Facebook: Key to promoting your business
amita-adminSmall businesses are the backbone of the Indian economy, as they are the primary drivers of new jobs in the country, but the biggest reason businesses succeed or fail is their ability or inability to attract customers.
In the present times, social media is the new word of mouth. Used by billions of people throughout the world, it has fast become one of the defining technologies of our time.
Facebook has more than 2.7 billion active users, making it one of the most visited websites in the world. With over 290 million users, Facebook is also an important part of everyday life for people in India.
It can be an important marketing tool for small business owners who want to engage their customers and attract new ones. Having a Facebook page helps to legitimize the business in the buyer’s eye, too. Small and Medium Businesses (SMB)are turning to Facebook for their business because they know how to use it personally: setting up a Page is just as easy as setting up a profile.
In a mobile-powered economy, people engage with the things that matter. Facebook is the easiest and fastest way to build a global business on mobile.
Here are some steps to make Facebook work for you:
- Create a business page
If you want to have a solid and professional Facebook presence, you need to create a separate page for your business apart from your personal Facebook profile
Sign up: Visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/create
Select the type of page you wish to create. Fill in the page name, category, and description; then click Create Page.
Add photos. It is significant to add a profile and cover photos. Use high-quality images that portray your business in a positive light. Select the images and hit Save.
Create a username. Also known as a vanity URL, your username is how your customers would find you on Facebook. The username should be the same, or closer to the name of your business as possible to avoid confusion.
Enter your information. While setting up your Facebook page, you will notice that there are various options to customize it. Add as much information about your business as possible. You can add additional categories to ensure your company gets included in all relevant searches on the site.
Tell your story: You can expound on the story behind your company or brand. Talk about why and how your business was created, what makes your brand unique, the services and products you offer, and anything else you think will be relevant to a customer.
Create your first post. Before inviting people to like your page, add some content to it. Your very first post can be a simple “Welcome to our page!” or you can post a deal or coupon, a picture, video, link, or whatever you think would be a fine introduction to your brand.
Publish and then invite followers. After filling in all the details, invite people to like your page.
- Post regularly on your Facebook page
To use Facebook to promote your business, you need to post regularly to ensure that your audience and customers feel like they know your business and can relate to you.
It is equally important to post quality content. For example, posts that share behind-the-scenes information, photos about your employees, or that show off your products or services. Such posts help to convey your dedication to transparency and quality.
Ifyou are unsure what your customerswant to see, experiment. You can use Facebook’s poll features to ask what they want to see or take a look at Facebook Page Insights that shows valuable information, such as how many people engage with each post and how many people it reaches.
- Engage your followers
Facebook’s new algorithm favours posts and pages that create engagement. Businesses should interact with followers by responding to customer comments, questions, and concerns. Get to know their needs by hosting polls and responding to reviews. Be social.
- Leverage friends of fans
People are most likely to try something if their friends already use it. When customers interact with your page, their friends will see the activity in their newsfeeds. Encourage customers to check in to your business on Facebook when they visit by offering a small discount for anyone who does. Checking allows users to notify their friends where they are. Host contests and encourage users to post about your business. You can also create special events and limited-time promotions, and invite your followers, who can invite their friends in turn.
- Try Facebook ads
If you are having problems reaching users organically, try Facebook ads. Promoted Facebook posts look like regular posts but are highly targeted and reach more people. Facebook’s tools are very effective and make it easy to target a specific audience. You can target people who like your page or by location, age, gender, and interests.
With the Ads Manager App, businesses can manage their ads and get insights in just a few taps. At a glance, they can see how ads for their Pages are performing, or see a snapshot of how the ad account performed this week compared to the previous week. And the improved navigation allows businesses to easily switch between their accounts and Pages.
The app now recommends actions that can be taken to increase ad performance and makes it easy for businesses to do so in one click. Because Facebook collects user data, it can target your advertisement to those who are most likely to be interested in your product or service.
- Write amazing content for your Facebook audience
Posting a variety of content: By posting an array of content, such as photos, videos, gifs, press releases, blogs, articles, etc., you are much more likely to entertain and engage your audience.
Ending every post with a question: One great way to create amazing, engaging content is by posing a question at the end of each post. This can help boost your engagement levels and make your page more interactive overall.
Using contests in moderation: Creating contests and allowing your customers to win prizes, discounts, etc., makes your page more engaging and can boost sales.
- Start a Facebook group
Building community around your product, service, or brand can be an excellent way to connect with customers on a one-on-one level. For example, a marketing agency may want to create a Facebook group centred around answering small business marketing questions, or a woman-owned business may want to create a group designed to share content with other female founders.
- Use all Facebook features, not just Pages
New Facebook features are introduced regularly. As of 2020, consider utilizing tools like Facebook Live, Facebook Video, and Facebook Stories to help promote your business.
- Create a plan
Deciding what and when to post on Facebook should be part of an overall strategy that complements your other marketing, sales, and public relations activities. Organize these materials in a content calendar that you can use to plan and track the content published on social media.
- Continue growth IRL
Consider marketing activities that help boost your audience even while your customers are not on their computers or phones. For example, you can offer incentives for customers to write Facebook reviews or give a coupon or a special offer in exchange for a new follower. You can also encourage customers to be active through other channels, such as email marketing.
Case studies:
The Wedding Brigade, an Indian online wedding planning platform wanted to grow their customer base, increase revenue and reduce conversion costs so that they could secure more venture capital funding. The start-up ran a series of ads on Facebook that showcased the range of products they provided. Based on consumer behaviour, the images chosen had to tell a story or show how to use or wear featured items. Short and punchy video ads that focused on a single message such as “Head Jewelry to Make Heads Turn” were created to encourage purchases.
As a result, they reached millions of potential customers while lowering their cost per conversion.
KFC, the global restaurant brand boosted its social media presence in India through its various campaigns like “Radio KFC RJ Hunt”, in which they asked the fans to record their voices over the internet on Facebook.
The digital marketing team of Kolkata Knight Riders or KKR organized a live screen Facebook chat at the FB HQ in Hyderabad.
Promoting your business on Facebook has varied advantages. All you need is a bit of innovation and the right strategy for your brand.
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