![]() You may think, “I’m too busy to manage social media for my business”. However, the key to successful inbound marketing is to find out where your audience is and increase your visibility there. Therefore, with over 1.7 billion users logging on daily, you can’t afford not to be on Facebook. THE BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING Interactive communication with your audience The beauty of social media is that it provides the opportunity to communicate directly with your audience. It’s the “social” in social media that allows for conversations to take place. For instance you may post an image that is of particular interest to your audience and ask them to share their personal experience or thoughts on the topic. Widespread Visibility Social media is a key strategy for any inbound marketing campaign. Consistently posting a variety of content that speaks to your audience’s needs and interests will enhance awareness and engagement for your business exponentially over time. Enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) One of the key goals when posting content on Facebook and other social media sites is to drive traffic back to your website. By posting fresh content on your site (blog posts, sale items, etc.) and sharing links to that content on social, you will drive more traffic and visitors to your site which in turn will enhance your ranking with Google. Simple as that. Increased leads and subscribers Your website is your home base. It’s where you are able to convert visitors into qualified leads, and leads into customers. By occasionally posting offers to intriguing, valuable, original content (video series, ‘how-to’, article, eBook, etc.) that require an email address for access, you will increase your leads and subscribers and gain permission to stay in contact with them via email. EFFECTIVE FACEBOOK MARKETING TACTICS Business Page vs. Personal Profile One of the main reasons you shouldn’t use a personal profile page to promote your business is that it goes against Facebook’s Terms of Service. However, you can share your business page posts on your personal profile for even greater visibility. However, a Facebook Business Page provides the ability to increase audience reach by creating advertisements that target more people than just friends of your friends. With a Business Page, you can actually get feedback and monitor analytics for your page to determine the preferences of your audience and how many likes and shares your page and posts are generating. Ads and Boosted Posts When it starts getting hard to pierce through the noise of your competition, Facebook offers your business page away to boost your posts’ visibility. You can distribute boosted posts to potential clients based on demographics and interests. You can also choose who to target based on age, gender, location, and interest. Facebook Ads provide a powerful marketing tool that uses enhanced targeting criteria to reach a specific, focused audience. With a straightforward interface, you have complete control over your advertisements. Overall, Facebook Ads are much less expensive than traditional forms of advertising, with greater visibility to those who are more likely to be interested in what you have to offer. Live Video Videos are known to garner a stronger engagement rate from audiences. That’s why Facebook Live has been so popular since it launched, simple posts may not always be enough. That’s why Facebook has designed Live videos to work a little differently, built to boost more visibility to audiences. The authenticity of live videos allows you to connect on a deeper level with your audience and interact with them in real-time. Building anticipation for the event through teasers and offering rewards encourages more subscribers. A compelling title and description title will help the event stand out among others. While it should appear to be unrehearsed and unscripted, it’s a good idea to know what you’re going to talk about ahead of time and limit the length of your video to prevent ramblings and hold the attention of your viewers. To create a more compelling video, utilize the front and rear-facing camera to both showcase and give a behind-the-scenes look into your business. Acknowledge the audience every so often either by answering questions and comments while shooting the video. The Benefits of Groups Facebook groups are communities of like-minded people who come together to share ideas and interests. Reach out to new customers and make new connections by joining groups related to your business or create your own group. Engaging with group members by offering help and support will provide visibility and help establish you as a thought leader in the industry. Mobile vs. Desktop In this era of users on the go, mobile has become the primary medium for accessing social media newsfeeds. Keep this in mind when creating image and video content, and follow Facebook’s guidelines regarding resolution, file size & dimensions. BUILDING THE PERFECT POST Create and Share Stand-Out Content One of the first goals for content posts on Facebook is to always be creative and address the interests of your audience. Remember, you are competing with family, friends, and competitors for attention and should strive to break through the noise of the other posts and content that constantly flow through the audience’s news feeds. Attention Grabbing Headlines Grabbing the audience’s attention is the first step in getting them to read your content. Create headlines with “thumb-stopping” action to make viewers want to pause and read the post or watch a video. Titles need to be descriptive, but it should be short and simple so don’t go overboard. When posting content that links to a blog, video, or an article, add engaging quotes from the linked content to draw in audience interest. Emotional Connections Draw in audiences by evoking sentiment, by making them laugh, or by contributing positively to their day. Creating an emotional connection is a great way to create impact and help your posts stand out. Timing & Scheduling Posts Timing is everything, and the right timing is important to ensure your audiences are even going to see your content. It’s a good idea to avoid hours when your audiences might be asleep or at work. Even if you can’t always be around to post content, there are sites like Hootsite and Buffer that allow you to schedule posts and publish them for you automatically. GOALS & MEASURING SUCCESS Setting specific goals as related to key performance indicators such as increased number of fans, engagement (likes, comments & shares), conversions (subscribers, clicks, sales, etc.) and then measureing the success of each post and ad through the use of FB insights, google analytics and reports available through social media scheduling tools such as Hootsuite or Bufferapp, will clearly define the topics, posts and type of content that best resonates with your audience. This final step with ultimately make your efforts worthwhile because without a clear understanding of what’s working and what’s not, there can be no true success. GUEST AUTHOR: LARISSA HOLMES Larissa is a graduate of the University of Findlay with a degree in English & Equestrian Studies, and served as a summer intern with Equine Office Solutions. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: 5 Tips to Creating an Unbeatable Facebook Ad Campaign https://blog.kissmetrics.com/unbeatable-facebook-ad-campaign/ 10 Little-Known Facebook Marketing Features and Hacks You Can Try Today https://blog.bufferapp.com/10-hidden-facebook-marketing-features Success Stories | Facebook Marketing Partners https://www.facebook.com/business/success 8 Reasons Facebook Will Beat All Other Digital Marketing Channels https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/286441 Facebook Video for Marketers: Strategy for Future Success http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/facebook-video-for-marketers-strategy-for-future-success-jay-baer/ 5 Benefits of Using Facebook Live Video http://www.business2community.com/facebook/5-benefits-using-facebook-live-video-01773422#vZ86GkOMcMwCTbOL.97 Five Crucial Tips for a Successful Boost Post on Facebook https://komarketing.com/blog/tips-for-successful-facebook-boost-posts Tips for Using Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/best-practices/live Facebook Live – What Marketers Need to Know http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/facebook-live-what-marketers-need-to-know How to Choose Between Facebook Profiles, Pages, and Groups http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/marketing-your-business-on-facebook-how-to-choose-between-profiles-pages-and-groups
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