When it comes to identifying and establishing your brand online, the list is never ending. You have to consider social media, email, community, and then, of course, the actual product or service you’re selling. Gone are the days of “give us a call for more information.” In the age of Facebook, it’s all about engagement, interactions, and immediacy.
There are a few steadfast things you have to keep in mind with everyone’s favorite platform, but you’re probably already doing them anyway … right? Right? Just to be sure, here are some really easy Facebook tips to keep in mind while boosting your social media presence for your brand. Good luck.
1. USE IMAGES IN EVERY POST
Okay this isn’t actually that hard because … guess what … almost everything you see online is a combination of imagery and text. So whether you’re visually inclined or not, that’s just the landscape on which you’re working. And chances are that most times, it significantly improves your experience and actual enjoyment of whatever it is you’re taking in.
Facebook is no different. Make sure you choose images that not only speak to what you’re trying to promote, but that they do so in a way that isn’t necessarily obvious, but maybe more abstract. So if you’ve got a post that’s promoting great deals for your new food delivery service, instead of including an image of someone counting money or dollar signs, think of the actual product and the experience that you’re selling, and try to showcase it in a way that’s visually appealing. Like, a rustic backdrop for an avocado that’s sliced open, or a bowl of strawberries on a colorful wooden table. Make sure your images are optimized for both desktop and mobile – and use this cheat sheet for image specs related specifically to Facebook.
2. IF YOU HAVE A SPECIAL OR OFFER, PROMOTE IT
Always use your social media channels to let your customers know that something different is going on. Facebook has a great function, known as Offers. It allows small businesses the opportunity to create tiny bits of content that pop up in news feeds, with an image and text that signifies the special offer that you’re trying to promote. Users who interact with them have the opportunity to like, comment, and share, so it functions very much like anything else that you would see on the platform.
Alternatively, you can use Facebook Ads which allows you the freedom of choosing the audience that you’d like to reach. Your reach with an ad on Facebook is significant, and you’ll be able to direct users to all the means necessary to engage with your business – whether it’s your online store, the app, or a place where more content is stored, ads can help your business target the right customers.
3. SHARE YOUR OWN STUFF
There are great sites for sharing things that inspire you. Tumblr, Twitter, and even Instagram, are all terrific examples. They work brilliantly for sharing the good stuff you’re sending out on the interwebs, as well as for content that other people are putting out.
Facebook isn’t quite like that, at least for a smaller business. You might not want to consider sharing other people’s content so much as focusing on your own, at least on this platform.
Facebook should be used primarily for promoting your branded content and showcasing what you want people to see and understand about your brand.
4. JUMP ON TRENDS
If you’re looking for inspiration as to what to publish on Facebook, think about trends and holidays. If you’re a greeting card company, consider upcoming seasons and what that might mean for customers. Cater your content to that. Quirky nationwide holidays are also a fun and easy way to create posts that will appeal to the masses, while possibly giving people some factoids to walk away with. But if a holiday is coming up in September, be sure to plan ahead, especially since your users will need to buy now, so to speak (depending on what it is that you’re selling.)
Also, never underestimate the power of the hashtag. Use hashtags to jump on trends, news events (if appropriate), holidays, and strange holidays … like National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. One hashtag on the right day can really get you noticed.
5. THERE’S A TIME AND PLACE FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE
Although there’s been some recent changes to its platform (like ‘Response Time’ rates), Facebook doesn’t really lend itself to handling customer service challenges all that well. It’s difficult to engage with people who actually have questions and concerns, and no one should be “getting into it” with a disgruntled customer on your page, for all of your fans to see.
Customer Service issues are better solved in a more private manner. In a hypothetical situation, in which someone writes something unflattering on your wall, your best bet would be to Hide it (as the button itself suggests).
When it comes to site or product issues, however, you should respond with, “We’re looking into it, please feel free to email me directly…” or put them in touch with your support team if you have one. Be sure to apologize, but don’t instantly take full responsibility, as you’ll have to research the issue more before saying more.
And, if your website is having technical difficulties, be sure to post the issue on Facebook asap (before you start receiving commentary from your customers on your wall). People will appreciate the heads up, and there’s comfort in knowing someone is on top of the issue. And, then, of course, alert them when the site is back up and running.
6. PROOFREAD!
Just because you’re not a copywriter doesn’t mean you’re exempt from reading over whatever you post. It’s really easy to get things mixed up on social media, especially since the platform on which you’re creating and posting content can be pretty distracting.
Read things over twice before posting, read it out loud, and, if you missed anything, Facebook’s got an edit feature which will allow you to go back and make changes to your post.
7. PROPERLY ENGAGE
Facebook provides a great landscape for engagement. And contests a great way to fill up that landscape. They not only get people to share and participate, but they also attract followers who might wish to partake in future contests.
Caption contests, photo challenges, even just posing fun questions can be a fun option for your brand and fans. These opportunities will bring people back, making your content more likely to be seen when it’s not something that’s directly correlated with bringing in specific engagement – or selling your product or services.
These are just a few starter tips & tricks to help you get your footing while navigating Facebook. There’s a lot more you can do to improve on what you already have, and we’ll be sharing more Facebook focused tips like these in the future, so stay tuned!
Check out a lightbox we made of images that would work well for social media. And, if you’re looking for royalty-free photos or vectors for your projects, sign up for Bigstock’s 7-day Free Trial. You’ll be able to download up to 35 free images. Get started today!
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