For those of you who still haven’t heard, Facebook is a serious marketplace for small business owners who mean business. Reports historically saw Mark Zuckerberg & Co. surpass the predictions of Wall Street for revenue from ads among other things. This much you might already know, since we all see ads on our beloved Facebook news feeds all the time.
What you might not have known is that Facebook also declares that there are more than 60 million Facebook business pages. That accounts for roughly one quarter of SMBs worldwide. Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg announced the number of SMBs to signal a shift in focus for the social media hegemon. Facebook is looking to make their platform as profitable to small businesses as possible.
You may have already noticed the “Boost Post” button which allows for sponsored advertising on Facebook for reasonable fees. Following that feature, you can expect to see a lot more tools targeted at small businesses and their Facebook usage.
That said, I’m sure you are gearing up and preparing your Facebook page to boost your business. Not so fast! You should carefully review the following list of mistakes to avoid before reaping the benefits social media has to offer the business you built.
Not Being Anal About Analytics
Much like investing in a hobby or going to the gym, your ROI will be significantly more attractive if you are tracking your progress. Growing a business using Facebook is hardly any different. Facebook offers valuable insights into which of your posts are performing better and when. It can also provide a general idea of how your page is faring.
If you’re looking for a more in-depth analysis to track your progress or if you would like to replicate the success of another Facebook page you admire, I would highly recommend Fan Page Karma as an option.
Making a Profile, Not a Page
This one might seem easy enough, but there are those amongst us who have yet to look deeply inside the pandora's box we like to call Facebook. For those of you who do not know the difference between the two, or do not care about the difference, I will be concise. Profile = Personal, Page = Public.
This separation is key because; firstly, on a profile the user does not have access to the analytics mentioned above. Secondly, you want people to like your page, not to respond to friend requests. You are trying to grow a business and not trying find new guests for Thanksgiving Dinner. If you happen to meet a client who ends up becoming a friend that is fantastic, but try to represent business first in the world of Facebook.
Being an Over-Poster
This is as important as it is abstract. There’s no direct rule about this and especially since I write this article with the interests of small businesses in mind, the frequency of effective posting may vary. One business might need one post every two days and the other may need six posts in one day. However, the general rule of thumb and certainly a good place to start is posting once or twice per day.
Hubspot, a trusted authority in the realm of inbound marketing did research which found that companies with substantial social media clout were posting between 30-60 times a month. If you start at this frequency, ceteris paribus, you should see an upturn in activity on your page.
Under-Posting
Following the same principles stated above, you want your posting frequency to be right in the golden middle. The same way over-posting can lead to the dilution of your content and a growing disinterest, so too can under-posting, ultimately causing damage to your page. If you forget to post, then people forget you.
Posting on Facebook can sometimes be tedious and easily overlooked (it has happened to me more than I would like to admit since my boss will probably read this). However, to solve this problem there is the Facebook post scheduler. There are also more comprehensive tools which can be used to schedule social media posts well in advance across multiple channels, either simultaneously or at different times.
Being Unreliable
Not answering messages, binge posting and then going silent, ignoring comments and questions - these are all behaviors to be avoided. Imagine you had someone running the front desk of your business and you saw similar erratic customer service from this person. I have a feeling they would not be employed by you much longer.
The same goes for your Facebook. If your website and ecommerce is your storefront, the Facebook platform becomes your front desk. Try to post at similar times, similar amounts with a common goal in mind when posting. This should give your fans and clients an identity that they can grow to trust through familiarity. This is the face of your brand!
Not Getting To Know Your Consumer
The purpose of the analytics tools for posts is not simply to boost revenue. Such tools provide you with precious insight about your consumers' preferences, which when utilized correctly, can lead to a more sustainable boost in revenues for years to come. Facebook and other social media platforms afford you the opportunity to keep your finger on the pulse of your consumers. This is part of the magic that Facebook offers up for small businesses and those who are just getting started.
Your posts are not only about pushing advertisements on your page for free, but provide you with the chance to interact with your consumers en masse and personally at the same time. Some useful things effective businesses do with their page is posting relevant information the client would like to know. For instance, if you are running a food service then you know your consumers want food. Give them recipes! Give and ye shall receive.
Be a Bore
Every business is competing for their piece of the pie, using similar methods during their efforts that can make them seem indistinguishable at times. There are many different kinds of content you can put out: info-graphics, memes, videos, statuses, pictures, podcasts and more. It’s important to give a consistent feed of content that you already know your consumer will appreciate, but mix it up a little. Don’t be afraid to try new forms of content, you may just find something that works better for you. At the very least you will have given your Facebook fans a chance to say “Hey, this is new”.
As an idea, the quick-recipe food videos would seem ideal to post as they have taken Facebook by storm. However, if you work in the food industry, maybe posting a written recipe with a quality picture might be more useful to the consumer. So make sure you are mixing up that content.
Let Your Emotions Get The Best Of You
It happened once that someone wrote on a Facebook page I managed. The comment was not too flattering, it was essentially calling us a bunch of liars. We understood right away that the disgruntled Facebook user was not actually upset at us, but an entirely different company with a similar name. I initially got flustered, but someone much wiser than myself explained to me that we do not mention any mix up and we do not chastise this person for their mistake. He simply told me to kill it with kindness.
I responded with as much sweetness and professionalism as I could muster. Lo and behold, it was definitely the right choice. It might sound small, but it was one of the most important lessons I learned in social media marketing. Be nice no matter what, karma works faster on the internet.
Not Utilizing Targeting For Ads
Once upon a time, quality advertising came in the forms of radio, television and print. While you might be able to figure out that an ad for car parts would do well in a magazine for car enthusiasts, social media marketing takes it a step further. You can now pinpoint exactly the kind of consumer you think would benefit from your work. You can put in a good number of interests and top it off with locations you think will best suit your needs.
You have some level of control in making sure your ads are in the right news feeds at the right time. Squander this resource at your own risk.
Be a Clown
I read a book by a great mind, his name was David Ogilvy. There was a part in that book where he was warning readers about the perils of being silly as a means to get consumers to like them. He was explaining how it is important to let your personality shine through, but at the same time avoid being a clown. He went on to quote Claude Hopkins, “People don’t buy from clowns”. Unless you’re selling smiles and balloon animals, then I tend to agree.
Three simple rules that help me try and walk this thin line are:
1) Facebook attitude should be "business first"
2) What would your family think of your post?
3) Posts are for your consumers benefit, not your ego.
Be nice and be funny, but don’t lose the respect of your consumers. They dictate the bottom line.
I’ll see you online!