According to online intelligence service provider HitWise, back in mid-March Facebook surpassed Google as the number one website in the U.S. This meteoric rise comes as no surprise when you look at the more than 400 million users and counting that regularly frequent the site. Facebook has become a primary tool that people use to communicate with friends, family and now businesses.
So, What's Stopping You?
Marketing your business on Facebook isn't a necessity, but you can't deny the facts about Facebook fans. Nielsen reports that the average user spends more than seven hours per month on Facebook. Additionally, 50 percent of active users log on to Facebook in any given day. As a business on Facebook you have instant access to these people, so why not create a Page and leverage your social media presence among them.
Pages definitely have their advantages. For starters, they're visible to people without Facebook accounts. This means you can share a link to your Page and anyone can see it. Plus, Pages are indexed outside of Facebook so when an online search is conducted for your business, your Page will pop up. This is good for your brand and business.
Failing to Plan Is Planning To Fail
One of the problems with launching a Facebook Page is not having a plan in place to maintain it. Slapping up a profile and calling it good won't win over anyone. Far too often overzealous business owners, with the best of intentions, create a Page and allow it to succumb to neglect. When you create your Page have your audience in mind - what are their interests, how do they like to connect, what will convert them into loyalists.
A solid plan can make a world of difference. Once you've figured out what you want to do to accomplish, get ready to make it happen. Here are some ways that you can grow your fan base and promote your business with a Facebook Page:
1. Look In Your Own BackYard
If you already have a personal profile, invite your friends to support your page. You can use the 'Suggest to Friends' button on your Page to get the word out. The same goes for colleagues and professional connections. Promote the Page and encourage them to fan you.
2. Be Like Sherlock And Search
Facebook has a fantastic search feature that offers several options to find exactly who and what you're looking for. Try entering a term in the search box, like 'drinking coffee', and instead of hitting the return button to complete your search, choose the 'See More Results' link in the drop down list.
Notice the different options available on the left to help narrow your down your search. Choose 'Posts by Everyone' and you'll discover posts made by anyone referencing your search terms. Consider introducing yourself and your Page based on their post status. It's a great way to drum up business and expand your fan base.
3. Cross Promote
Facebook has a great application that links to Twitter, which allows you to drive traffic from one platform back to the other. When you make a post, an update is sent to Twitter with a shortened bit.ly link back to your Page. This allows Tweeters to become instant fans when they follow the link sent to Twitter.
A great example of a business that is using Twitter feeds in a very unique way can be found on the Red Bull Page. Twitter streams from Red Bull-sponsored athletes have been aggregated into the Page. It's a fantastic way to engage fans and create a hub where they have instant access to what their favorite athletes are up to.
4. Connect With Content
This is a biggie. The purpose behind social media is, well, to be social. Engaging in dialogue with your audience is what the experience is about. Getting people interested in you means that you'll need to take an interest in them. The simplest way to accomplish this is through your content.
- Try sending out posts that end with a question. This will get your fans to speak up and share their opinions.
- Make posts personal by using pronouns like 'you' and 'your'. Sounds obvious, but you'd be surprise how often its overlooked.
- Keep your fans on their toes and surprise them content that doesn't necessarily relate to your business. If you're selling widgets, why not mix it up and post something different, like a link to a silly song parody or a piece of juicy tabloid gossip.
- Respond to fan questions. When someone asks something, make sure to respond and to do it quickly.
- Become part of the conversation. Just because it's your business Page doesn't mean that you can't join in the chatter. Share some feedback every once in awhile.
- Tag other fan pages and fans. By using the @, you can tag posts to show up on other Facebook walls and that can elevate your presence. Don't over do it. Abusing the @ can create disgruntled fans. Use it sparingly.
- Network with the Discussion tab. You'll need to create some topics for discussion so that fans won't be greeted by a blank page. Check out Starbucks Discussion tab for ideas.
5. Once A Day And Your Fan Will Stay
The big question is how often should you post? A minimum of once per day. You can always increase your posts as your fan base increases. Bombarding your fans with too many posts can overwhelm them. Finding a good balance is key, as well as sharing a nice mix of post content. Include personal thoughts, tips, helpful links, industry news and other related topics.
6. Make It Your Own
A must have Facebook app for any Page is Static FBML. This nifty application allows you to incorporate Facebook mark-up language (FBML), CSS, HTML and others so that you can create unique tabs that are tailored for your business. You'll need some basic CSS/HTML knowledge to get things up and running. Examples of Static FBML Facebook Pages can be found on Paramount, Shutterfly and Clinique.
Facebook reports that 1.5 million local business have active Pages and those Pages have succeeded in generating 5.3 billion fans. There's no time like the present to capture a portion of the market share. Remember, Facebook is supplying the platform, but it's up to you to make it your own. Customize it, have fun and enjoy your fan base.