Any business – big or small – should consider advertising on Facebook. It’s a great opportunity for a company to make online sales, get a following around the brand, create a platform where customers can discuss the products and, when done successfully, let people spread the word about your qualities.
When creating a Facebook business strategy, it’s important to think through what you want to achieve. Is your goal to make ads and drive traffic to your website – perhaps a web shop where visitors can make a purchase – or do you want to drive traffic to a Facebook fan page where visitors can “like” what you do? Many businesses benefit from both, so perhaps a combination is the best choice.
Here’s four good reasons why Facebook might be good for your business:
• Network and Build Relationships
Facebook might be more social than LinkedIn but you can have valuable relationships which could lead to business. To use an offline analogy, LinkedIn is the CBI, the IoD or The Rotary Club whereas Facebook is more like the local tennis club, the pub or even your hairdresser.
• Recruit Talent
As part of their recruitment strategy, Ernst & Young created their first Facebook group page in 2006 to connect with students interested in learning more about careers with the global company. Now 58,967 people ‘like’ the Ernst & Young’s Facebook page. In order to create a pool of the brightest talent, Ernst & Young starts an online relationship with university students, months before they graduate.
• Move up Google Rankings
Having a Facebook page for your business can increase your online visibility. A Facebook page is public so any links you put into it back to your website or blog are known as ‘do follow’ and will be picked up by search engines. By updating your page regularly with links back to your site you should move up the rankings.
• Promote an Event and Engage with Delegates
Facebook allows you to invite people to an event, post reminders and carry on discussions with delegates. You can see who is going to attend your event and those who are maybes. With so many young professionals using the social network, Facebook can be an excellent way of promoting an event to would-be delegates.
When we talk to clients about social media they usually dismiss Facebook as not being appropriate for their business. But if you are working with or targeting young professionals then you should certainly be considering Facebook as part of your marketing and communications mix. And many companies now recognise that Facebook is a good platform for engaging with the over 50s as they are the fastest growing group of users.
For more information, contact Karlien Theart at karlien@succeedgroup.co.za
This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein.