You’ve done your research. You know social media is something you need to embrace. You know Facebook is the one platform you can’t ignore. So how do you use Facebook to benefit your business?
Are there any tips to maximize your chances? You bet there are!
There are some pretty well documented guidelines that will help to build and engage your audience!
1. The 80/20 rule – the king of social media rules
80% of posts your posts should be social:
- Posts that really interest your readers and engage them in conversation.
- Think of your posts as an online conversation and you’ll be heading in the right direction.
20% should detail your products or services:
- As you shouldn’t be posting that many business topics, you will need to ensure you have a powerful call-to-action on the ones you do.
2. Write about anything that interests your audience!
Remember you are trying to start a conversation and spark interest and loyalty with your business.
- Simple is best.
- Posting questions generates high comment rates and these usually work best if they are at the end of your post.
- Fill in the blank, e.g. I love X because… also has a high comment rate.
3. Respond to your audience (even if its negative)
Try to reply as quickly as possible. Depending on the size of your organization, this can prove tricky, but the quicker you respond the better.
If you get negative comments you should still respond – they’re probably more important than the positive ones! How you resolve their issue is up to you, but normally getting in touch with the individual privately is the best way to solve whatever their grievance may be.
4. Write short posts!
Long posts are a turn-off!
- According to a recent study the best length of posts is between 0 and 40 characters. Up to 80 characters also offers a very high engagement rate.
Note that this data is based on research on retail companies in the USA.
5. Don’t post too often!
The old saying of “quality not quantity” is still the golden rule.
- 1-4 times a week is considered the optimum.
- More than this and people feel like they get inundated with your content which can lead to them ‘unliking’ your business.
6. Post when your audience isn’t busy!
The best time is when your audience aren’t going to be at work themselves.
- Typically between 7pm and 8am.
7. Build your fan base organically
Try to connect with people who will genuinely be interested in your product or service.
- Don’t ‘buy’ likes! A large fan base may make you seem more popular, but if these ‘likers’ are not actually interested in your product or service, then what is the chance they’ll engage with your posts?
Remember: social media is for socialising
People use social media to be social, not to be bombarded with adverts about products they may or may not be interested in.
Your job is to keep them feeling like they’re still in a social frame of mind – like they’re having a conversation with a friend, even though your ultimate goal is to sell them something.
And if you ever question whether this is really worth all the effort, remember the golden rule of social media marketing: Social media doesn’t make you money – it builds relationships that will hopefully bring in business in the future.
What’s your opinion on Facebook posting? I’d love to hear whether you think these guidelines work for you or if you have any other proven strategies?
And if you’d like to stay in touch and read more about my business journey, then why not subscribe to the mailing list?!?
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