Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of Facebook.
The social media mogul boasts having more monthly active users than WhatsApp (500 million), Twitter (284 million) and Instagram (200 million)… combined.
Therefore, Facebook is a powerful tool in the hands of a smart entrepreneur. A Facebook business page is free, and by creating one you’ll be able to reach millions of potential customers.
The only thing you need to know is how to use your Facebook page in the most effective way.
Here are 5 smart ways to get the most out of your Facebook business page…
#1 – Upload Videos & Put Them in Facebook Playlists
YouTube has become a powerful tool for spreading viral videos. It has extensive reach and excellent servers, allowing for easy access for anyone around the world.
Facebook has, in recent years, recognized the value of adding animated images and videos to its features list. There may be some value in uploading your videos directly to Facebook.
Videos and animated images are highly shareable and can help broaden your exposure. Adding video to your Facebook business page also helps to increase your search engine optimization (SEO) and helps potential customers find your site & services online.
Putting videos on your Facebook business page makes it easier for your customers to find what they want. It also leads them down a rabbit hole of your content — which can lead to even more shares.
#2 – Offer Exclusive Promotions To Your Facebook Followers
“Follow us on Facebook”… what does this mean to you as a business owner?
Figuring out what shows up on your followers’ pages can make you crazy. Facebook can sometimes be as confusing to businesses as it is to the average user.
These days, you need to work a little harder to get your Facebook posts to show up in your followers’ timeline.
You need to give your Facebook followers incentives to visit your page constantly, and nothing does that like exclusive offers.
Some examples of offers that keep followers coming back to your Facebook page:
- Offers that expire after 24 hours can tempt people to repeatedly check your page so they don’t miss out on a deal.
- Offers that expire after an hour, can work wonders once you’ve reached a certain threshold.
- You can even have people vote on a winning offer to further increase interactivity.
#3 – Take Advantage Of Facebook’s Entertainment Angle
It’s not only for finding old high school friends or looking up old flames. Facebook still does that today, but it’s also promoted by its users as an entertainment site.
There are numerous socially oriented Facebook games available that limit play time unless you purchase in-game time, wait until the next day, or even recruit more people to play. (Have you ever gotten a trivia crack request from a friend?)
For entrepreneurs, the idea of Facebook as an entertainment site is inspiring. You can run your own contests, thereby expanding your reach and increasing interactivity.
For example, you can hold a caption-an-image contest and reward the winner with cash or a discount on one of your products. Sometimes, you may not even need a cash incentive — just promoting the winner can be enough incentive.
#4- Interact with Other Facebook Pages
One of the most exciting things for Facebook users is to see their idol interact with other idols.
Think about Jimmy Fallon who has nearly 10,00,000 fans following his Facebook page. When Fallon posts anything about his BFF Justin Timberlake, his Facebook and Twitter accounts go wild.
Fortunately, that kind of interaction isn’t limited to celebrities. Your company Facebook page also has the ability to like and comment on posts and other pages.
This can get customers excited for future developments and spur wild-mass guessing, which leads to hype and excitement. This can also lead to new opportunities such as cross-promotion.
#5 – Celebrate Your Own Milestones
You’ve got to sell yourself. Talk about how great your business is… or no one else will!
One of the most important things you must do as an entrepreneur is to create a community. Communities make your customers feel welcome — like they’re part of something bigger.
This tends to foster customer loyalty, which translates to return business and consistent revenue. Your Facebook page can do a lot to help with that.
Here are a few ways to interact with your current and potential customers on Facebook:
- Celebrate important milestones.
- Share your joy with your followers.
- Add a pre-made call-to-action button to your Facebook page’s cover photo.
- Make sure you add non-sales content as well.
Most entrepreneurs would only celebrate with their employees, partners, and investors. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it does represent a wasted opportunity.
Make your followers feel like they’re part of the story. Without them, your business would most likely fail. Engage them with choices like “sign-up” or “buy now”.
Include socially conscious material as well — so your audience sees that your business has personality and stands for something.
Your Facebook page can be a powerful tool if utilized properly. The best part is, it’s free and that’s a sweet deal for most entrepreneurs who barely have enough capital to scrape by.
The only real risk for you as an entrepreneur is if you don’t take the time to make the most of your presence on Facebook.
Tips & Tools For Your Facebook Business Page
- How To Make A Facebook Page For Your Small Business
- Tips For Making Your Business Facebook Page Interactive
- How Can A “Like” Button Help My Business Page?
- Popular Company Facebook Pages
- Some Helpful Facebook For Business Books
I’m a health nut, a frugal mom, a dog lover, a DIYer, and a gadget girl. Personally, as a post-divorce, working single mom on a budget I have a lot of experiences that I enjoy sharing so others can learn from the things I wish I knew earlier! Professionally, I’ve worked full-time in a variety of marketing, sales, and editing jobs. You can always find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as Managing Editor at The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).
