6 tips for SMB Facebook pages

Posted on Monday September 10, 2018

Facebook isn't worth over $480 billion because people use it for just selfies and political rants. Businesses of all sizes and from all industries are using it to attract and engage customers, and yours should too. Aside from purchasing targeted advertisements, there are a host of free strategies to generate business with your SMB's Facebook page.

Focus on getting comments

In the beginning of 2018, Facebook announced broad changes to what it shows to users. Notably, the social platform now prioritizes posts from friends and family over those from businesses. Zuckerberg says the aim is for users to engage with their connections more often, and going forward, the number of comments a post has will be the biggest factor in how many newsfeeds it shows up in. Posts from businesses lost a lot of visibility, but the ones that generated the most conversation weren't hit as hard.

Facebook-only promos

Another great strategy for boosting user engagement is to offer product or service discounts that are only available through Facebook. You want users to see value in your page, so avoid copying and pasting a special, such as a discount code, from another marketing channel. One popular option is to promise the release of a new promotion in your next live video broadcast. Announce the details during the broadcast and tell viewers to leave a comment if they want to be included. Then, you can send them a direct message with a confirmation and a thank you.

Facebook CTAs: Update them often

Businesses have several text options for the 'call to action' button on their Facebook page. Would 'Contact Us' get more clicks than 'Learn More' for your page? Experiment with the different options and where they link to until you find the most successful combination. You probably spent more than a few minutes working on the CTAs for your website - why wouldn't you do the same on Facebook?

Don't just post about yourself

If a user has already liked your page, they know you exist and they have a decent idea of what you sell. Occasionally take a break from posting links to your site and include news and information that relates to your products or services. Remember, Facebook places the most value on social posts, and limiting yourself to company updates and promotions will bore your followers.

Pin posts to the top of your page

When a post generates lots of engagement and holds users' attentions for a long time, don't let it get buried underneath less popular posts. Click the arrow in the upper-right corner of the post and select Pin to Top to make it one of the first things people see when they visit your page.

Be personal Most importantly, always look for ways to make your company's Facebook page more personal. Stiff and formal posts are a dime a dozen and rarely catch anyone's attention. If you share fun, behind-the-scenes photos of your business, respond to comments in a conversational tone, and make jokes, your page will stand out from the rest.

A Facebook business profile may be free, but generating engagement will take some effort. We can help by installing and supporting communication and customer relationship management solutions that simplify the engagement process. Contact us today to find out more.