16 Jan Ten Do’s and Don’ts for a Budding Brand on Facebook
Social media in general has allowed businesses to be found and to engage with customers on the web. You can use it to expand your brand or business’s online footprint and connect with others. The internet is a masterful tool that many people are using to make their purchase decisions. You must meet your audience where they are to answer their questions and aid them in their decisions.
You can use Facebook, the leading social network on the internet, specifically to help grow and expand your brand or business. It is a massive social network with more than 1 billion daily users. Facebook can help your business grow if you use it strategically. You must learn to stand out amongst other businesses and your audience’s News Feed. Here are the do’s and don’ts of using Facebook for business.
Do: Be Genuine
You must always be true to your brand or business. Now more than ever, consumers are looking for a hint of personality and humanization from companies to show that the face behind it is honest. Even if you promote or share material, that content should reflect you and your industry. Give your potential customers an accurate portrayal of what you do, which will enable them to trust you and want to do business with you.
Don’t: Always Sell
Promotion of your brand or business is good, but it should not be the bulk of your page. A recent Facebook update de-prioritized promotional posts from pages, so if that is much of your content, your fans are less likely to see it. Have a healthy mix of promotional content and genuine content and interactions with your fans.
Do: Post Frequently
According to SocialBakers, the most successful brands post on average only once a day on Facebook. Bear in mind that bigger brands have a better chance of appearing on the News Feed than small brands, so your brand or business should probably post around five times a day. Engagement rates do drop off after the first post, but not so much that you should be discouraged. To maximize reach, post strategically — between 1-4 p.m. are when published posts have the best click through and share rates.
Don’t: Spam
To do well on Facebook, you have to make nice with it. Don’t inundate your audience with too many posts, especially not click-bait or deceiving content. This is a blow to your authenticity, and it will create distrust from your current and potential customers. You want your audience to visit your page and click-through, but don’t trick them into it. Spend time creating high-quality posts that your audience will care about.
Do: Engage
Social media is all about engagement, and Facebook is no different. If you aren’t responding to questions and/or comments (yes, even the negative ones), you risk building relationships through valuable interactions with potential and promoters for your brand or business.
Don’t: Be Slow to Respond
Social media and its fast-paced nature have enabled its users to have a sense of instant gratification, especially when hearing back about a problem or concern. According to HubSpot, 42 percent of consumers that complain on social media expect a response within an hour? Ignoring them creates disappointment and anger — don’t do it.
Do: Be Recognizable
Being recognizable is important to being found and liked. Add basic, personal, contact, and work/education information to your page. You need to make sure your information and profile picture can easily be associated with your brand when people search for it. This and your “About” section will be the first places people look when they scan your page.
Don’t: Be Unavailable
Make your page searchable. The fewer clicks it takes for someone to find you and your business’s information, the higher the chance to convert them to a customer. Check your privacy settings and make your content available to your current and potential audience — this includes professional contacts as well.
Do: Create Original Content
Create content that is genuine, original, and reflects your online personality and voice. Cultivate content that will grab your audience’s attention in the right way. People will want to engage because they like you. Follow the 80-10-10 rule: 80 percent of your content should be purposeful and industry-relevant that serves others; 10 percent of your time should be for engagement; the final 10 should be for promotion and making a sale.
Don’t: Avoid Sharing
Even if you have content that you didn’t create at your disposal, don’t be afraid to share it! An article or white paper that is from a reliable source is up for grabs for you and others, if it is relevant to you and your industry. Continue to offer your audience something of value, even if it isn’t yours. It shows that you are actively listening and paying attention while not attempting to dominate the conversation.
There they are: The Ten Do’ and Don’ts.
The objective of Facebook and using it to build your brand is to stimulate engagement and provide valuable, exciting content that will capture your audience’s interest and make them want to engage with you. Tailor your language to them. Be personable and transparent. Use Facebook, but use it wisely. As the largest social media platform in most markets with more than 1 billion daily users, all eyes are on you. Give th