10 Facebook page basics that every business should know
Facebook is such an important business tool for companies. As the biggest social network in the world, it gives you the chance to reach and connect with both current and potential customers. That connection on Facebook is driven by quality content, which is something we know all about here at Content OD.
But there are some basics that all business owners should know about if they are to have an effective Facebook page. If your business is new to Facebook or struggling to make it work, these are the things that we always say to clients before we start developing content for them.
1. Complete your page
It might seem obvious, but so many businesses forget to add and upload information to every part of their company Facebook page. That includes a well-cropped profile picture at the correct sizing, an engaging cover image and a clear description of what your company does.
2. Update your Facebook URL
When you create your Facebook page, it will automatically get a unique identifier in its URL. They look like this and are pretty ugly and impossible to remember: facebook.com/YourPageName-123456789. You can solve that problem by changing your URL to something that's better for your business, ideally your company name.
3. Add a call to action button
It's okay getting people to read and view your content, but what do you want them to do next? Most of the time, you will likely want to send people to your website or even to a specific product. Thankfully, Facebook allows you to add a simple call to action button to your page. Make sure you don't forget.
4. Publish consistently
When resources are tight, finding time to publish content on Facebook can be tough. However, consistently is the key to success. Your posts are more likely to reach the right people if you publish content 3–5 times a week, rather than three updates in one day and then nothing for a month.
5. Make it multimedia
Text-based posts are great and perfectly appropriate in some circumstances. But data shows that people engage best with images and videos. Your customers want a visual experience so your content needs to offer a range of multimedia. Make sure you factor that into any content you produce.
6. Use subtitles on videos
Video is huge on Facebook these days. More and more brands are turning to video as a way to engage with customers online. But did you know that, according to an article by Digiday, up to 85% of videos on Facebook are watched without sound? That means any video content that you create must have subtitles.
7. Read the terms and conditions
You may have scrolled through your Facebook timeline and seen like and share-based competitions. Did you know that these are actually against Facebook's guidelines? It's important that you understand exactly what you can and can't do on your business Facebook page – there can be consequences!
8. Post on Fridays!
According to research carried out by Adobe, people are more likely to engage with Facebook content on a Friday. People are in a good mood and looking forward to the weekend, so it's no surprise, but handy to know all the same. In general, it's a good idea to build content around when your customers are most active.
9. Check your analytics
For each Facebook page, there's an analytics dashboard. You can learn useful information about the people who follow your page, including their age, where they are from and when they are online. You can use this data to tailor the type of content you create and when you publish it to your Facebook page.
10. Talk to customers
Remember that social media is a two-way conversation. Your customers are able to comment on the content you publish and contact you directly through Facebook's messaging system. They will expect you to respond. Be clear about whose job that is in your company and make sure they are equipped to deal with questions.
Need some help?
There is so much more to know and master when it comes to managing an engaging Facebook page or campaign. The good news is that we've been helping clients do just that for many years and we are always happy to help. If you have any questions or an exciting challenge you think we can get our teeth into, just get in touch.
Photo by Tim Bennett on Unsplash