Facebook can be an endless sea of convoluted updates and comments for you and may seem difficult to keep up with. However, if you have some simple items in place, management can be a lot easier. Here are a few strategies for optimizing your Facebook page for branding your business.
1. Upload your logo or part of your logo. I say “part of your logo” because sometimes your first initial or caricature can stand alone. SEOMoz, for instance, has only a photo of their Moz robot as their thumbnail. This really helps with branding because you’re dictating to the consumer what to associate with your name. If you have a long explanatory slogan, people might not read it. Consider dropping that from the Facebook brand page image. Keep it nice and clean–appealing to the consumer when he/she first sees it.
2. Utilize plug-ins. Do you have an awesome company blog? Don’e be afraid to show that bad boy off by RSSing in the feed onto a new Facebook page tab labeled “Blog” or “Insights.” You can use tabs to create separate landing pages for a contest your company is promoting, for instance. You can use this page’s unique URL to send visitors right where they need to go instead of sending them to your Facebook Wall page and having to rely on them to find it (this never happens).
3. Always respond to comments–even if it’s not a question. Say thanks, ask questions. People are more apt to share photos or stories or recommendations with a business page that is well-managed. Always answer complaints, too. Don’t delete bad comments-you will only look as if you’re avoiding the problem. Address it head-on and you’re likely to turn a disgruntled customer into a fan again.
4. Use consistent brand messaging across all social platforms. Don’t have different people with different opinions managing the brand page on Facebook and Twitter and Google+. You want your audience to get to know your brand’s “personality,” whether it’s humorous or informational.
5. Use your tools. Facebook has a wealth of information on its Insights page. Use this to your advantage. Find out how many people are talking about your brand, who is sharing information about your brand, the demographics of people interacting with your brand, etc. Use these metrics to inform your marketing strategies later. Have you seen a spike in 20-something men “liking” your page? Talk about things that are relevant to them (and you) for better engagement.
6. Use Facebook PPC if it’s in the budget. This is a great way to promote your brand and Facebook page. It can be especially helpful if you’re running specials or a contest. People will often sign-up to receive email updates or a newsletter for the chance to win something (just don’t bombard their inboxes or you’re going to lose them!).
7. Update A LOT. This doesn’t mean silly “fill in the blank” updates twice a day. I mean dig in. Research what’s going on in your industry or community. Talk to other brands and other people about what’s important to them. Don’t be so self-serving. It will all come around positively in the end. I promise.
8. Fundamentals are key. List all relevant information about your brand on the information page. This seems like a no-brainer, but we see people skip these steps all of the time. List locations, business hours and phone numbers. Upload photos of your facility and reviews from Google Places and Yelp!
These are just a few quick tips to keep in mind when creating and managing your brand presence on Facebook. There are plenty of other options that involve content and video creation to propel your Facebook brand page. With the Facebook Timeline rolling out for brand pages this month, there will certainly be more.
About the Author:
Amber Evans is the Social Media Manager at Visiture in Charleston, SC. You can reach her at amber@visiture.com.
