As a small business owner, there is much asked of you on a daily basis. Whether you are making decisions about purchases for your
company, who to hire and who to let go, how to follow up on collecting outstanding debts, and how to go about growing the company, you are essentially eating from a full plate of daily tasks.So imagine if you are either brand-new to the world of social media and/or do not have the needed time for it. Can your business survive in such a scenario?
According to a 2011 report from Merchant Circle, a network of U.S. local business owners, 70% of local businesses utilize Facebook for marketing. That figure was a 20% increase from just the year before.
As more and more small business owners see the need to utilize social media in their daily business activities, how can you put Facebook to work for you?
In order to get the most value out of Facebook for your business, make sure you understand the following:
1. The search is on - Facebook pages are indexed by search engines, therefore if you are posting content tied to your business, you increase the opportunity to have your Facebook page be displayed in search engine results. As your page repeatedly shows up in such searches, you stand out as an authority in your respective industry, meaning there is greater potential to add customers to your base. Always keep this in mind as you think about what kind of content to post on your page.
2. Shout it out - Simply having a Facebook business fan page is not enough. Like most things in life, it takes time and effort to grow your page. In order to get more people to "like" your page, you need to post regularly, include valuable links to content on your site and other relevant authoritative sites, and engage with the public. You should also make sure your page is getting as much as advertisement as possible, meaning you put a link to it on your website, email newsletters, email signature, business cards, and more.
3. Make variety a prime focus of your posts - Simply posting random items here and there is like throwing darts at a board, seeing what sticks. It is important that you have variety in your posts, including links back to your company's blog posts and content, images, videos, white papers, poll questions, and quotes. If you are continuously posting the same type of material, do not be surprised if you find a drop off in the number of people liking you.
4. Too much can be a no-no - While your intentions may be good, posting too often can get you in trouble. Trying to make up for lost time during the week is bad when you post numerous status updates, links, and more in a short timeframe. It becomes apparent to most Facebook users that you are simply becoming a spammer, meaning many of them will tune you out. It is important that you either join conversations already in progress or begin new ones to ease your way into the lives of fellow social media users.
5. Deal in simplicity - Just about everyone likes a deal, so use your Facebook business fan page to offer consumers something. Whether it is a regular customer or a potential one, give them something to want to keep returning to your page. Posts noting offers like 10 to 15% off on merchandise, free giveaways, special 2-for-1 deals - all are great incentives to have more people "like" you on Facebook. As word spreads that you are offering such deals, you are likely to see your fan base increase.
6. Stay on message with your posts - Always remember that your posts should stick to your business brand. While that does not mean that you are forbidden from being a little personal from time to time, keep the look and feel of the page as professional as possible. Talking about your personal matters outside of your business or devoting time to Farmville and other games on your business page lessens your credibility and that of your page. Always think about how you want your business brand to be represented before you post. Whether you are just starting a business or have been around for a while now, your brand should always be the prime focus of any social media endeavors.
7. Timing is important - When to post on your Facebook page is important. There are strategic times during the week when you stand the best chance of reaching the largest audience. While there are different thoughts on this matter, popular URL shortening service bitly reports that the best click-through rate in posting to Facebook is between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. EST. Wednesday at 3 p.m. EST is the peak time of the week to post. Traffic from Facebook fades after 4 p.m. To no big surprise, weekend posts often garner
less attention than weekdays.
When all is said and done, always note that your Facebook page should revolve around keeping a conversation going and growing interest in your brand.
In using Facebook to achieve these things, you could end up liking the results.
About the author:
With 23 years of experience as a writer, Dave Thomas covers a wide array of topics from social media to SEO.This article is about creating and publishing interesting business posts on Facebook and successfully get more followers on Facebook. Having more real followers is a factor which helps to promote your business brand to many people. So it actually helps growing your business through Facebook. To write guest articles for us, please follow the link below.
Write Guest articles for us
company, who to hire and who to let go, how to follow up on collecting outstanding debts, and how to go about growing the company, you are essentially eating from a full plate of daily tasks.So imagine if you are either brand-new to the world of social media and/or do not have the needed time for it. Can your business survive in such a scenario?
Are You Facing the Facts with Social Media?
According to a 2011 report from Merchant Circle, a network of U.S. local business owners, 70% of local businesses utilize Facebook for marketing. That figure was a 20% increase from just the year before.
As more and more small business owners see the need to utilize social media in their daily business activities, how can you put Facebook to work for you?
In order to get the most value out of Facebook for your business, make sure you understand the following:
1. The search is on - Facebook pages are indexed by search engines, therefore if you are posting content tied to your business, you increase the opportunity to have your Facebook page be displayed in search engine results. As your page repeatedly shows up in such searches, you stand out as an authority in your respective industry, meaning there is greater potential to add customers to your base. Always keep this in mind as you think about what kind of content to post on your page.
2. Shout it out - Simply having a Facebook business fan page is not enough. Like most things in life, it takes time and effort to grow your page. In order to get more people to "like" your page, you need to post regularly, include valuable links to content on your site and other relevant authoritative sites, and engage with the public. You should also make sure your page is getting as much as advertisement as possible, meaning you put a link to it on your website, email newsletters, email signature, business cards, and more.
3. Make variety a prime focus of your posts - Simply posting random items here and there is like throwing darts at a board, seeing what sticks. It is important that you have variety in your posts, including links back to your company's blog posts and content, images, videos, white papers, poll questions, and quotes. If you are continuously posting the same type of material, do not be surprised if you find a drop off in the number of people liking you.
4. Too much can be a no-no - While your intentions may be good, posting too often can get you in trouble. Trying to make up for lost time during the week is bad when you post numerous status updates, links, and more in a short timeframe. It becomes apparent to most Facebook users that you are simply becoming a spammer, meaning many of them will tune you out. It is important that you either join conversations already in progress or begin new ones to ease your way into the lives of fellow social media users.
5. Deal in simplicity - Just about everyone likes a deal, so use your Facebook business fan page to offer consumers something. Whether it is a regular customer or a potential one, give them something to want to keep returning to your page. Posts noting offers like 10 to 15% off on merchandise, free giveaways, special 2-for-1 deals - all are great incentives to have more people "like" you on Facebook. As word spreads that you are offering such deals, you are likely to see your fan base increase.
6. Stay on message with your posts - Always remember that your posts should stick to your business brand. While that does not mean that you are forbidden from being a little personal from time to time, keep the look and feel of the page as professional as possible. Talking about your personal matters outside of your business or devoting time to Farmville and other games on your business page lessens your credibility and that of your page. Always think about how you want your business brand to be represented before you post. Whether you are just starting a business or have been around for a while now, your brand should always be the prime focus of any social media endeavors.
7. Timing is important - When to post on your Facebook page is important. There are strategic times during the week when you stand the best chance of reaching the largest audience. While there are different thoughts on this matter, popular URL shortening service bitly reports that the best click-through rate in posting to Facebook is between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. EST. Wednesday at 3 p.m. EST is the peak time of the week to post. Traffic from Facebook fades after 4 p.m. To no big surprise, weekend posts often garner
less attention than weekdays.
When all is said and done, always note that your Facebook page should revolve around keeping a conversation going and growing interest in your brand.
In using Facebook to achieve these things, you could end up liking the results.
About the author:
With 23 years of experience as a writer, Dave Thomas covers a wide array of topics from social media to SEO.This article is about creating and publishing interesting business posts on Facebook and successfully get more followers on Facebook. Having more real followers is a factor which helps to promote your business brand to many people. So it actually helps growing your business through Facebook. To write guest articles for us, please follow the link below.
Write Guest articles for us
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