A few years back when Mark Zuckerberg came up with his
concept of a social networking site and named it Facebook, he had no idea what
it would become in the time to come. Facebook has quite literally
revolutionized the way we look at social networking. With over 700 million
active users, it is definitely the biggest platform you can get if you seek to
engage with many people simultaneously. Though Facebook is the premier social
networking platform, it also holds a lot of potential for businesses. The fact
that it can help businesses in growing and reaching out to a new customer base
has added to its popularity.
Today when you look at Facebook and the groups or fan pages
that exist on the site, you will find that every popular brand is there. They
are not only there but are active on almost a daily basis. For the present
generation, who spend a lot more time on the internet than on the TV, brands
needed to change their approach. Facebook provides the best possible solution
in this scenario. However, it is not only the big brands that make the full use
of Facebook’s social media power. Even small businesses can benefit greatly if
they make optimal use of the various features that Facebook has to offer.
Why Use Facebook for Your Business?
When you start your business, many things have to be taken
into account. Amongst the tons of seemingly more important things, you might
question the need for using Facebook. Often people end up feeling that it is
too trivial a task and can be accomplished at any time. Here are some reasons
why you should have your presence on a social networking giant like Facebook
and take it very seriously.
Customer Interaction: Having your business on Facebook
through a fan page or a group is a great way to learn more about your
customers. Through comments or posts, you get to have direct feedback and
conversations with your target audience. The people who like your fan page or
join your group are only there because they want to be. They are there to know
what they can about you and you can do the same thing.
Give a personal touch to your business: Being well
connected is important for any business, especially for a small one. You need
to be able to communicate with people and grow your contacts. The best possible
way to do that is through direct involvement. Facebook allows you to give your
business an image and then you can actually have live conversations with
people who matter, making it a more personal experience then what you get on a
TV.
Develop a loyal fan base: Facebook allows you to develop
your very own community. All you need to do is post links and content that is
both relevant and useful. You can even have promotional campaigns and contests
through your page and offer incentives as well. If done correctly, you will
find that you can develop a loyal community for your business on Facebook.
SEO: Search Engine Optimization is a key aspect for
anyone who wants to build a significant presence on the web. Having a Facebook
page for your business can help you in your SEO efforts as well. All the links
and posts on the page are indexed by search engines. So having a page flowing
with continuous relevant content will definitely give you a jump in search
engine rankings.
Beat your competition: One of the biggest reasons for
you to make sure that you are on Facebook is that your competition might
already be there. In this cut-throat environment, lagging behind will make it
really hard for your business to succeed.
Viral promotion: If someone ends up liking your page
then it appears in their news feed. This makes it possible for your business to
be in their eyes on a regular basis through status updates or content posting.
What’s more, if they comment on your post, their friends will also see your
post and this will help in the viral promotion of your business.
Facebook Ads: Your business at Facebook is not just
limited to a fan page or a group. Facebook also offers you a chance to put up
advertising campaigns. You can build your advertisements, and as per your
budget requirements, go for a campaign suitable for your business. You can also
choose the set of people to whom these ads will be visible. You can target your
ads on the basis of demographics, educational level, interests etc. It is also
up to you to decide how often these ads will appear.
Save money: Apart from these facts, Facebook is free.
You do not need to spend anything for promoting your company through a Facebook
page. Facebook already has people addicted to it. This means you do not have to
look for customers – they are already there.
How to Make the Best Use of Facebook?
Many people feel that simply having a page or a group on
Facebook is enough to help their company. It cannot be further from the truth.
In fact, if you are not going to use it properly, then it can be more
disadvantageous than not being on Facebook.
Make sure that you do not leave your page or group after a
few days. It reduces participation and gives your business a bad name. Do not
spam through your pages, it is the simplest way to lose customers. Make sure
that your fans and members are rewarded for being there. You could give them
free coupons via Facebook or something similar.
Facebook has really changed the way people go about
promoting their business. With so many people with varied interests available
on a single platform, there is something for everyone. All you need to do is
find the right target audience and then market your business to them. Facebook
provides you all the tools required to reach these people.
(Articles Source- www.imarketingfactory.com)
