You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn't heard of Facebook (or Meta as it's now called) in 2024. This social media behemoth boasts over 3.065 billion monthly active users across its family of apps like Instagram and WhatsApp. Such an extensive reach means Facebook is an essential platform for businesses aiming to connect with a vast audience.
With tools for page optimization, audience engagement, and advanced advertising, Facebook provides a suite of features to enhance business visibility and drive growth.
In this blog, we'll explore these key features and how you can use them effectively to maximize your presence on the platform. Read on if you are struggling to generate leads on Facebook.
Setting Up a Business Presence on Facebook
Whether you're a B2B or B2C company, you can find success on Facebook. There's a kind of blueprint you can follow when setting up your business on Facebook. Here's what you need to do:
Creating a Business Page (Not a Personal Profile)
Facebook started as a way for people to stay in touch with friends and family. It still is, to some extent, but if you want to promote your business, you need a different approach.
A Facebook Business Page is made explicitly for businesses. It gives you tools like Facebook's advertising platform, performance analytics, and features like appointment booking and call-to-action buttons. A personal profile doesn't have these things.
Using a personal profile for your business isn't just inconvenient - it's against Facebook's rules. It also prevents you from marketing effectively and seeing how well you're doing. So, creating a Business Page is non-negotiable.
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up a Business Page:
Thankfully, setting up a business page takes just a few simple steps:
- Log In to Facebook: Start with your personal Facebook account, which is necessary for administrative purposes.
- Navigate to Page Creation: Click the "+" icon and select "Page" to access the creation interface.
- Select Page Type and Enter Business Details: Choose "Business or Brand" and enter your business name and category (e.g., "Restaurant").
- Complete the "About" Section: Provide a business description, mission, and contact details.
- Upload Profile and Cover Photos: Use a 170 x 170 pixel profile picture and 820 x 312 pixel cover photo reflecting your brand.
- Customize Your Page: Add business address, hours, and a call-to-action button.
- Review and Publish Your Page: Ensure all information is accurate before clicking "Publish."
Congratulations! You've taken the first step. It's just the start, but you're on your way. By setting up a Business Page with these steps, you've made a professional space on Facebook that can use all the platform's features to grow your business and talk to the people you want to reach.
How to Create a Custom, Shareable URL
Let's talk about a small detail that can make a big difference in how people find you online.
A URL is the address of a specific webpage on the internet. Making a custom, shareable URL for your business page on Facebook can make your brand look better and make it easier for customers to find and remember your page.
This is what you'll use to tell people about your page both on and off Facebook.
To create a custom URL for your Facebook business page, follow these steps:
- Access Your Business Page: Log in to Facebook and go to your business page. Make sure you're an admin because only admins can make or claim a custom URL.
- Go to Page Settings: Click on "Settings" in the top right corner of your page. This will open the Page Settings menu.
- Select "Edit Page Info": In the Page Settings menu, click on "Page Info" on the left side. This section has fields for your business details, including the Page URL.
- Create a Username: Scroll to the "Username" section and click on "Create Page @Username." This username will be part of your custom URL (like facebook.com/YourBusinessName). Choose a username that matches your business name or brand, so it's consistent and easy to remember.
- Enter and Confirm Your Desired Username: Type in the username you want and check if it's available. Facebook will tell you if someone else is already using it or if it follows their rules. If it's available, click "Create Username" to finish.
- Verify and Save: Look at your chosen URL to make sure it fits your brand and is easy to remember. Click "Save Changes" to set your custom URL.
Tips for an Effective Vanity URL:
We want your URL to work well because it helps people recognize your brand and makes you look better online. To do this, first and foremost, keep it simple. Use an easy-to-spell version of your business name.
It's also best to avoid special characters. Stick to letters, numbers, and periods to make sure the URL is easy for people to use. Finally, be consistent. Try to make your URL match your other social media names to keep your brand the same everywhere.
Optimizing Your Facebook Page for Engagement
By now, your page is set up and ready to go, but there are a few more things you can do to optimize it, which will be useful for the Facebook engagement strategies we'll explain shortly.
Choosing the Perfect Facebook Cover Photo
Humans are visual creatures. The first thing a new visitor sees when they come to your Facebook page is your cover photo.
Before they read a single word of what you've written, they'll see your Facebook cover photo and quickly decide whether to interact with your page or not. So, it's crucial to choose a cover photo that stands out and shows what your brand is about.
Here are some guidelines:
- Size and Resolution: Use an image that is 820 x 312 pixels so it looks right on different devices. Make sure it's high quality (at least 72 DPI), so it doesn't look blurry.
- Visual Appeal: Pick a cover photo that shows what your brand is about and catches people's attention. Use bright colors and clear, high-quality pictures that reflect your business.
- Mobile Optimization: Make sure the important parts are in the center so they don't get cut off on mobile devices. Facebook's cover photo looks different on computers and phones, so check how it looks on both.
- Importance of Following Facebook's Image Guidelines: Following Facebook's image guidelines helps avoid problems with how your image looks or its quality.
Selecting a Recognizable Profile Picture
As we said before, images are your first impression. A team of scientists from MIT found that the human brain can process images that the eye sees in as little as 13 milliseconds.
So, it should be easy to recognize and remember right away. It's best to use your logo for your Facebook profile picture because it's easy to identify, even when it's made smaller. Also, think about brand consistency. Use a profile picture that matches your brand identity, like your company logo or a professional headshot, if you're a one-person business.
Lastly, it's best to go for simplicity like you did with the URL. Choose a clear, simple image that people can still recognize when it's small. Avoid busy designs.
Crafting a Compelling "About" Section
The best way to do marketing on Facebook is not to show up as a cold business entity but to fit in with how people use the platform. That means getting personal and writing an interesting "About" section that tells your brand's story and connects with the people you want to reach.
Some tips to keep in mind include:
- Brief and Engaging: Write a short and interesting summary of your business that highlights what you do, what makes you special, and why people should care.Use Keywords:
- Include relevant words to make it easier for people to find you and quickly understand what you offer.
We want to bring to your attention the importance of the "Short Description" Preview. The preview is the short description visible in the left-hand sidebar of your Page. It should capture what your business is all about in a few sentences. Make it compelling and informative. Since you want people to click through to learn more, it should be as intriguing as possible.
As for content, you want to include key details about your products or services, what you're trying to achieve, and something that encourages visitors to learn more or contact you.
Leveraging Facebook's Communication Tools
Now, let's remember that Facebook is a social media platform. Unlike other types of advertising, it's not a one-way street where you shout your message and hope people will respond.
It's a two-way communication tool, and that's where the real power of Facebook is. You talk and you listen. You engage.
Facebook offers a variety of communication tools for this. Businesses can use them to connect with their audience, build relationships, and get leads interested.
Using Facebook Messenger for Customer Support
This is the feature that has grown the most in popularity in recent years.
For 66% of adults online, messaging is the best way to talk to a business. It trumps both email and phone support, and people are more likely to do business with companies that offer messaging support.
One of the biggest benefits of using Messenger for business customer support is that it's convenient. It allows customers to easily talk to a business in real-time without having to leave Facebook.
Using it up for your business is easy and definitely worth it. Here's how:
- Set Up Messenger: Make sure your business page has Facebook Messenger turned on in your page settings. Create a friendly greeting message to welcome people and give clear instructions.
- Automated Responses: Use automatic replies and chatbots to handle common questions and provide quick support. This can make responses faster and ensure customers get help quickly.
- Personal Interaction: Talk to customers directly through Messenger for more personal support. Use this to answer questions, solve problems, and build relationships with your audience.
Creating Engaging Posts and Content
As with other inbound marketing strategies, the bread and butter of Facebook marketing is creating engaging posts and content that will capture the attention of your audience.
Want to learn more about inbound marketing? Check out our Guide to Using Inbound Marketing for more information!
But remember, Facebook content creation does more than just grab attention. It establishes you as an industry authority and also creates a sense of trust and reliability with your audience.
In order to have an effective strategy, you'll need to:
- Focus on Impactful Content: Instead of posting all the time, focus on making high-quality, valuable content that connects with your audience. This approach can lead to more meaningful interactions and shares.
- Engage with Your Audience: Answer comments and messages quickly to create a sense of community and show that you value your audience's input. Engaging helps more people see your posts in their News Feed.
- Monitor Performance: Regularly look at how your posts are doing using Facebook Insights. Find out which types of content get the most engagement and improve your strategy based on what you learn.
- Understand Your Audience: Look at what your audience likes and is interested in using Facebook Insights. Make sure your content fits these interests and is relevant and appealing.
- Leverage Visual Content: Use high-quality images, videos, and graphics to grab attention in the News Feed. Visual content tends to do better in terms of engagement compared to posts with just text.
Facebook Advertising: Boosting Visibility with Paid Ads
Paid ads are a whole different beast and need careful planning and budgeting to be successful. They have the potential to give you a big boost, but there's also the risk of losing money if they are not done effectively.
A PPC agency like Eternal Works can help, but we can share our advice if you want to try it yourself.
Why Facebook Ads Are Essential for Businesses:
Many businesses hesitate to run ads because of the cost and horror stories they've heard, but the truth is that they are worth it in most cases.
The money you spend is justified by the possible return on investment.
Facebook Ads let you target specific audiences based on things like age, interests, and behaviors. That means you can reach the right people at the right time and show them what they want to see.
With options to create highly customized ad campaigns, businesses can effectively drive traffic, generate leads, and increase brand awareness.
Best Practices for Setting Up Ad Campaigns:
Setting up a Facebook ad campaign is a complex process but can be boiled down into three main parts:
- Demographic Targeting: Define your audience using Facebook's targeting options to reach users based on age, gender, location, and interests. This ensures your ads are shown to those most likely to be interested in what you're selling.
- Budgeting: Set a clear budget for your ad campaigns, including daily or lifetime budgets. Keep an eye on your spending and adjust based on how well your ads are doing to get the best return on your investment.
- Ad Creative: Design eye-catching ad visuals and compelling copy. Test different ad formats and messages to see what works best with your audience.
Using Facebook's Call-to-Action Button:
You'd be surprised at just how effective CTAs (Calls to Action) are in the world of Facebook advertising. Even if you have the best ad ever, many people will say "cool" and move on without guidance on what steps you want them to take.
The CTA button on your Facebook Page can drive traffic to your website, special pages, or specific offers. It helps guide users to take the actions they want, such as buying something or signing up for a newsletter.
There are various CTA Options on the platform. Select the Facebook CTA buttons that fit your business goals and the actions you want users to take.
Strategies to Boost Engagement and Conversion
Beyond ads, there are plenty of ways you can boost engagement and increase conversions on Facebook.
Some of them are free, others cost a bit more but they all have potential depending on how you use them.
Today, we'll look at two of the most popular methods.
Running Contests and Giveaways:
Everybody loves free stuff!
Contests and giveaways get users involved by offering rewards for participating, increasing visibility and interaction with your brand. They can also help expand your reach as participants share the contest with their friends.
When structuring giveaways, clearly outline the rules, what people need to do to enter, and what they can win. Also, make sure the giveaway fits with what your audience is interested in and encourages actions that benefit your business, such as following your Page or sharing content.
Finally, you might want to learn how to use hashtags effectively on Facebook.
Leveraging User-Generated Content:
Here is one of the hottest topics in marketing right now. User-generated content is 20% more influential than any other type of media when it comes to influencing Millennials to purchase.
It works on the basis of social proof. When people see other real users using and saying good things about your products or services, they are more likely to trust and engage with your brand.
You can get more user-generated content by encouraging reviews and testimonials. Much like the CTA, you have to invite customers to share their experiences and reviews on your Facebook Page. They won't necessarily do it on their own.
It also has the added benefit of being great content. You can feature these customer reviews, testimonials, and user-generated images or videos on your Page. This not only highlights positive feedback but acts as free advertising for your brand.
Measuring Success: Facebook Insights and Analytics
Throughout your journey marketing on Facebook, you'll try certain things that work and others that don't. But you won't know the true impact until you measure and track your progress.
The best way to do so is by using data. Numbers and statistics are concrete evidence of your success or areas for improvement.
Using Facebook Insights to Track Performance:
Facebook Insights is a built-in tool that provides in-depth analytics on how your Page is doing, who your audience is, and how much they're engaging.
It's advantageous because everything you do or anything that happens on your page is automatically tracked and displayed on Insights. From the number of likes, comments, and shares to reach and engagement rate.
You'll want to focus on metrics such as post reach, engagement (likes, comments, shares), and click-through rates to see how effective your Facebook content creation and ads are.
Adjusting Your Strategy
By regularly checking your Facebook Insights, you can see what posts and ads are doing well and adjust your strategy accordingly.
For example, if you notice that video posts get more engagement than text posts, you might want to create more video content in the future.
Key Takeaways
Facebook marketing is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes. With its vast user base and diverse features, it offers unparalleled opportunities to connect with your target audience, boost brand awareness, and drive conversions.
You can take the first step today in minutes. Just start by setting up that professional Business Page with a custom URL and optimized visuals.
Remember to engage through Facebook Messenger for customer support and create high-quality, impactful content. Facebook advertising tools are another avenue to target specific audiences, set budgets, and use CTA buttons to drive traffic.
If you're looking for expert guidance in navigating the world of Facebook marketing, Eternal Works is here to help. Our team of specialists can develop a tailored strategy to maximize your Facebook presence and achieve your business goals. Get in touch with us today to start your journey to Facebook marketing success!
