Darnelle O’Brien — July 8, 2017 If you have to choose one social platform to be present on as a small business owner, Facebook is the one. With 1 in 2 Australians actively using Facebook every day, there is a good chance you will be able to reach and interact with your target audience.
If you’re considering Facebook, you’ll need a strong combination of quality content and resources to effectively maintain your online presence.
So before you get started, here are 4 areas you must consider.
Develop a strategy
Developing a killer marketing strategy is a must have for all business owners. There must be a reason behind your madness and a foundation underpinning your decisions. The opportunity to connect with your customers at the push of a button, also means it’s easy to get distracted and lose sight of your business goals. Marketing strategies provide real business value and direction. There is no benefit in posting content for the sake of posting. Your content must be relevant, engaging and purposeful.
K.I.S.S Tip: Your Facebook presence must form part of your overarching corporate strategy. Analyse the social activities of your competitors, position yourself as a resource and genuinely engage with your audience.
Fill in the blanks
Setting up a Facebook page can be complex and time-consuming. Firstly, you will need to select an appropriate category for your business and name your page.
Following on from this, you will need to add basic information such as hours of operation, contact information, provide a link to your website and write a short paragraph in the ‘about’ section. You can also add in various links to social platforms as well as a blog subscription option. There is also an opportunity to create and share any upcoming events with your followers. The services tab must also be completed for service-based businesses, to add extra depth to your page.
K.I.S.S Tip: Pull snippets from your website and categorise them under the types of services you provide.
Photography
First impressions matter and this extends to the business environment. If you are looking to expand your following and increase your engagement, you need to use high quality and visually appealing images. More and more brands are using digital imagery to connect with their users and to create relationships that extend beyond a few likes. Only use images that you have taken, purchased or have the right to use as you may be penalised.
K.I.S.S Tip: Review your profile photo and cover photo every three months. Facebook regularly updates image sizes for posts etc. too. For the latest image sizes, click here to view our infographic.
Think mobile
Over half of all web traffic is via mobile. There is no point in driving traffic to your website if it isn’t mobile optimised. As most Facebook users are on mobile, it is highly likely that your followers will view your website on their smartphone. It is important that you create a positive, user-friendly experience and leave them with a favourable impression.
K.I.S.S Tip: Mobile optimisation is not as simple as ticking a box, so it is best to talk to your marketing team.
Once you have completed these tasks, it’s time to start inviting family, friends, colleagues and business contacts to like your page and encourage them to leave a review.
It takes time to perfect your Facebook page. Have patience, test and measure and more importantly, persevere.
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