Facebook Marketing
A Comprehensive Guide for Business Advertising
About 10 years ago, Facebook was totally unheard of. Today, Facebook is one of the most widely used social media platforms; it has transformed lives and changed so many aspects of our lives. As of 30th June 2017, it was said that Facebook had 2.01 billion active monthly users. Of these, 62% log in to Facebook on a daily basis. In other words,
there are millions of Facebook users who visit Facebook daily either to connect with friends, read the news, share photos, and so on. Now, if you were to look at this simple fact with the lenses of a marketer, you’ll realize just how much potential there is for marketing your brand via Facebook.
You see, even Facebook has morphed or if you like evolved, from what was a private site for college students, into a global digital marketer; today Facebook marketing is right at the heart of the global financial system.
All major brands have a Facebook presence; even reputable brands like PayPal have Facebook business pages with real-time customer care representatives responding to all queries raised by the users.
That’s not all; unlike the traditional marketing methods that favoured big businesses or brands, Facebook is an equalizer. Marketing your brand via Facebook is cheaper, more efficient, and convenient for every user. I’ll explain this shortly below.
But Really, I Thought Facebook Was
Just A Social Media Platform ToSocialize And Interact?
That’s correct, Mark Zuckerberg and his Harvard educated classmates initially launched the site to help college grads to connect and interact with fellow grads, based on their attractiveness. That was back in 2003.
Today, Facebook has invested in high tech tools and technology to create a powerful marketing platform. There are over 60 million businesses that have active Facebook pages. If you are a marketer or business owner out there and have not embraced Facebook marketing 100%, then you’re already fighting a losing battle.
Why?
Because over 60% of the modern Facebook user likes checking what their friends have posted, tagging them in events they attended together, and so on. If you visit a restaurant and enjoy the best pizza with a tasty salad, chances are that you’ll want to post photos of such on Facebook for the world to see.
Okay, wait. But what if you come across a live,
wriggling worm on your salad? Or the pizza was stale and not as tasty as expected? You’ll want to vent, you’ll want to lodge a complaint, and if this fails, most people will turn to Facebook. Can you imagine that? That’s how powerful Facebook is as a platform; it can easily make or break a brand.
A single negative comment on Facebook about a brand can have huge implications. And similarly, a single positive comment or recommendation of your brand can greatly increase your sales.
Who needs Facebook marketing, what kind of businesses should use this kind of marketing?
As a digital marketer, or business owner looking to promote their brand online, there is one thing you should always remember. That online marketing is the next frontier in the word of business advertising and promotion.
As a digital marketer, or business owner looking to promote their brand online, there is one thing you should always remember. That online marketing is the next frontier in the word of business advertising and promotion.
As a digital marketer, or business owner looking to promote their brand online, there is one thing you should always remember. That online marketing is the next frontier in the word of business advertising and promotion.
As a digital marketer, or business owner looking to promote their brand online, there is one thing you should always remember. That online marketing is the next frontier in the word of business advertising and promotion.
you’ll be able to know about the different types of Facebook posts, how to create a Facebook marketing strategy, how to track results with Google analytics, how to pay for Facebook ads, and so on so forth. But first things first, let’s start with the basics.
There are 3 major ways you can market your brand on Facebook;
- Facebook Business Pages.
- Facebook Ads
- Facebook Groups
How to Create aFacebook Business Page
Visitors can choose to like the page and follow everything that goes on the page. It’s the perfect way to establish a robust social media presence. Mind you, Facebook will shut down your personal profile page if you try to use it as a business page. In order to create your own business page, go to
https://www.facebook.com/pages/create/
Once here, you’ll get 6 different categories from which to choose; Local Business or place, Company/Organization, Brand/product, Artist/Band/Celebrity, Entertainment, and Cause/community.
For every category that you pick, there are smaller subcategories that will help you create a highly customized page depending on the nature of your business. In order to open a business page on Facebook, you have to first register or login to a personal account. You’ll now be managing the business page from behind the scenes.
Your personal details or identity will not be shown on the Business page unless you wish to share such. Once you ‘Get Started’, you’ll be automatically taken to the new page.
Facebook offers tips on how to build the perfect business page. Next, get a nice profile photo to use on the page you just created. Be sure to select a high-quality photo that’s easily recognizable. It could be your logo in most cases or the slogan. If you’re a restaurant, for instance, you can use the image of a tasty, delicious meal that you sell.
Facebook offers tips on how to build the perfect business page. Next, get a nice profile photo to use on the page you just created. Be sure to select a high-quality photo that’s easily recognizable. It could be your logo in most cases or the slogan. If you’re a restaurant, for instance, you can use the image of a tasty, delicious meal that you sell.
But anyway, you can always change the profile photo afterwards. After the profile photo, get another nice image to use as the Cover Photo.
The cover photo should measure around 851×315 Pixels. You can easily drag and crop the image to capture the best parts that you want to appear.
Facebook Ads
The other method of marketing via Facebook involves the use of Facebook ads. The ads are a fantastic way of what’s known as targeted advertising.
This is whereby you create an Ad that targets a particular geographic area, different age, education levels, browsing devices, and so on so forth.
As such, you direct your traffic only where it is most likely to be needed most. Facebook users have the option of closing down Ads they don’t need, or to ‘like’ the page represented by the advertisement.
Paid Facebook advertising is especially recommendable because it helps your brand reach people who have not even visited your page; as long as they have similar interests or are in a given demographic, then these Ads will find a way of reaching them.
Facebook’s Ads Manager is easy to use and you’re able to select the audience type you wish to target. Usually, the audiences are categorized based on age, gender, current cities, past actions, devices being used to browse, and such.
Click on the “Boost” option below the unpublished post, pick the audience type, allocate a budget for the ad, and the duration you want the ad to be live. Facebook will give you an estimation of the audiences you’re likely to get with the budget you’ve allocated.
The more you’re willing to spend on the Ad, the higher the number of people you’re likely to reach. There’s an interesting thing you need to note about Facebook Ads.
The more you’re willing to spend on the Ad, the higher the number of people you’re likely to reach. There’s an interesting thing you need to note about Facebook Ads.
This is why some Ads keep coming up more often, while others pop up once and are never seen again on your tabs. Always strive to make your ad catchy and creative; Facebook has an entire clause in
https://web.facebook.com/business/learn/how-much- facebook-ads- cost?_rdc=1&_rdr
where you’re advised on how to create a creative Ad. Remember, the visitors may see the Ad but have no money at the moment to purchase what you’re offering.
But by liking the page or leaving a comment, they can easily revisit the Ad when they’re ready to make a purchase. Try and use good quality photos, videos, and concise text. The average Facebook user decides within the first 3 seconds whether an Ad is worth checking out or to be ignored.
But by liking the page or leaving a comment, they can easily revisit the Ad when they’re ready to make a purchase. Try and use good quality photos, videos, and concise text. The average Facebook user decides within the first 3 seconds whether an Ad is worth checking out or to be ignored.
Facebook Group
Facebook groups are so similar to discussion forums and threads. Only that this time, there are more features added to the pages. You can create groups that bring together like minded demographics perhaps from the same industry, or with similar interests, and such.
Facebook groups are especially recommendable for those on extremely tight advertising budgets, as they are absolutely free. Plus you can effectively manage them and interact more closely with the members.
Facebook groups are especially recommendable for those on extremely tight advertising budgets, as they are absolutely free. Plus you can effectively manage them and interact more closely with the members.
In such a group, you can post images or videos of your garage, with mechanics installing some of the parts you sell. A comment here, a like there, an inbox on the other side; there’s a constant stream of responses from members that have seen the Ad. However, you’ll have to dedicate much time to managing the group as the admin.
The best Facebook groups for marketing have admins who respond to queries in a matter of minutes or hours. That’s the only way to keep up with the visitors on the site.Facebook groups are so similar to discussion forums and threads.
The best Facebook groups for marketing have admins who respond to queries in a matter of minutes or hours. That’s the only way to keep up with the visitors on the site.Facebook groups are so similar to discussion forums and threads.
Plus you can effectively manage them and interact more closely with the members. The only challenge perhaps is that finding enough members to join the group is not always that easy. For instance, if you’re selling motor vehicle spare parts, you can form a group bringing together car enthusiasts or owners.
In such a group, you can post images or videos of your garage, with mechanics installing some of the parts you sell. A comment here, a like there, an inbox on the other side; there’s a constant stream of responses from members that have seen the Ad.
In such a group, you can post images or videos of your garage, with mechanics installing some of the parts you sell. A comment here, a like there, an inbox on the other side; there’s a constant stream of responses from members that have seen the Ad.
How To Keep YourFacebook Fans Engaged
The bitter truth is that Facebook users don’t owe you or your brand any favour; even paying for an Ad doesn’t automatically make them owe you their time. Rather, Ads and other marketing efforts are just a platform to inform the world about your brand; from there, you have to capture their attention and give them the reason to try out your brand.
Once you have a business page on Facebook, don’t bombard your followers with overly promotional content at all times. Don’t spam them with marketing and sales talk at all times. Instead, successful brands seek to inform, educate or entertain their followers, and in the process, find a way of linking their brand to that. Thus, going by the example
I gave earlier of selling vehicle spare parts, you’d need to keep your group members or followers informed, entertained, or educated.
You can share funny YouTube videos of a car with worn out tires getting stopped by police, or a faulty vehicle stalling in the middle of the road; with a catchy caption reminding your followers to avoid such predicaments, to always talk to you their car vehicle repair needs.
This would be more effective, because Facebook users, in general, don’t want to be bombarded with sales talk from A to Z; they’ll soon unfollow your page.
This would be more effective because Facebook users, in general, don’t want to be bombarded with sales talk from A to Z; they’ll soon unfollow your page.
Always respond to all comments in a polite and prompt manner, learn to respect the opinions of the visitors even if they’re against yours.
Competition and surveys
Another creative way of engaging your followers is to create competitions and surveys. For instance, ask followers to post photos of their cars in off-road conditions like muddy stretches, the photo that gets the most votes or Facebook likes gets a free car check-up at your car repair shop.
You see, such an offer would be a great way for you to inject confidence in your brand and attract many new potential customers.
You will also need to post informative content that visitors can use to make informed decisions. For instance; Tips To Ensure Your Car Tires Last Longer. Or; Things To Avoid When Picking A Car Repair Expert. With such a topic, a car owner will want to learn about the content behind the headlines.
If the content is catchy and informative to the end, plus a brief call to action for your company, chances are that they’ll want to purchase their next car tires from your shop. Do you get that cycle of reverse psychology?
The content should be in the form of URL links either to your company’s blog posts, or Website pages like About Us, Home Page, to mention a few.
Facebook influencers
We are living in very interesting times, a time when millenials and their tech savvy lifestyles are emerging as the major drivers of consumer trends. We have Facebook kings and queens who command huge followings from their peers either because they are famous, beautiful, are fashion designers, can dress well, or for whatever reason.
Major brands have rushed to take advantage of such people to help advance their brand and recommend it to their followers. We’re talking of people with thousands and thousands of active followers who comment on their every photos or post. They are called influencers.
If you sell shoes or designer clothes, you want to consider dressing up such an influencer, have them post photos donning those clothes, with a caption below; Dressed by XXXX Fashions Ltd.
Their followers will want to know about where the influencer got the apparels and in the process; they’ll end up contacting you via your Facebook business page or email. You just pay the influencer a small amount to promote your brand.
It’s only recently that a single Tweet from Kylie Jenner cost the messaging App Snapchat over $ 1 billion in losses in a single day; this should tell you how powerful influencers and public figures can be impactful on social media platforms.
Common Mistakes To Avoid With Facebook Marketing;
One of the most common questions we hear from business owners and entrepreneurs is; Dear ClickDo, I have tried opening a Facebook business page for my brand, but the results don’t seem to be shown;
what could be the problem?
And our answer is always the same; ‘Dear client, Facebook marketing entails the use of different approaches and strategies.
Kindly let’s arrange a meeting at your earliest convenience and discuss the way forward.’ Well, and it is true; the reason you’re failing in your Facebook marketing campaign could be because you’re doing something wrong
Keep it professional
once you have the Facebook business page up and running, or paid for an Ad that’s already live, you have to keep things professional. All comments and queries deserve a polite comment.
Keep it strictly business; let it be about car repair or spare parts and that alone; don’t respond to negative or irrelevant comments.
Business age is different from the personal profile
some marketers tend to confuse the two, thus posting personal or family info and hotos on a business page.
That’s wrong! Unless the images or content is related to your brand and what you’re selling, avoid personalizing the business page lest you put off your followers.
On the same note, never take comments or critiquing personally. Instead, exercise moderation and courtesy at all times.
Be consistent
building a brand takes long, it is hard work. Don’t give up along the way or halfway.
Facebook marketing should be complemented by other digital marketing efforts like blogging.
Once your Ad has gone live and is visible, some brands take ages to respond to comments including those asking very crucial questions about your location, price, payment methods, etc.
Once visitors are assured that you always respond on a timely manner and that you’re making effort to answer their queries, they’ll want to reciprocate by purchasing your product.
Keep learning
even for a reputable company like ClickDo that has been in the digital marketing arena for several years now, we still keep learning and acquainting ourselves with the latest marketing strategies and practices.
The same applies to Facebook marketing. You can’t rely on the same skills you learnt a year ago. Facebook marketing tools like Facebook ixels, Facebook Sales Funnels, and Analytical tools;
these keep getting updated constantly and you may miss out if you don’t keep learning and refreshing your skills.
Summary
Become a successful, world-class Facebook marketer today by enrolling in ClickDo Facebook marketing training. The training will be done online and is the best way to acquaint yourself with the latest online marketing practices and norms.
Become a successful, world-class Facebook marketer today by enrolling in ClickDo Facebook marketing training. The training will be done online and is the best way to acquaint yourself with the latest online marketing practices and norms.
ClickDo is a professional and reputable digital marketing company, when you learn from us you’re learning from the best. Let’s show you how Facebook marketing can change your fortunes both as a marketer and business owner; you’ll thanks us later!
