Most of us understand that in order to connect with customers and increase our online presence, it’s important to have a company Facebook page. And while you may have dabbled in posting statuses or sharing photos, I would argue that the majority of us don’t exactly know what we’re doing on this platform.
You may be scratching your head wondering, how do I gain a steady following? What kind of content should I post? And does it matter what time I post? Believe it or not, all of these little details directly affect the success of your page. Failing to create a clear strategy (and following through with it) will stunt the growth of your page and will keep you from reaching your desired audience.
Which leads to the bigger question: What is the most effective way to run a successful business Facebook page?
Start by completing your profile page
Be sure to fill out ALL of the sections in your profile including the overview and page info sections. This provides your followers with the necessary information about who you are, how they can contact you, and your hours of operation. This is also where you can provide the link to your website and highlight your key products or services.
Be sure to double check your settings. It is important that your followers are able to pop in and say hello by posting on your page and sharing reviews.
Set attainable goals
Before you can develop a Facebook strategy, it’s important to know what your goals are. Are you looking to position yourself as an industry expert? Or is your focus on driving traffic to your website? Maybe both? Either way, have a clear vision as to why your company is on Facebook and what you are seeking to accomplish.
Avoid setting yourself up for disappointment by creating attainable goals. The likelihood of your small business Facebook page gaining thousands of followers overnight is very slim, but setting a goal of gaining 5-7 followers per week may be more likely.
Based on our experience, I would encourage you to focus less on increasing sales and urge you to focus more on connecting with your followers. Make it a goal to authentically engage your audience and produce content that is valuable to them. (Psst! Don’t guess! Ask your audience what kind of content they like!)
Create content that engages users
I may sound like a broken record, but creating engaging content is the key to your visibility on the site. Facebook’s detailed algorithm filters what content users see depending on how many likes, shares, and comments it curates. As you can probably guess, content that doesn’t receive much engagement will not reach many users.
If you want your content to be seen by your followers, then it must engage them. Otherwise, it won’t be seen. Ask yourself, what type of written or visual content will start a conversation? What content can you create that your customers will be excited about, will want to share an opinion on, or will even share with their friends? The focus must be less on what kinds of topics you want to talk about and more on the type of content your customers are looking for.
The secret? Provide value
The secret to creating content worth reading is to provide value. Put on your customer-focused hat and stop thinking about the sales you need to make. Figure out what problems your customers have, what solutions they are looking for, and then create relevant content that addresses those issues and positively impacts their lives. When you create content ask yourself, is this relatable and does it directly make my customers’ lives better? By only producing content that is purposeful, focused, and relevant, you will simultaneously establish yourself as an expert in your field.
Facebook is about making connections with your users, not bombarding them with a cheesy sales pitch.
Hmm, does this sound familiar? You may remember us talking about this in our blog post about 4 Things Businesses Shouldn’t Screw Up On Social Media.
Be timely
To ensure your followers have the best chance of seeing your content, aim to post when they are most active. You can see this by clicking the “insight” tab, then clicking the “post” tab on your page. When you get there, you will see a chart that shows you what days and times your followers are most active. You can then schedule your posts to go live during these spikes of activity.
However, don’t get too comfortable with a set routine, these stats often change weekly and even daily. Tracking your analytics on a regular basis will help you perfect your timing.
There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution
When it comes to developing a strategic plan for your Facebook page, keep in mind that your techniques may differ from those around you. In fact, your plan must be as unique as your business in order to accomplish your goals. Your timing, following, and even the content you post will not exactly mirror other company pages, and that’s okay. As long as you post relevant content that connects with your users and your following continues to grow, you are on the right track.
Don’t be afraid of reinventing yourself either. If you notice a type of content that previously received high levels of engagement is no longer attracting much interaction, it may be time to reevaluate. Try not to be frustrated by this. Instead, think of it as a challenge to provide new and fresh content. We have personally found that every couple of months we need to mix it up and change the type of posts we are creating. While we used to share a lot of curated articles, we have recently found that our followers are not interacting with that type of post. It is a learning process!
What are your thoughts? What goals does your company have in terms of its Facebook page? What are some of the ways you are connecting with your followers?
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Is your company struggling to build a steady Facebook following? We can help!
