How to benefit by Marketing with Facebook

I get this question all the time – Facebook is so personal – how can I use it for my business?  The answer – Facebook Pages.

Facebook Pages differ from a regular Facebook profile in many ways:

  • Facebook Pages are ranked in Google and other Search Engines
  • Pages are for Branding your business
  • Page Fans get notified when you update your page
  • Tabs can be customized and linked to directly
  • Facebook Pages allows for Event Posting
  • Applications will pull in your Blog via a Feed
  • Add a Fan Box to your Blog/Website

Facebook Profiles and Pages get ranked by Search Engines

Why not take advantage of this fact?  When someone searches for your business name(they may be doing research on your business before making a purchase) you need to be in control of what they find.  If someone has ever made a negative comment about your business it will likely be served up by a search engine on a silver platter for your prospective new customer to read.  You can take control of this and BURY any negative comments about your business with positive items like a Facebook Page for your business. If someone was to search my name on Google I control the entire first page and most of the 2nd page with content posted by me.  Facebook Pages can get you started in the right direction by controlling the information on the Internet for your brand.

FaceBook Pages get your business ranked by Google

Facebook Pages are for Branding

You can include brand information for your business through images, videos, photo albums, portfolios, etc.  You can also set what tab is the default view when someone finds your page.  I don’t want someone to see the Wall first – I would rather they see my Blog that is imported via an RSS feed first.  Facebook Pages can help to get Brand recognition for your business – if you use these features.

Fans Fans Fans…

Fans is where the gold is.  Getting Fans for your Business Page is like getting a captive audience – if you use the feature.  A Page without Fans is like having a business on a deserted island.  It may look pretty but what use is it really?  Your Fans get notified when new content goes up on your Page.  The more often you update your page the more often your fan base will get your updates and you will be in front of your audience.  This falls right back to brand recognition – the more you are in front of your audience the more your business will come to mind when they need your product or service.

Facebook Pages Tabs: Customize to Promote Your Unique Selling Points

The Page Tabs can be customized – reordered and personalized through Applications to suite your business and its needs.  I have one Tab dedicated to my Blog (default for visitors), my business websites and contact information in another, a web portfolio in another, business videos in another.  Make the tab system work for you and extend your brand and promote what makes your business unique.  Tabs  also have unique url’s.  If you have a tab for a special event in your business you can promote that specific tab to people that click on the promotion link to go right to the correct tab.

Events: Get better attendance for your business events

Facebook Pages allows you to publicize your business events and invite all your Fans (did I mention you need Fans?) to your events.  Are you hosting a Webinar, Speaking in public about your business, having a Teleconference, or any other business event?  Facebook has 175 million members.  Do you think that is a large enough member base to get better attendance for any of your events?  Did I mention FaceBook Pages are listed in Google?  This is a way to get your events on the search Engines.  Do you think that might help your attendance?

FaceBook Pages will integrate with your BlogFaceBook Pages Blog Badge

Get more mileage out of every Blog post by using the RSS feed to pull your blog into your Facebook Page.  This will update your Page as often as you update your Blog – and notify all your Fans of the update.  This gets your Page updated with no more effort and will get your articles more exposure (did I say FB has 175 million members?)  I have my Blog Tab set to be the first item visitors to my Page sees.

Include Facebook Pages on your Blog

It is very easy to put a “Fan Box” into the sidebar of your Blog.  This invites your Blog visitors to become Fans of your Page and it also puts a stream of your Facebook Page onto your Blog.  (Did I say more results with the same effort?)

I really like the idea of doing less and getting more.  By using Facebook Pages as a tool for your business you will get more milage out of everything that you do Online.  People ask how I have the time to be “everywhere” online – now you know part of my secret – Tools and integration.

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