Facebook is closing in on a billion users this summer and is, without argument, the largest social media community online. Your target audience is likely on Facebook, so it is past time to start leveraging the Facebook marketplace. As a business, optimizing your use of Facebook begins with setting up your own page; not a profile, a page. People have profiles and brands have pages. Some businesses are still confused by this because pages didn’t exist at first. Facebook is developing more and more functionality specifically for business, and it is focused on pages.
The significant value of Facebook is the engagement of your audience with posting. When a user “likes” your page, your posts become part of their newsfeed. However, the rub is in Facebook’s algorithm EdgeRank, which controls who sees your content based on your post’s quality score.
Use a variety of content, like, blog posts, photos, videos, comments, questions and polls to find out how your audience responds. Think about the fact that the average Facebook user has 130 friends, so ask them to like and share your content. Include a call to action with every post.
Users come because they are invited or they see an ad. Yes, you should advertise on Facebook, since the number one reason users like a page is to take advantage of promotional offers. Target advertising to your page fans. If you give them an “insider feeling” with your brand, they’ll turn around and share the content. Consider a Facebook Place page to geo-target at a cheaper cost-per-click.
By watching its top advertisers, Facebook reports that ROI is 50% better if you drive traffic through Facebook because it is a destination site. Be sure to leverage your current assets: place like buttons above the fold on your own website. Embed Facebook widgets in your email newsletter. It’s time to get in the game! How are you optimizing your Facebook presence?
Blog Post Written by Taylor Vowell
Taylor Vowell is a certified inbound marketing specialist with a background in graphic design and website development. www.tmrdirect.com