Why? Facebook has more than 2 billion active monthly users. Regardless of where your business is located or what you sell, the chances are excellent that a solid majority of your customers and potential customers have Facebook accounts.
The issue that keeps coming up is that many of the local businesses that have Facebook pages aren’t making the most of them. They might look okay on the surface but, in short, they’re not getting the job done.
Fortunately, there are some easy fixes you can make to turn your Facebook page into a powerhouse. Here’s what you need to know.
Choose a Recognizable Profile Picture
The most obvious option is to use either your company logo or your picture for your profile. The former makes sense if you have a business with a recognizable logo or one where people don’t automatically associate you with your business.
Use a photograph if you’re a freelancer or the kind of business owner who’s front and center of every transaction.
Either way, make sure your profile pic is the right size. You can find the details in Facebook’s guide, here.
Add a Compelling Cover Photo
A lot of local businesses use an image of their storefront or the interior of their business as a cover photo. Others use a group photo of their staff – something that makes sense for a service-oriented business.
Make sure to use the proper dimensions for your photographs. Facebook changes the dimensions frequently – you can double check here.
Minimize Admin Access to Your Page
If you decide to delegate social media responsibilities to employees, make sure that you:
- Provide proper training about the type of content to be posted, your social media strategy, and the “voice” you want to use in your posts.
- Make the parameters of their responsibilities clear.
- Lay out the process for dealing with negative comments and complaints.
- Limit access to one or two trusted employees at most.
Add a Call to Action Button
In recent years, Facebook has added Call to Action Buttons for Business Pages. The button appears on the right side of your Facebook Business Page just underneath your cover photo. Some of the options available include:
- Call Now
- Book Now
- Learn More
- Watch Video
- Sign Up
Don’t Neglect Your “About” Section
You should make sure to at least include your full business name, address, telephone number, hours, and the URL of your website. You should also consider optimizing the section that’s most likely to sell people on your business. For example, you might:
- Provide a detailed company history
- Explain your key product’s genesis and uses
- Share your mission statement and company values
Check Your Metrics
The best way to use Facebook Insights is to track your engagement. I recommend focusing on:
- The times of day most people see your posts
- The kinds of content that get the most engagement
Using that information, you can then create a content strategy that will allow you to get the maximum organic reach for your content.
Promote Your Content
Either way, the only way to be sure that your content is seen by your followers is to promote it. I don’t recommend doing that with everything you post. But, if you’re sharing something important – like an event or a new product launch – it makes sense to drop a bit of money and promote your content.
Facebook marketing is like anything else – you get out of it what you put into it. Your Facebook Business Page is where it all starts. Use the tips here to get the most from your page and turn your Facebook marketing into the powerhouse it should be.