5 Keys To Making Your Business Thrive on FacebookMaking Facebook work for your business is mostly a matter of experimenting diligently.
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Over the years, Facebook has been viewed as one of the most confusing platforms for businesses to navigate but it doesn't have to be that way. Facebook pages can be a powerful tool for driving sales, generating leads, starting conversations and listening to the market without spending big on sophisticated software.
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AtKlooff, we realized the potential of Facebook as a community-building tool, growing our fan base to over 1.2 million "likes' in just a few months. Here are five keys we follow to maintain a successful Facebook Page for our business.
1. Share quality content.Facebook pages are all about content, so take advantage of the variety of rich media formats available, such as large images, full web links and videos. Ask yourself if the post sparks an emotion that would make you want to share it. Let your gut reaction be the judge.
Users want genuine, quality content. Steer away from promoting your product or brand directly, as people will notice and 'unlike' your page.Create a calendar with important dates and take advantage of special holidays or national events such as the Super Bowl, Christmas, the Oscars, etc. Connect your posts to these themes.
2. Post like a pro.A winning content strategy is what you post andhowyou post. Use captions that bring out your brand's personality, tone and voice. Draw out the viewer's emotion. Make it unpredictable, funny or even controversial but make it worth commenting on.
Use hashtags with flair. When it comes to hashtags, don't worry about SEO or making the post relevant by over-tagging with boring words. Use hilarious tags that make people want to comment or share. Delete spam immediately. Always protect the quality of the community by diligently monitoring spam, especially in the comments and on your Facebook wall.
Related:How to Build a Killer Facebook Page for Your Retail Company
3. When and how to post.Your audience should feel like your site is managed by a team of professionals. Be consistent. Start with one post a day. You will gradually increase your user base. The most passionate fans will stay. They are valuable for your brand but don't ignore new followers by catering only to the former.
Schedule your posts. Facebook allows for scheduling so when you can't be near a computer to post, it automatically does it for you. The Facebook mobile manager allows you to monitor and comment whenever you need to be away from the computer. Use it.
4. Engage with fans.Once you've gathered Facebook fans, you must maintain and grow their attention levels. Know your audience. Make sure you know to whom you're talking. Monitor gender, location and age of your audience to maximize the effect of each post. Facebook allows you to target posts depending on these factors.
Reward engaged fans by commenting back or "liking' fans' comments. People appreciate being acknowledged. Tagging their names when you respond to comments is also an extra boost. Always answer private messages. Chances are, you'll get tons of messages flooding your inbox. Pay attention to these. Sometimes they'll help you discover great content.
5. Test constantly.We learn the most important lessons by doing. Experiment and measure the results. Managing a successful Facebook Page is an iterative process. Get creative. Don't be afraid to try new tactics.
Your Facebook page is a perfect environment to try new ways to engage your community. Test different formats, types of content, length of captions, number of hashtags, amount of links, etc. Tracking results is essential. Facebook offers a great Insights dashboard where you can analyze the most important metrics, like post effectiveness and demographic information.
You don't have to be a social media expert to optimize your Facebook page. Stick to these five keys and Facebook will become a valuable resource for your business. We'd love to hear other strategies you've used—let us know in the comments!
Related:Why It Might Be Time to Ditch Your Facebook Strategy
