Through the advent of new social media platforms and the fluctuation of digital trends, Facebook’s identity as a top social outlet has remained constant. One report in the third quarter of 2022 recorded 1.98 billion daily active Facebook users, a number that has consistently increased for more than a decade.
Facebook helps business owners build awareness and rapport with audiences, creating a pathway for followers to become dedicated supporters and brand ambassadors. If you want to get the most out of Facebook, here are a few important best practices to keep in mind.
Be Responsive
Comments, reactions, and direct messages allow businesses to interact directly with their audiences. By opening the flow of communication, you can create a strong reputation and make people feel valued – which results in a higher level of trust in your organization. One Facebook study found that 66% of people feel more confident in brands that allow them to send messages.
Responsiveness is crucial to an effective messaging strategy. If you make a habit of getting back to messages within a few hours, Facebook will reward you with a “Very Responsive to Messages” badge, which shows your followers you’re dedicated to answering their questions and meeting their needs. You can use automated messages for general replies or after-hours messages, but you should also be intentional about engaging with customers personally to maintain a positive reputation.
Engage with Other Pages & Groups
Build awareness by liking, commenting, and interacting with various groups and pages. Join local groups in your community or relevant groups within your industry to see what dominates others’ conversations – and jump in with your thoughts and ideas to make your voice heard.
You can also tag entities your business works closely with, whether it’s a partner company or a non-profit organization you support. This widens your potential audience and increases sharing opportunities. Similarly, focus on sharing other pages’ content to your page; it will help you build a rapport with other organizations in your industry or community.
Post Compelling Visual Content
Even if your content is engaging and interesting to your audience, no one will take a second look if you don’t grab their attention with a good image or video first. One study found that photo posts on Facebook account for 87% of total interactions. Consider the images you use on social media – are they enough to intrigue your audience? Are they quality photos, or just quick shots taken on an iPhone? Building a library of compelling photos will help you generate more likes and comments, which will result in your post reaching a wider audience.
Use Analytics to Understand Your Audience
Facebook offers a wealth of information on both your page data and your audience demographics. Audience Insights allows you to see the types of people who engage most with your page so you can create content that continues to resonate. Demographics include location, gender, age ranges, interests, and more. Page Insights provides analytics exclusive to your page, enabling you to determine which posts have been most compelling. With this information, you can develop a library of posts that, based on past data, are sure to engage your audience. Facebook’s analytics tools also prepare you to develop effective ads.
Take Advantage of Facebook Advertising
Once you’ve generated a buzz around your page, you can start investing in Facebook ads to increase awareness. The first step is boosting a post. This consists of choosing a post you’ve already made and spending money to reach more people. With Facebook’s tools, you can target specific age groups, genders, locations, and more – depending on who you think will resonate most with your message. Use Facebook analytics to determine the best demographics.
Once you’re comfortable with boosting posts, you can create campaigns in Facebook Ads Manager. The platform enables you to promote events, content, or even new products or services – all within Facebook. You can set a campaign target (link clicks, page likes, etc.) and a budget, then create ads with various photos and messages. When your campaign is up and running, you’ll have a diverse set of ads designed to connect to specific audiences you’ve created.
If you’ve already started your own business – or if you have dreams of starting one someday – it’s important to build a foundational knowledge of digital marketing best practices. Facebook is one of many tools that can jump-start your success. For more entrepreneurial tips, read this advice from two IWU alumni who successfully launched their own digital platform.