With over 3 billion monthly active users, Facebook might as well be considered its own country at this point. In fact, if it were a country, it would be the largest in the world by population.
As a small business owner, it’s likely that a decent chunk of your potential customers and existing clients are on Facebook. So, having a presence there should be a no-brainer.
While Facebook started as merely a place to connect with friends and share photos, it has evolved into a robust platform for businesses of all sizes. In 2023, Facebook’s total ad revenue hit $135 billion, up from $116 billion just a year earlier. More and more companies are realizing the power of Facebook marketing for small businesses.
In this guide, we’ll walk through 10 key tips to help you find success when marketing on Facebook for small businesses.
1. Create a Facebook Page for Your Business
First things first: You need a home base on Facebook. This is as important as creating your Facebook account! You have two main options: a group or a page. A group is like a club where members can chat and share ideas. A page is more like a digital storefront for your business.
For most small businesses, a Facebook Page will be the better fit to establish your brand’s presence and promote products or services. However, it all depends on your goals. If you want to build a community around your brand, go for a group. A page might be better if you want to showcase your products or services.
Here are some tips for optimizing your Facebook Page:
- Choose an eye-catching cover photo and profile picture that represents your brand
- Fill out key details like your address, phone number, website, and business description
- Add buttons users can click to contact you or visit your website
- Create an engaging About section that tells your brand’s story
2. Find Your Target Audience
Trying to please all 3 billion people on Facebook would be enough to make your head explode. Instead, focus on a specific group of people – your target audience. The people most likely to be interested in what you offer.
Start by creating a fictional “customer persona” for your ideal client. For a med spa, this might be a female between 30 and 45 interested in self-care and wellness. Defining this helps you shape content that will resonate with that particular demographic.
Don’t worry if you’re unsure who your target audience is. You can learn over time using Facebook’s Audience Insights tool. It’ll help you understand the demographics, interests, and behaviors of people interacting with your page.
3. Create Valuable Content
Content is the heart of any social media platform. Without it, Facebook would just be profiles and private messages. As a business, your content represents who you are and what you do. So make it count!
When creating content, think E.I.E – Educational, Inspiring or Entertaining. For example:
- Educational: A lawyer sharing tips on what to do after a car accident
- Inspiring: A restaurant showcasing a customer’s weight loss journey after switching to their healthy menu
- Entertaining: A roofing company posting funny memes about leaky roofs
You’ll want a healthy mix of informative and promotional content in an 80/20 split. Build relationships and trust with a majority of non-sales posts while sparingly promoting your offerings.
4. Promote Your Website
Facebook is great for making connections and sharing ideas. But when it comes to business, you want to show you mean business. Your website is still the number one place to do that.
Add a link to your website in your Facebook page’s bio. You can also add a call-to-action button that takes users straight to your site or a specific landing page.
For this to work, you need a well-designed website that makes you look more professional and credible. Ideally, it was created by professional web designers like those at Townsquare Interactive. If not, get in touch with us, and let’s see what we can do to improve your website.
5. Give Facebook Ads a Try
Now, this one can be tricky. You might have heard horror stories about people losing money on ads because they didn’t know what they were doing. Don’t let that scare you off!
We won’t go into extreme detail about Facebook ads for small businesses here – that topic deserves its own guide. But here’s the gist: Facebook ads let you target specific groups of people based on things like age, location, interests, and behaviors. You have control over your budget and can measure performance with clear metrics.
Before you start an ad campaign, have a clear goal in mind. Do you want more page likes? Website visits? Product sales? Your goal will help you decide what kind of ad to create.
Remember, your ads need to stand out to work. Use eye-catching images or videos, and write compelling ad copy. If it all seems overwhelming, don’t worry. The PPC Experts at Townsquare Interactive can help you maximize your ad spend.
6. Host Giveaways and Contests
Running contests is a proven way to boost engagement and brand awareness for a fraction of the cost of paid ads. One report found that contests generate 3.5 times more likes and 64% more social media comments than regular content.
Choose a prize that your target audience will love, but make sure it fits your budget. For example, an HVAC company could offer free maintenance as a small prize. But for a bigger splash, they could give away a new unit that is installed for free.
The prize should incentivize users to follow your page, share the contest post, and promote your brand to their own networks for a chance to win.
7. Use Messenger and WhatsApp for Customer Service
Let’s face it – people don’t pick up the phone like they used to. They want instant communication. By offering messaging options, you can answer questions quickly and maybe even close sales faster.
Using these tools shows customers you’re available and ready to help.
8. Be Yourself
Every brand has a unique essence and personality. Bring yours out on Facebook! Customers want to engage with the human side of businesses, not cold corporations.
Share behind-the-scenes posts of employees, funny memes, or anything that captures your brand’s culture. The tone you take depends on your industry. Lawyers and medical services might want to keep things more serious. Towing companies and restaurants can be more playful. Whatever you choose, be consistent and authentic.
At the end of the day, highlight what makes you different. Don’t blend in with the crowd.
Connect Your Facebook Marketing Efforts to Townsquare Interactive
With the right strategies and tools in place, small businesses can absolutely thrive on Facebook, even among larger players.
You don’t have to go at it alone, either.
Townsquare Interactive employs top-tier digital marketing experts who specialize in social media advertising and management tailored for small business owners. We also provide web design and SEO services, business management platform, and more to turn Facebook followers into lifelong customers.
Contact us today to discuss how we can amplify your success on Facebook!