image in a Facebook post to attract more attention. Larger images in Photo Posts are more visible & attractive than small ones in Link Posts. Sharing information and news is helpful, but if you are not asking for what you need, you won’t get it. ● Ask for email sign ups ● Ask for shares ● Ask people to invite their friends to like the page Calls to Action for Images: When you post images, you can still ask for an action and even put the request onto the image itself. ● Take our survey ● Subscribe to our newsletter ● Join us ● Share this message Be clear, be conversational, be compelling.
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4. Make quote images to get more attention Images are content on Facebook that people notice and often feel compelled to share. You increase the chances of getting likes and shares if you add a little bit of text to your images. Knowing your audience and what interests them will help you determine what text to add. Even adding a call to action or an obvious word like “Wine” when you feature a wine bottle can be enough. People tend to like humor or inspiration. Go for popular images, quotes, things that attract attention. Be clear about actions, and in the captions for the images you post, include links to places where they can easily take action. Example: An actual quote:
Example: Image with informational text:
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5. Responding to Likes, Comments Pay attention to your online community. Watch out for their comments and be thoughtful about how and when you respond. Not every comment warrants a response, however, some kind of acknowledgement or interaction helps encourage more responses. You can like someone else’s comment - if it is something that you actually like. Don’t feel compelled to like every one of them and also be careful not to like something that doesn’t really warrant that kind of positive acknowledgement. When you start to see fans sharing, liking or commenting often, pay attention. You can easily track your top Facebook fans by installing the Top Fans Tab app: https://www.socialappshq.com/products/top-fans-for-facebook-pages
Knowing who your Top Fans are gives you the opportunity to recognize and reward them. In turn, other fans may see that being active on your page can be beneficial (special discounts, gifts, etc.). However you decide to recognize and engage your fans, make sure it is part of an overarching strategy and that it helps to support or drive actions that help you reach your goals. Engaging on your Facebook Page and managing your online community takes time to cultivate and can take up a lot of your time and attention each day. You are better off checking into your Page several times a day and scanning and participating for a few minutes at a time than spending an hour at a time getting distracted from your business at hand.
Access your Page with Facebook’s Mobile App to know when you need to respond. Use an app like Facebook Pages Manager to get notifications on your mobile device when someone interacts on your Page. This is another way of reducing the time you spend on your Page while still being aware and attentive. For iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/facebook-pages-manager/id514643583?mt=8 For Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.facebook.pages.app Here is more information from Facebook about their Pages Manager app: https://www.facebook.com/help/463079013702512/
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6. Use Facebook AS your Page When you’re an administrator of any Facebook Page, you can post to your Page and those posts appear as if your Page i.e. your brand has posted and not as an individual. Facebook masks the identity of Page admins. Be aware that when you leave your Page and go to another Facebook Page, you’re still using Facebook as yourself, the individual versus the company or brand. When you like another Page, it then appears on your personal Facebook Timeline. Facebook lets you use its service AS your Page. Why would you want to use Facebook as your Page instead of as yourself, the individual Facebook user? You can like other Pages as your business versus yourself and also interact on other Pages as your business - a great way to network and expose your brand to new people. To change that, simply use Facebook as your Page by going to the tiny gear symbol at the top right side of Facebook and select that Page you’d like to use Facebook as - any Page you manage.
Be very careful about interacting with other Pages. Never broadcast your marketing message on someone else’s page without express permission. But do participate thoughtfully on Pages where you think you might reach your target audience indirectly.
Remember to switch back to posting as yourself as soon as you are done acting as your Page. Check the top blue bar of Facebook to see the profile image of the active account. Use different images if you have both a personal account and a Page.
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7. Like other Facebook Pages and feature on your Page. When you are using Facebook as your Page, you can “Like” other Pages. Liking other Pages as your Page shows interests, affiliations and creates connections between compatible businesses. By liking other Pages, you can link your Page with other branches of your business that have Pages or with your vendors, clients, partner companies, and other non-competing businesses. Keep in mind you are potentially showcasing their logo on your Page. See Step #6 to make sure you switch to your Page to do the “Liking.” Then visit the Pages you want to Like and simply click the Like button on each Page. You can then Feature some of the Pages you have liked and can either be in Page mode or simply as yourself, the Page admin. To Feature other Pages on your Page, once you have Liked some relevant Pages, go to the Admin section at the top of your Page and click Edit Page to see a menu of options. Choose “Edit Settings.”
Note: In this menu is another way you can switch to using Facebook as your Page. When you are in Settings edit mode, click “More…” and choose “Featured.” This will allow you to select which of the Pages you have liked as your Page on your own Page Wall.
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Once you have Liked other Pages, you can feature up to 5 on your Page (optional). Click “Edit Featured Likes.”
You will then see a list of the Pages your Page Liked. Click the checkbox next to the ones you want to feature on your Page. If you do not, all Liked Pages rotate. If you choose less than 5, other Pages Likes rotate into open slots. If you choose 5, only those 5 are visible and rotate.
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Once you’ve set the Featured Likes, you should see them on the right side of your Page immediately under the most recent posts from others as shown below:
When you are done liking Pages, double check you are not still in Page mode.
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8. Use Facebook Scheduler. While third-party social media management and scheduling tools are popular and useful, particularly for Twitter, scheduling within Facebook for your Facebook Page posts is optimal. Facebook’s scheduler is less robust than other software, but it lets you see a preview of your post image and content.
TIP: Scheduling is not a replacement for being present in social networks and participating in your online communities. To access, simply start typing your Page post, and you will see a small gray clock on the lower left hand side of the post field.
Type in your complete post and click Photo/Video to add in an image or video. Then click the gray clock and add Year, Month, Date, and Time including the hour and minutes (available in 10 minute intervals).
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Once you hit “Schedule,” you will have the option to view your post in the Activity log. You should do that to double check it.
Here is how it might appear in the Activity Log. Note that the date and time is specified at the bottom. If you schedule more than one, they will all appear in chronological order in the Activity Log.
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You can also access “Use Activity Log” from the admin “Edit Page” menu. Check your scheduled posts at any time.
Schedule thoughtfully and with full awareness of what is happening online and in the world. You have your goals, but do not post - or schedule posts in a vacuum. Be very careful about scheduling all of your posts. Pay attention to breaking national or international news. In some cases your scheduled messages can be in gross conflict with unfolding events. Postpone your pre-scheduled messaging for a more appropriate time.
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9. Promote your posts. Facebook is looking for more ways to make money, and Facebook posts are no longer as readily visible by your fans until you pay to promote them. You are prompted on every post for the Page(s) you manage to boost that post. Click “Boost Post” to get started.
When you boost a post, you are given a number of pricing options. The pricing for promoting a post on your Facebook Page is based on a sliding scale commensurate to the number of fans you have.
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Or you can also submit your own price, and Facebook calculates reach.
You can choose to target people who like your Page and Their Friends or “People you choose to target.” Here you can select location, age, gender and max budget.
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Even with a small fee such as $5, you can reach hundreds or thousands of people in their News Feeds. Plan your posts carefully with the right messaging and a suitable link to the right destination to get more out of your post boost. Check the bottom of your post to track that progress of your ad. Here is an example of a post before it was promoted:
Here are the results of the post after it was promoted:
Facebook then encourages you to keep promoting the post. You may want to try creating an ad instead for more traction.
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10. Craft compelling, relevant and strategic content. A challenge of keeping up with your social media updates is developing quality content to share with your followers that compels them to share it with their friends and followers. Here are ten strategic sources of content. 1. Company news - Post about new products, promotions and launches, specials or discounts - anything that draws people’s attention to your company. 2. How-To content - Position your company as an authority by sharing information related more tangentially to your business. 3. Company Events - Before your event, promote it through a series of posts teasing different things that will happen at the event. 4. Industry or Local Events - When you attend events, you can cover it similarly to your own events. 5. Current Events - Keep your finger on the pulse of what is happening around you and share relevant content with your following. 6. Behind-the-Scenes - Take photos or short videos showing your office, your team, and your environment to give followers a glimpse behind the curtain. 7. Trusted Sources - Establish a list of news and information sources online that produce content you are comfortable sharing with your following. 8. Vendors and Strategic Partners - Like trusted sources, your vendors and other companies with whom you work may be producing content worth sharing. 9. Customers - Ask your customers not only for feedback but for content you can share with your followers or feature your customers as part of your content. 10. Marketing Materials - Upload your marketing materials - print, digital, photographs, and audio or video - to your Facebook Page now and then. The key to successful social media content publishing is to involve others or share what others are producing in addition to putting out your own information.
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Bonus! Invite your email contacts Here’s a bonus tactic you can implement if you have set up your Facebook Page and have less than 5000 Likes: Invite your email contacts to your Page. If you have less than 30 Likes, you aren’t able to access Facebook Insights for your Page, so that is one good reason to invite more people when you’re ready. The link to inviting your Email Contacts shows up in the admin section at the top of your Page like this:
Here’s what you will see when you click on “Invite Email Contacts:”
Otherwise, to import your email lists, go to your Admin Panel, click Build Audience and select Invite Email Contacts.
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And In Conclusion Be thoughtful about how and when you use your Facebook Page. Do not broadcast with the intention of ignoring your audience. Think of your audience - who they are, what interests them, and then what you are trying to achieve and get them to do. Social Media Engagement works best if you are aware, attentive, responsive, and above all, when you act and react as a genuine human being - even if you are posting as your business. Don’t let Facebook or social media in general overwhelm you. Think of it as a new way to interact with customers and prospects - a more intimate and direct way. Over time, it could replace less effective marketing and communications tactics. Until then, it should be a complement to the ones you already use.
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