Facebook has been, and continues to be, the top social media site in terms of number of active users. The average age of Facebook users in the United States is 40.5. Also, 65% of users are above the age of 35. Facebook is also beginning to age along with its users, having only 10% of users under the age of 17. Therefore, Facebook is the main source of social media that your clients will use. This makes understanding how to utilize Facebook extremely important.
Set-Up
One of the most important aspects of any marketing plan is to lay a great foundation. If you haven’t already made a Facebook for your company, you can do so by logging in to your personal Facebook account and adding a company page. Next, you’ll need to make sure that you present your company as best as you can; ensure that your profile photo, cover photo, description, contact information, and any other information is accurately written and consistently updated. Setting up an account properly is one of the simplest ways you can utilize Facebook to reach your target audience.
M&O offers a program called Secure Your Social, which includes dozens of tutorial videos on social media. These videos will help you get your social media accounts up and running. If you want access to Secure Your Social, email [email protected]. These video tutorials walk you through a variety of different actions, including, creating a business page, setting up messaging, and adding an events tab.
Algorithm
Facebook, similar to any other social media platform, utilizes an algorithm that boosts certain posts over others. Any post made by a company is less likely to show up on someone’s timeline over a post made by one of their friends. With the average number of Facebook friends being 338, the odds that your post shows up is pretty low.
One trick to move past this algorithm is to post a Facebook Story. Stories are permanently attached to the top of the Facebook timeline. Therefore, they are not impacted by the Facebook algorithm at all. Utilize Facebook Stories to draw in engagement from new and existing clients to your page. Stories are intended to be light-hearted and fun. Fill your Stories with original content and not as much information-sharing. Posting a story with a question or a photo/video of an event at your office will work great for this.
What Time of Day?
Another important aspect to consider is when you should be posting on Facebook. For an audience around the ages of 50 and up, one should consider when they are most likely to be viewing Facebook. The time that seems to work well for most others is between noon and 3:00 pm. Many adults in the working world check their Facebook while on their lunch break, which is often at or a little after noon. Additionally, many adults check their Facebook after work is over and throughout the night. Posting at a time when your audience is more likely to be using Facebook will increase engagement and spark conversations between them, which helps your posts gain more visibility. Make sure to utilize Facebook at the right time for you, which can make your reach extend.
What Types of Posts?
It can be really difficult to figure out when to use what types of posts on your Facebook page. While the goal of a marketing plan is to drive sales, the goal of Facebook is to connect to others and form a larger network. No one goes on Facebook to try to buy something and no one uses Amazon to stay in touch with their family. Every application on the internet has a specific purpose. It’s important to understand that your audience’s purpose for using Facebook is not to hire a financial advisor, but instead it is to keep in touch with their families. To attract your consumer’s attention, you need to post content that is friendly, informational, and family-oriented.
There are two methods that give an outline of how much you should be posting about what kinds of topics. First, there is the 80/20 rule. This rule is very simple: 80% of what you post on Facebook should have the intention of either informing, educating, or entertaining. We recommend an even mix of the three. Then, 20% of your posts can be used to promote your services. The second method is the social media rule of thirds. One-third of your content should share ideas and stories, whether that be original content or sharing some else’s content. Another third should involve clear, personal interactions with your clients. Use the last third to promote your products.
Secure Your Social is another option for planning out posts. There you can work with content calendars to layout your schedule. In addition, find pre-made social media posts that can be used on your page and many more always being created. We will ensure your social media never runs out of content.
Conclusion
Social media posts can be hard to master, but with these tips, hopefully they can become a bit easier to manage. Eventually, you will be able to utilize Facebook easily.
Read more of M&O Marketing’s blog articles here.
Learn more about M&O Marketing here.
Sources
Facebook Marketing in 2020: How to Use Facebook for Business
Facebook Stories: Everything You Need to Know About Facebook’s Latest Feature
