A social media presence is essential in today’s business arena. With over 1 billion active users and 425 million mobile users, Facebook is the king of social networking.
There are so many benefits to your business when you use Facebook as a resource. In fact it is a measurement used in our SEO reports. Most importantly, you will be reaching more customers than you could ever have imagined just five years ago.
There are so many easy and exciting ways you can use Facebook as a platform to build up your small business, even if you only have limited time and resources. Facebook makes a variety of tools available absolutely free to you when you create a business page and they practically walk you through the process of utilizing them.
“Everyone you want to target as a client is there on Facebook,†explains Stephanie Lichtenstein, President and Founder of Micro Media Marketing, an international social media agency. Lichtenstein is a frequent guest on James Martell’s podcast Coffee Talk, a show for affiliate marketers. She continues by saying that Facebook is a power medium for business owners to attract new customers and prospects.
If you are concerned about finding the time to add social media to your business, rest assured it doesn’t take long. You may want to pursue online time tracking to give you an idea where you can cut back in other areas and not even notice the difference.
Where do small business owners start when they are first looking to establish a Facebook presence? While this is an up and coming SEO training topic… here are great tips to jumpstart your success.
Social Media & Facebook Business Strategies
Make a Facebook Business Page
There are a few steps to creating your page.
1. Name
You need to create a page for your business using your business name, not your personal name. If your name has already been taken by another business, you can choose a variation of your name. Facebook will even give you options. Lichtenstein suggests adding USA or CA to the end of your actual business name.
2. Images
You will be directed to upload a 200×200 square image that will include the Logo and Brand name. You also need a cover photo which is a separate graphic that includes images associated with your brand.  It’s similar to a header. You cannot post anything involving call to action on your cover photo, and that includes your phone number and website link. You also can’t refer to sales. Below the logo is the “About Me†section and that is where the link to your website goes along with all of your contact information.
3. Tabs
Tabs are extensions from your profile page, just as links are extensions to your website’s homepage.  What things can you add in tabs?
- Photos
- Menu
- Email sign-up
- Map
- Likes
- Twitter Page
Check out what you have on your website and see how you can put on a tab. Lichtenstein suggests adding a story about how you developed your business, if that is the kind of thing already on your website. Anything you can pull from the website should go here because although you will provide a link, people don’t want to leave Facebook if they don’t have to.
4. Build Your Audience
The Build Audience button is at the 2nd button at the top of the page .It allows you to invite your friends and family or email list and those users can also share the link. It’s a great way to get started and build up a couple of hundred likes.
5. Promotion
After your Facebook page looks good, you should begin promoting it in your store. Create a handout that includes a call to action for liking your business on Facebook:  Like us on facebook.com/micromediamanagement.  Include an incentive like “Receive 10% for liking our page on Facebook.†You probably already have a promotion in the store, so why not tie it in so it builds your likes? You can do the same thing by providing an incentive for writing a recommendation on your page. They are important because they become searchable on Google.
Receive Social Media Marketing Coaching
If you are interested in creating a Facebook business page but still think you could use some additional coaching, Lichtenstein is an instructor at the School of Internet Marketing. She has an introductory class that lasts six sessions and walks you through the setup process while giving you a little kick-start.
She can also help you set your page up, design your photos and decide what to add in your tabs. Additionally, she can assist you with developing a strategy with a calendar that sets out a day to day plan so that you know what to expect each day.
Take the time now to begin developing your social media marketing strategy and start with Facebook. Â It takes very little time to set up a business page, yet it allows you access to an unlimited number of potential customers.
About the Author:
Jennifer Koebele, MS Ed. is a freelance writer from Charlotte, NC. She enjoys reading and keeping up with pop culture when she’s not taking writing or taking care of her three children. She enjoys researching time management techniques on http://goaboutbusiness.com to assist in organizing her busy schedule.
