Most of us have been guilty of at least one of these Facebook pitfalls. While these won’t necessarily make or break your business, making improvements in these key areas can boost overall Facebook page engagement, maintain loyal customers and position your small business for success with potential customers.
1. You only talk about yourself
Have you ever had a friend who can’t stop talking about himself? (You know...that friend.) It’s a major turn off to hang out with someone who is entirely self-absorbed and doesn’t listen to you.
The same thing goes for Facebook. It may be tempting to push as many promotional messages as possible since it looks like a form of free advertising. But it comes with a huge drawback: decreased engagement. The more your social content engages your ideal customers, the more likely it is that they move further along the sales cycle to produce a return.
To punish this type of Facebook user, Facebook has focused on making sure followers don't see posts if too many of them are overly promotional.
2. You don't diversify social content on your page
While we all love a great photo or meme, a
business's Facebook page needs to have more than that to keep up meaningful engagement. Pages that only share photos provide no reason for a follower to convert. They also don’t take advantage of sharing content that can move prospects further into the
buying journey toward a conversion.
Try sharing articles and information that is interesting or useful to your potential customers as well as relevant to your business. You’ll find that people respond positively when there is a healthy mix of content that meets their needs and content that is directly promotional.
3. You don't reply to messages
Followers and consumers expect to be able to contact you through your Facebook page. Even if you don’t answer messages right away, make a point of treating Facebook messages like email inquiries.
Get back to people within 1-2 business days if they ask you a question. It’s not just good social media manners; it’s good customer service.
4. You don't share useful updates about your business
You’re missing out on a way to connect with your followers on a human level if you don’t share updates on Facebook.
When your business changes its hours for upcoming holidays or hires on a new mechanic or dental hygienist, for example, make sure to keep your followers in the loop!
Current and potential customers appreciate it when they are recognized by businesses in this way. To learn more about the values of customers and more, check out this blog.
5. You expect immediate results and give up when you don't see any
Success on social media is like local search. It takes time to build and effort to maintain.
You won’t see quick results by investing in this type of marketing. But, you will grow a solid base of people and provide a valuable form of customer service in an era where customer service is the dividing line between successful and failing businesses.
6. You have duplicate or unmanaged Facebook pages
Unclaimed or duplicate Facebook pages are downright confusing. People who search for your business will not have a clear idea of which one has accurate information, making it more likely that they will move on to a competitor.
The easier you make it to find your business or information related to your business, the more likely it is that prospective clients or customers will come to you.
Fix this issue by claiming unmanaged pages and merging them with your existing page or merging duplicates.
7. You don't share content geared toward your ideal customer
I like talking to people who share my interests — like the latest indie rock album or season of House of Cards. I’m also better at working with people with whom I’ve had great conversations.
Why? Mutual respect and trust. It takes time to build those relationships, but once you do it’s a lot easier to work together.
Sharing content geared toward your ideal customer is like building a relationship based on mutual interests. Over time, the practice builds trust, keeps you top of mind and creates a dividing line between you and your competition.
Final Thoughts
Facebook is extremely important to your overall social media strategy!
While no one is perfect and mistakes happen, it's key that you understand your audience and share content that they want to see. If you need help with your strategy, be sure to check out our social media service.
Want to learn more about Facebook marketing? Check out these Facebook-related blogs: