Facebook for Business

Facebook has become a platform for every small business. Monthly more than 2.27 billion users, a small business use Facebook to promote services, enhance customer support and boost recognition in various ways.

It may look difficult to use Facebook for business because the rules and algorithms of Facebook changes regularly. But Facebook is one of the great tools if we use it with the right strategies to target a particular audience via paid campaigns. It knows more about its users, and it uses this information for your benefit when you buy advertisements.

Advantages of Facebook for Business

For your company, the Facebook page has various potential advantages. Although few of these advantages are similar to having a website, the number is unique to Facebook. Below are some advantages of Facebook for business.

1. Facebook is a Low-Cost Marketing Strategy: - There are various marketing activities which would be so costly via other platforms, can be used for a fraction of the cost on Facebook. It is best for small to medium-sized enterprises with limited marketing budgets. Before committing to bigger campaigns, larger businesses may also make trial marketing concepts and themes via Facebook.

2. Share Basic Information about our Business: - We can post our business name, contact details, address, and the description of the products and services briefly on our Facebook page. We can also talk about our employee, history, or any other business aspect which might attract other users of Facebook and generate interest in what we are doing.

3. Offer Deals through Facebook Places: - By using Facebook places, we can 'check in' on our mobile phone at a specification location, so that our Facebook friends can see our location on Facebook. The Facebook Places also help to find the popular locations near where a user checks in.

We can use Facebook Places in businesses so that whenever the Facebook user checks into a street, business or neighborhood then they obtain a list of nearby businesses which offer deals like loyalty rewards, freebies, discounts, etc.

The pages that are listed in the category set up as an organization and company or local business can add a location.

4. Raise Brand Awareness and Promote Positive Word-of-Mouth: - We can raise the profile of our business on Facebook by cheering the potential and existing clients to click on the 'Like' button on our Facebook page. If customers like our page, they will get all our updates on their wall where their friends will also see them. It supports to build our business awareness and connect our friends to our brand. If the customers want to post any message regarding our product and services, then they can also post, and share on their walls so that their friend can also see.

5. Target Advertising: - There are Millions of users who enter their profiles, and Facebook can analyze all this information. As a business page owner, this information can be used to deliver targeted advertising to a particular group.

6. Provide Customer Support: - The customers can post the after-sales queries on their Facebook walls, and our staff can answer the user's questions. This is more convenient than telephone calls responses by staff, and enables other customers to read common questions and answers without contacting us personally.

7. Facebook can Steer Traffic to Your Website: - We can use our Facebook page to include a link to our website. Certainly, various company report that Facebook's most significant advantage is the additional traffic it is steering to the site. Website visitors may be exposed to strong marketing messages and frequently an option to purchase goods and services.

The customers who come from Facebook to our website are more interested than the average customers as they already know various thigs about our business and have been motivated to click on the link of the website.

8. Talk to Existing and Potential Customers: - By posting and receiving the message, you can use Facebook to 'talk' with existing and potential customers. But do not use Facebook to promote your goods and services violently. If you share your business information which is truly interesting or useful to the other user, then you will get more success. It will help you to promote your business and enhance your reliability by developing a long-term relationship with another users. For example; when some health problems rise such as summer ticks then the veterinarian may post some tips for the pet care.

You should listen as much as you speak as well. By paying attention to various things such as what the market thinks about your business, your marketing campaign, your industry or product will give valuable insights.

9. Share Pictures and Videos from Your Business: - Along with allowing you to post text, you can also upload the pictures and videos from your business. It is a great way to interact with the customers without visiting your premises, permitting them to see your product and services. You can also tag photos on Facebook to show whether there is a Facebook friend in them. You can use this to promote business. For example; the operator of the tour may upload the pictures on their group page going whitewater rafting and then tag the images of the participants in the photo you invite every participant. The images which are tagged will appear like an update on the Facebook account of the participant. And the friends of the participates can also see this. This enhances your picture interest level and your business.

Suppose you want to tag the pictures sensibly. It may be question of privacy and most of the Facebook users are sensitive about being tagged in photos. So due to this issue, it will be good if before tagging you ask the participants.

10.Create Mobile Content: - The 80 percent time of social media is spent on the mobile device which means that most of the time your Facebook page and ads are seen on the mobile phones and tablets of the customers. And must be accessible easily in such formats. It also means that for the content of your mobile marketing, your Facebook page is more essential, significantly when you cannot optimize the mobile functioning of your website or create emails which are mobile-friendly. Users do not like more to spend time fiddling with desktop-format email or websites on their phones than opening Facebook and using your business page to find the information they require.

11. Competitor Research: - The analytics of Facebook may truly make a difference whenever you want to increase a competitive edge. With the help of Facebook, you can identify what your competitors are doing on Facebook, because it is created to foster community among individuals. For more information on how your competitors are doing. To reach your audience, you can find more convenient and effective ways, covering the needs of your customers and addressing problems which arise in your market or industry that your competitors have not.

12. Effective Communication Channel: - If your company is rooted in this sort of one-to-one customer engagement, pin posts to the top of your timeline will be the best way to keep your base active. Most of the time, the customers will visit your Facebook page to find your company's stance on a specific issue, or in general, they are excited to learn more about your company.

A pinned post can meet various needs, form general inquires to the real-time issues, but its primary use is to serve as a focused communication channel. You can respond to the questions of your customers, address issues across the company or announce sales, or purchasing issues.

Disadvantages of Facebook for Business

There are various disadvantages of Facebook for Business:

1. Time Consumption: - Using a Facebook page as a part of your digital strategy will take a great deal of time if done correctly. Along with watching out for bad comments, any questions or helpful suggestions posted by the customers should be answered promptly by the business. Since Facebook run 24/7 so posts can accumulate fast. If the Facebook engagement of business is increased, an employee may also need to be strict towards social media. For most of the companies, this might not be realistic, making it inappropriate to properly manage Facebook pages.

2. It is Difficult to Engage with Facebook Users Who do not Like or Comment: - There is a requirement which is created by the Facebook where people really necessarily subscribe to the updates of the page so that they keep getting the updates if they cannot engage with the page regularly. When the users are counted34 as the audience of the page, then they can also unsubscribe or unfollow from the posts, it means your feeds of the promotion will be hidden on their newsfeed. Sometimes this makes it challenging to know if you are really reaching your primary client base.

3. Rates can be Quite Discouraging: - Most of the businesses with their Facebook for Business presence have enormous conversion rates, the average advertising conversion rate hovers around 1 percent, which is 50 percent lower than the other available online advertising options. It means the brand promotion. It means the specific brand promotion cost cannot be worth the value of conversations it receives.

4. Negative Content: - In theory, communicating with your customers over Facebook seems like so friendly, but most of the people might use his/her Facebook page as a place to post aggressive comments or spam. Anyone can make false accusations about your business to see anyone on your page. It means you have to regularly monitor your business Facebook page, ideally checking every single post. You have to deal with these issues speedily because you will never know how many people have seen bad and aggressive comments on the page, and link that memory means the bad comments with your business.

5. Advertising is Based on Bid Mechani`sms: - Whenever you buy ads on Facebook, you pay according to the CPM (Cost per Impression) or CPC (Cost per Click). The minimum CPM is $.02. Generally, Facebook will suggest you that bid higher than this during the ad's creation pricing phase. If the bid of other advertisers is more than your bid, then their ads will be appearing more. This poses a disadvantage for small businesses and nice advertisers.

6. Sometimes ads Which Look Like they are Targeted Actually go to the Wrong Demographic: - As other marketing strategy, Facebook for Business is not 100 percent perfect. We can place an ad which is intended for those users who are residing in Miami, FL and people will access to add list Miami, OH as the location of their advanced education. It simply means that the monitoring of advertising must take place regularly in order to ensure that appropriate demographics are reached, but if in a profile, incorrect data is placed, then nothing can be done to stop it.

7. All of your Posts are Public Posts: - The business pages are not providing the same indulgence in managing who can access their posts as personal profile page. Every post is public posts on the business page. If someone likes your page, then he/she will also be visible to the public that can expose people to the possibilities of identity theft is anyone is meticulous enough to follow the data trail. Unless managed appropriately, it could potentially expose the possibility of litigation for a business.

8. It is Difficult to Determine if a Profile Engaging with your Business is Real or Fake: - The Facebook has started to clamp down on the profiles of the users which do not appear to be real. Few of Facebook users are locked out until they do not give the proof to Facebook that their name is genuine, not fake. Nevertheless, creating a fake name that seems real is sufficient to fool the automatic screens, so that without consequence spamming, or trolling can occur.

9. Lack of Control: - Even though via Facebook, we use a marketing service, but we are not in control of that service. Because Facebook is medium through which we are promoting ourself, we subject to the several changes in the privacy policy, changes in rules and some other measures that appear to be in constant flux. Facebook can remove our business page without our permission if Facebook feels that it breaches its terms of services.

10.Subscription: - If anyone 'like' your page that does not mean that they will also see all your updates in their Facebook news feed. In an attempt to provide users with more controls over their Facebook experience, the social networking site enables users to unsubscribe from a page's updates. If from your updates of the page, the users unsubscribe then all your news feed will be hidden from their news feed so only if they visit your page actively, then they will see your posts. It is tough to calculate how many peoples in their news feeds view your posts, so you cannot measure the impressions accurately.

11.Marketing Skills: - There are some marketing skills that you and your team member require to develop and are capable of creating attractive content which is beneficial for your business requirements.

12. Business Groups are Difficult to Create on Facebook: - On Facebook, people are more concerned about their home life or their social life than their professional life. It means people do not wish to communicate online about business unless there are products and services which can enhance tier home or social life in some mode. If you are a B2B expert, then making Facebook for Business work for you can be very difficult.

Top 10 Ways to Use Facebook to Promote your Business for Free

The top 10 ways to use Facebook to promote your business for free are:

1. Join Facebook Groups: - When people start thinking about online networking, they first think of LinkedIn, even though Facebook groups offer professionals a similar opportunity. There are numerous groups on Facebook dedicated to different industries, interests, professions, etc. By using a personal account, we can also join colleagues' groups and the groups where we will likely find our target audience. If your contribution to the conversations happening in these groups will be more, then your name will also be recognized more- and synonymous with industry expertise and leadership. The only thing here is not to see; our discussion is never to come in the form of the sales. The fastest mode to close this possible stream of leads and links is to begin promoting your business rather than offering genuine ideas and advice.

On the basis of the different keywords, we can also customize our search for groups, and based on your profile Facebook also makes recommendations.

2. Create a Personal Business Presence Using a Fan Page: - The main strength of social media marketing is the ability to make connections among businesses and their audience. On social media, the person-to-person relationship makes consumers feel that they have found and a brand in an expressive way. Now, they have a good relationship with that business. Accordingly, you can think how intense this feeling is when the customer is not only interacting with the "brand" but with the person who is behind that brand.

Based on your personal social media habit, you may or may not have a personal Facebook account.

Once you do this and wish to keep your profile private, then the Facebook will also enable you to create a page for your professional and public person. Otherwise, with the help of your personal profile, you can communicate with the customers.

3. List your Events: - Make the page of an event and invite friends and people within the groups in which you are. Even you can also see how may RSVPs there are and receive feedback from the participants.

4. Create your Own Group: - If you cannot find the group on Facebook, which fits exactly what you are searching for, then build your own group. In this group, you can add members, hold discussions, publish papers, and possibly meet several prospects. The central fact is that you are the group's owner and handling the interactions which makes you automatically gain a position of industry leadership in your members' eyes that will be only useful when they realize that they require a product and service which you offer.

5. Syndicate your Blog: - We can also automate the task if we know that we are not able to remember or find the time to share the post of the company blog weekly on our Facebook profile or page. We can do this by using various tools from simple WordPress plugins to the digital marketing software suites, which can publish every new blog post to our Facebook page automatically.

6. Create a Community: - One of the significant benefits of Facebook, is that by using Facebook we can make a community. It offers you a bunch of peoples who are continuously connected with you and able to hear your message. Authentically linked with the peoples such as responding on their comment, writing on their walls, introducing people to each other and conversing in groups. Before you understand it, you must have to build a friends' community who are friendly to you and your business and free for all.

We all know that these days Facebook marketing is Pay-to-play, but still, it is also about making connections and sharing your knowledge with others. You only need to know the appropriate tactics so that you can continue it for free.

7. Ask your Network to Share Blog Posts: - Talking about posting the blog of your company on your personal profile or page, you must also ask to your current clients, staff, partners and even your family and personal staff to share the posts of your company on their personal Facebook profiles also. It is known as cross-pollination,

8. Stream Live Video with Facebook Live: - Due to the unpredictability of live video, the immediacy and intimacy of the live video create the sense for your viewers that they are getting a glimpse of the real you and encouraging them to stick them in for a longer view than a normal video.

9. Maintain a Robust Brand Presence: - While it is true that without paying attention on the Facebook posts of the company, it will most likely not appear in the news feeds of your audience, and it does not mean that you stop posting the posts on the brand's page. In today's scenario, Facebook is being used like a search engine in order to find the more information about the company, means necessary information such as operating hours and contact details, or what the customers perception is about them. The great way to show that your clients are not only happy, but they are excited, a robust active page which is full of regular posts and huge engagement of the customers tells.

10. Reach Out: - If you are admired by anybody's work, then reach them on Facebook! Most of the people frequently check their Facebook message more than their email. And they also reply to Facebook messages. Always make sure you post as your business not your personal account when posting to different pages.

How your Business can Avoid Pitfalls on Facebook

Just like other marketing strategies, Facebook also has many potential pitfalls for inexperienced or unwary users. You can avoid these with a little thought:

1. Failing to update your page
2. Not responding to the customer
3. Wasted time
4. Being absent from Facebook

1. Failing to Update your Page: - If due to any issue, you are not able to update your Facebook business page frequently, then you must not have one. If you setup a page and get friends, but then you do not interact with them, then due to that you will actually decrease consumer confidence in your business. It is just like a situation where you invite your friends to a get-together at your house, and then you are fading to show yourself. Regularly post and try to show your clients that you are interested, reliable and present. If due to any reason you want to close your page then do not forget to send a message to your friends regarding the closing of your page and thank them for their previous support.

2. Not Responding to the Customers: - When you start interacting with the other Facebook users, there you have no control over their conversation. Few of your clients could use Facebook to:

• Complain about your business
• Comment on your business
• Ask questions related to your product and services.

There are various things which are so important:

• If there is any complaint, then respond it quickly whether it is to apologies, provide a solution, etc.
• Reply to any comment in a way such as give simple thanks for the compliment of the customer, demonstrates that you are listening and polite and makes feel your customers recognized and valued.
• Answers each users' question fast because this help to show strong pre-sales and after- sales service and builds your status as reliable and credible.

If you left the comments and questions of the customers unanswered, then they think you do not care or worry about them. If the complaints of the customers are left unanswered then it can turn into adverse advertising which can harm your brand. Always try to respond promptly so that your conversations on Facebook are managed efficiently.

3. Wasted Time: - Although Facebook is free to use, keeping your page updated takes time. If your marketing lacks attention, you can waste a huge time and see very low returns. You have to develop a strong goal to know what you wish to achieve from your page. You should also have an efficient strategy that can handle your presence on Facebook and fulfil your other demands of running your business.

4. Being Absent from Facebook: - As there are various possible hazards in using Facebook, there are also hazards in not having a Facebook page, particularly in the case if you are having a high-profile business. No matter whether your business is discussed negatively or positively on Facebook, but you have participated in each conversation. If you create your Facebook page, then it will provide you with the chance to promote your business positively.

Tips for Successful Marketing Through Facebook

There are various tips for successful marketing through Facebook:

1. Encourage Comments and Reply Quickly: - Boost other users of Facebook to respond to your posts or post their own comments related to your business or a subject which interests you and them. Whenever they post anything to respond to them as soon as possible. If you are failing to respond the post of the customers, then it will weaken the willingness of your Facebook friends to engage with you, and they will slowly go away.

2. Do not Use Facebook for the Hard Sell: - For the people, Facebook is a fun social app where they can chat with their friends, view photos and videos and calm. You have to become the part of the community and join conversations instead of being an outsider of the business who is violently trying to sell.

The Hard-sell strategies like frequently posting about a specific product or service, giving product and price lists in isolation from any associated conversation. Due to that other users 'unfollowing' you. They can also post some bad comments about your business.

3. Create a Human Voice for your Business: - The users of Facebook are interested in interact with other people- not for an impersonal business. The person who handles your Facebook should be capable of writing in a voice that sounds likeable and real, use a style appropriate to your business. They should also be allowed to express things in their own words, not in the jargon 'official line' of the company.

4. Use Picture and Videos: - The main elements of Facebook's appeal are photos and videos. Regularly use them in order to keep your friend entertained and engaged. For example:

• The builder or an architect may post the pictures of the house under renovation.
• The cloth retailer can post the images of its new stock.
• The personal trainer can post the vides of instructions like how to do a specific exercise.

Get interactive with deals, survey, competitions, games, etc. People like Facebook when there is fun on Facebook and if it offers something which the people cannot get any other method.

According to the research, the discounts and giveaways both are the customer's primary popular reason to follow the Facebook page of the business. You can also use games and contests to live up your page. We can also use Facebook to distribute the surveys of the client. When you do this, always remember that your survey should be short, and give the link of the survey, which allows user to easily click, avoid or share with their friends.

5. Promote your Facebook Page: - If we have a Facebook page, then we can promote it all over our business so that our social media work like more traditional methods of marketing. On your website, business card and letterhead, in advertising, in store, and in your email signature, give your Facebook address.

6. Use Facebook Insights to Learn More About your Customers: - With the help of Facebook insights, we can find out more about those people who want to like our page. If we know about the characteristics of our Facebook friends, we can tailor our proposals and posts to fit our interests and needs.

7. Nurture your Relationship: - To establish a good connection with other users of Facebook take time, so be patient. Honestly engage in conversations, offer helpful content and establish rewards for the customers who are trustworthy.

8. Have a Clear Goal and Strategy: - It is essential to have a clear objective for using Facebook, and tactics to achieve that objective. For Example; If a tea shop takes a decision that its objective is to enhance the sales generated by the Facebook by 20% in the upcoming 6 months. Their strategy could comprise:

• Boost customers to post their photos of a tea enjoyed by them.
• Using a special day feature, creating a post every day, a coupon code is used to track sales on Facebook.

If you setup an objective and tactics, then it provides you with the direction for your Facebook Marketing, and it is meant to calculate your success.

9. Post Regularly: - Unlike online media like web pages, or traditional marketing like magazines, television, social media is often built around updates.

According to the Australian research, more than 25 times a week the users of the Facebook checks their profile, and they want to see that you publish a new post on a regular basis.