You’ve certainly heard of Facebook and you may already have a profile – after all, more than 500 million others do. Facebook has grown into the largest social networking site on the web since its humble beginnings in 2004.
Like other networking sites, Facebook allows you to create a personal profile onto which you can post your information, photos, videos and the like. This page is visible to others, particularly “friends” with whom you connect. The creation of an interactive “fan” page that others can visit and explore is particularly useful for a business. The page essentially functions as a secondary website for your company – and it’s absolutely free!
What can Facebook do for me?
Another Way for Your Business to Express Itself
Your page is essentially a secondary website for your business. You can post new products, offers and promotions, organize sales events and open houses, upload photos and videos and the like. Best of all, it’s totally free!
Vastly Increase Awareness of your Business
When people “like” your fan page, this shows up on their friends’ news feeds, quickly spreading awareness of your business to thousands of potential new customers. Your page can also be recommended to others, once more broadening your company’s exposure.
Know What Your Customers Think
A very useful feature is the ability for clients to provide you with feedback. They can write comments directly on the “wall” of your page. They can also post reviews, suggest ideas and ask questions. This gives you a very important channel of communication with your client base.
Build Communities
Another wonderful feature is that you can create Groups to which you may add others. For example, you may create a group for “preferred customers” where you can offer unique promotions. You can also message the members of the group, which makes for a great method of direct marketing.
A Personal Touch to Your Business
Most people use Facebook for personal interactions, as opposed to sites like LinkedIn which are aimed at professional and work-related contact. This means Facebook also allows you to create a warmer image for you business, adding a personal touch and allowing you to connect directly with your clients.
Exclusive Offers
One interesting idea is to have exclusive deals for Facebook users only. This makes the Facebook experience unique for your customers. Even better, it allows you to measure if your Facebook marketing is successful.
How Can Facebook Help My Website?
A Facebook page will undoubtedly increase traffic to your website. It will also stimulate user-generated content as people post on your wall and write comments. This content will go a long way towards making your business more salient, as search engines like Google pick up the activity and increase your rank, which in turn further stimulates traffic to your site. Lastly, your website can have a Facebook plug-in that allows users to see which of their friends likes your page. This adds a personal element to a user’s journey, once they see that their network overlaps with yours!
Quick Tip for Facebook
Set up a Quiz or Poll to add an interactive element to your page. This will get your customers involved and remind them of your company. It will also provide you with useful information as to what your clients like. To do this, search for the “Poll” application in the search bar. Then activate the App. Once on the App page, click on “Create a Poll” in the top right-hand corner. Fill in the fields and you’re done!