Businesses should consider using social media marketing for its benefits and audience. Many businesses fear connecting with their customers due to lack of social media understanding. However, social media has made it easier for customers to purchase a product since most buying decisions are based on social media. Without deploying social media into your marketing plan your business is doomed to fail.

Businesses that have integrated Facebook marketing have seen the fruits. They have become the brands that everyone wants to associate with.

Below are some of the tips to help you gain insights on social media marketing through Facebook, i.e Facebook marketing 101. It is a complete guide for beginners who want to market their products or services on Facebook. We will also take you through mistakes to avoid and the best and newest strategies.

 

A.The Complete Guide On Getting Started With Facebook Marketing.

To get started, we first have to show you some few basic rules on Facebook before starting your marketing campaign. We will talk about:

• Facebook profile
• Facebook page
• Increasing engagement on your page
• Driving traffic
• Use of cover photo for branding

 

Facebook Profile vs. Facebook Page

Facebook profile vs Facebook page? Do you know the difference? If you don’t, check out the difference here.

Facebook Profile is more about you and your personal life. It is where you connect with people (friends, family and associates).Facebook Page is where you promote your brand or business.

The two depend on one another, for example, on profile you can put your picture and on the cover photo place your brand. When you mix these two aspects you are letting your audience know about your brand or business for which you need their support meanwhile you will be getting double exposure.

Points to note: On your Facebook profile do not put too much of your brand and on your Facebook page do not put too much of your personal life. To take Advantage of the double exposure you need to be active on both.

 

Using Facebook “As Profile’’ vs. “As Page’’

Keeping both profile and page is a good idea but do you know how to navigate each.

The good news is that you can switch when using Facebook.

You can comment, like other pages, share, post content and like as your page.
But you cannot post as your page on other people’s timeline.

This is a powerful tool to help you get discovered. If you post valuable content and comment on other pages as your page in your niche, you will get noticed. Be relevant not promotional as being too promotional people won’t be interested in your page anymore.

 

Branding Your Facebook Page

Branding your Facebook page is a must and requirement. Otherwise, how do you think your audience will identify you from the rest?

When your customers see your brand they will be able to identify it then and there. Therefore, build a brand that is consistent throughout your page; create a brand personality.

1. Branding your profile image

• Your profile image is a small avatar that appears when you get to comment on a post. Avoid using words it will not be seen.
• It is Advisable to use your heAdshot if it is a personal brand
• t is Advisable to use a logo or an image that represents your brand.

2. Branding your timeline cover photo

• Don’t use content that is alreAdy used by someone else (copyright-infringing)
• Be creative, original and experiment with images to see which one works best.
• It wise to use your company’s banner or theme or on your cover photo or show your ideal audience.

 

Ways on Creating your Facebook page to drive traffic

The first sight of your Facebook page is what sells you. You should create a page that entices and interests your visitors to come again and again. Create original and fresh content. Your audience is tired of seeing repeated old contented because as humans we either tend to think alike or we get tired of thinking.

Your Facebook page should have a human side of it because the users are social humans with emotions. Show your audience the team behind your products, behind the scenes moments and holiday or events. This way you are building trust with your audience; this means you will have a better engagement, sales and traffic. Remember humanity comes before brands.

When creating a Facebook page, your mind should focus on building a community of people who are interested in your niche. This people will help you get genuine likes and in the long run you will be building a long term relationship. Running to get likes will only benefit you on a short term basis. You will have many users’ likes but little or less engagement.

Make it fun at the center of your audience. Sometimes it is not about promotion but meeting your fans. Mention your fans on your Facebook page; this will increase your reach and engagement. And when you do it, your status will appear in their timeline, they will like, tag and share it with their friends. Because as humans we like to praise ourselves and standing out of the crowd. At the end of the day you will note that your updates will have more audience as it appears more often in their News Feed.

The power of social proof. People would love to hear and believe brand experience. It is your duty to give them what they want. Have testimonials posted on your wall, hold contests and trivia’s so your audience can talk about you and your brand.

Create a brand link. Include your Facebook link in the about section to your website. This way your website visitors will be driven to your Facebook page.

Make use of Facebook Insight to make you track your marketing activities. Facebook insights will help you know which posts hAd the highest engagement rate, what is the best time to post and how many people are talking about a post.

 

B. 11 proven Tactics to grow your Facebook page fan base

You know have a page and you do not know how to grow your page. Here is a complete guide on how to grow genuine fans that will support your brand all the way through.

 

1. Ask your fans on other social media to follow your Facebook Page

Your followers on other social media platforms are your number one fans. What is keeping you from asking them? If they follow you on other social media platform they will like your page too. “Why?” Because they like your content. Go ahead ask your fans on twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn to follow you on Facebook and when they will, they are assured of getting great content. So how are you going to do that?

• Twitter: Tweet your Facebook page link to your followers
• Instagram: Add your Facebook Page link to your bio
• LinkedIn Profile: Include your Facebook Page and Profile to your LinkedIn profile to your connections and group members.

 

2. Link of your Facebook Page in your email signature

We all have emails. It is the primary of communication in a personal and business level. Place your email signature as your Facebook page or profile. It is an easy way for people to know you better in the modern era of technology. You can simply Add it manually by Adding the link and a text, ‘Follow me on Facebook’’. If you want it to look more professional you can use WiseStamp tool.

Another way to share your Facebook Page or Profile in your email signature is by Adding it to your newsletter. Your website fan will not only get your content but also your link to your Facebook page or profile.

 

3. Share you link in forums and community

As a marketer you belong to many online forums and community in your niche. When creating profiles for communities and forums do not forget to Add your Facebook Page link. Remember to be actively involved in those forums or discussions. Post valuable information and useful comments that will make people rush to your profile Add you as their friend and like your page too.

 

4. Your current audience should know about your page

Your current audiences are the people whom you communicate with on daily basis regardless of the medium. Invite them to like your page or Add them as your friends. Share your link in banner Ads, events, forums, email signature, Facebook profile and business card. Let them know they can find valuable information.

 

5. Connect your Facebook page and profile

This is the process of linking your Facebook page to your profile to give you double exposure:

1. Go to the About section
2. Add the company you work for which is your Facebook page
3. Then select “I currently work here”.

The traffic that goes to your profile will go to your page too. The Advantage of this hack is wherever your Facebook profile appears your link appears too. Try searching your name in the Facebook search bar, you will see your page appears under your job title. Another Advantage is that when you comment on website that uses Facebook commenting platform, your page is linked to that page.

 

6. Add a Like Box or Button to your website

You website already has fans; the question is how are you going to drive them to your Facebook page. One of the answers will be, ‘Add a like box’ to your website. Your Facebook is just a mirror of the content in your website. Your website audience will not have to leave your website to visit your page they will just have to click the like box or button. This kind of plugin will also show pictures of your visitor’s friends who have alreAdy liked.

 

7. Interact as your page

Since Facebook as made it easier for you to switch between your Facebook profile and page what is stopping you from interacting as your page?

Comment, like other pages and share as your page. Post as your page in other pages in your niche. It will bring attention to people within your niche thus increasing your engagement rate.

 

8. Be active on Facebook groups

Join Facebook groups within your niche. Groups are very active than pages because people of the same interest discuss what is affecting them. As a social media marketer you want to engage the right audience, it is vital to join in order to increase the chances of them following you and liking your page. All you have to do is comment useful information and post valuable content.

 

9. Guest blogging

Guest blogging gives you disguised exposure. When you write for other bloggers, include your social media links to author bio or about me. Some blogs alreAdy have a like button for your Facebook page with your author bio. Traffic from the blog will be driven to your website, Facebook page and profile.

 

10. Add share buttons to your blog

Adding a share button to your blog brings double exposure to your website and your page. Your visitors will have a chance to share your best content to their social accounts while their friends will come checking for more posts in your website thus user engagement rate will increase. You can position your share button anywhere where you find fit.

 

11. Use popups to request for likes instead of emails.

Another way to ask for likes is requesting for likes instead of emails by using popup on your website. You can place is when your visitor has just began to view, viewing the page or about to leave the page.

 

C. News Feed Algorithm

Facebook News Feed algorithm also known as Edgerank was created in 2010 to choose which audiences see your posts. Before the Edgerank was born you could see every post of your followers in your feed that led to too much noise in your feed.

Edgerank enables you to see certain friends’ update:

• If you spend time communicating with them.
• If you have common friends.
• If you like, share, comment on their posts.
• If they have posted recently

The above factors are known as affinity, time decay and weight.

 

How to increase your Edgerank score for your page

 

1. Take Advantage of Trends

One of Facebook strategy is using related articles feature. This feature ranks trending topic first. Take Advantage of this and post relevant topics based on trending news.

 

2. Include photos and videos

Photos and videos engage your audience more than texts, they take a large space in your News Feed and they get more organic reach than texts.

 

3. Schedule the best time to post your content

Use your page insights to determine the best time to post in order to get maximum engagement. Page insights give information on when your fans are online and you can use the data for your marketing strategy.

 

4. Consistency is key to Facebook marketing

Be consistent in your posting. Do not post too little or too much. Posting too little means less engagement with your audience and posting to much will leAd to too much noise in your page. Use engagement rate to plan your marketing strategy.

 

5. Give your fans valuable content

Engage your fans in your post through contests, trivia, call-to action, questions, tips…. Look for fun ways to keep them entertained that will make them share, like and comment in your post. Keep in mind that not all type of interactions are equal, ‘share’ has more weight than ‘like’. Entice them to share your content and move to your website. This is where money lies.

 

6. Re-engage with your existing fans by running an Ad

This method enables your post to appear in their Facebook News Feed again

 

7. Share content from other sources to build your relationship with the original owners and their audience.

 

D.Facebook Videos and How To Use Them In Your Business

Facebook videos cannot be ignored they reap big benefits if included in your marketing plan.

Using Facebook as a video marketing tool

Upload your video directly to Facebook. Facebook videos get more stats compared to Facebook images or when uploaded in other platforms like YouTube. Facebook videos are seen in the News Feed and will play automatically when users scroll down their News Feed. If you are using a smartphone you can up Load a video via Facebook app or your Facebook email-Address.

Features

• Video metrics and insights will show you the number of time your video was video for 3 seconds or more and also the number of views at different time throughout the video. This feature assists you to know what works for your audiences and implementing change in your marketing strategy.
• The auto-play feature will enable your video to automatically play when your audience scrolls down their News Feed.
• CTA buttons can be Added during the video or at the end of the video. Examples are buy now or download now that can take your users straight to your website or sale page.
• Videos that auto-play does have sounds, users have to click in the video to see more and turn on the sound. It is prudent to include texts and catchy graphics to get the attention of your audience to turn the sound on.

 

Short or long videos

The truth is short videos are better than long videos- they get most engagement. Facebook is a social platform composed of humans, people have a tend to lose focus when subjected to long concentration on something. The ideal length of a Facebook video is 21- 30 seconds but if you really want to make a long video you can create a series of it.

Is your video shareable?

Create content that people can share it, the key to this is availing your video to the right people using the right message. The right message portrays a story that is in line with your brand and has an emotional reward to your audience. You can Add CTA button in the first few seconds to capture the attention of your audience.

The types of videos you can use in your sales funnel

• ‘Seed’ videos: are used to create brand awareness. It is where you need your story to reach as many people as possible.
• ‘Blast’ videos: are used to engage your current audience when there is product launch or a rebrand. You can use a series of videos to pass your message on.
• ‘Sustain’ videos: are used to build your brand and it uses a strong Call-To-Action to invite people to engage with your brand.

 

Facebook Video Ads

Characteristics of Facebook Video Ads

• Videos are autoplay with audio off. You have to click the video to turn on the sound
• Videos watched for 3 seconds are considered watched
• Videos must be pre-approved for an upfront buy
• Available to buy in the action marketplace

Process of creating Facebook Ad

To create a Facebook ad;

1. Go to “Create Ad’’

2. Click on “Get Video Views”

3. UploAd new or existing video

4. Wait the video to process and uploAd

5. You have an option to choose a thumbnail

6. Add a text or CTA button that will be displayed

7. Define your audience

8. Define your budget

 

E. Beginner’s Guide To Facebook Ads

Facebook keeps changing its algorithm and perhaps you grew tired of keeping up and decided to opt for Facebook’s Ads. Facebook Ads help you to increase your user engagement. But when you start using Facebook Ads don’t relax and assume Facebook will just increase your traffic, fan base and conversions. You need to put some effort for it to work and not waste your money and time.

Situations to consider when placing Facebook Ads

• To generate leads
• To increase your fan base
• To promote your product or brand
• To promote events(offline and online)
• To promote mobile application
• To drives sales (online and in-store)
• To launch a new service or product

Types of Ads you can create on Facebook

One can create an Ad based on the objectives. As a starter you can decide which objective qualifies for your marketing campaign.

Steps to choosing types of Ad

• Go to Facebook Menu
• Click on ‘Create Ads’
• Then choose the objective for your campaign

Boosting your post

If you want more people to engage in your Facebook page, you can always boost it. First you have to choose a page- if you are running more than one page- then select the post you want to promote. Later a Facebook Ad will be created from it. You get to pay for boosted post.

Depending on your marketing strategy, you can choose your type of audience using this type of Ad. You can choose your audience based on age, location, gender, interests or existing fans and their friends. The chosen audience will see the boosted post in their News Feed.

Which content to promote?

• Lead generation content – content that will build your email list-webinars, free eBooks
• Promotional content
• Rebranding campaigns, product launches and events.

 

1. Promote your page

When you are promoting your page, create good content accompanied by a good quality image that will attract Facebook users that will eventually become your fans. The main aim of promoting your page is that your targeting new fans in other ones your fans’ friends.

When you click like, image or copy on your Facebook Ad it will direct you to a landing page for conversion.

You should draft a clever and clear ‘call to action’ to meet your objectives and goals. Your call to action should change from time to meet your other objectives. Another reason is when it stays too long there will be less engagement.

 

2. Sending people to your website

This type of Ad is found on the right column of your Facebook page. To increase your conversion rates, you will need to use this type of Add to drive traffic to your website or sale page.

Every image has a unique URL, you can Add up to five images at no extra cost and you can drive traffic to different pages on your site.

 

3. Increase conversions on your website

In that section that measures your conversions, Add a snippet of code. This code helps you to keep track of conversions. The following are conversion types:

• Check-outs
• Registration
• LeAds
• Key page views
• Adds to Cart
• Other website conversion

Facebook will know who which user did perform these action through the code. It will help Facebook to target people who are like to convert. Therefore match your conversion type to your marketing strategy.

 

4. Get installs of your app

Apparently this means getting installs for your mobile application, you will need CTA (Call To Action) buttons to take your audience directly to Google Play store. You can choose:

• Book now
• Shop now
• Install now
• Play game

 

5. Increase engagement in your app

This type of Ad focuses on people who have alreAdy installed your app; you want to direct them from Facebook to your app.

 

6.Raise attendance to your event

This type of Ad focuses on finding more people to attend your event.

 

7.Get people to claim your offer

The offer appears in the News feed. You can give discounts and give always. You can only use this type of Ad if your Facebook:

• Is at least 1 month old
• Has at least 50 fans
• You cannot create an offer on some pages- community pages

 

8. Get videos views

Videos that are directly uploAded to Facebook and use features like auto-play CTA get the most organic reach. You can choose to remarket to people who have alreAdy watched or auto-play when people scroll down their News Feed. Note that videos get more reach for less money.

 

F. Core Elements of Marketing With Facebook Ads

As a social media marketer you want to run a successful campaign to reach the right people, at the right time and to use the right message. To generate the best conversions you will need to consider: planning, targeting, creative, budgets and tracking.

 

1. Planning

Before you start your campaign you must know what you want to achieve at the end. You can choose an objective in the ‘Create Ad’ on the your page menu.

 

2. Targeting

Depending on your campaign goal you can choose the type of audience you want. You can target three types of audience, core, and custom and lookalike audience.

 

3. Creatives

They are images used to highlight your Ads. Your images should have a ‘thumb’ effect to attract people. Include customized images and texts depending on your target audience.

Your images should be of quality and relevant. The link thumbnails should have 1:91:1 aspect ratio.

 

4. Bidding and budgets

A bid is a value captured for impression, action and click that people make on your Ads.

 

Bidding options

i. Optimized for action
Depending on the type of Ad, you can optimize it for a specific action. When you select this option your Ad will reach people who likely to take action. In fact the actions are the objectives. After choosing your objective you can create your audience and then create your daily budget.

Optimizing for clicks- Ads will be shown to people who are likely to click the Ad and go to your website.

Optimizing for actions- you will charged by impressions- automatic bid pricing or bid per action.

ii. Optimized for daily unique reach
This type of bidding enables your Ad to reach as many people as possible in your target audience only once a day, not taking into consideration which action they will take.

iii. Optimized for Clicks- CPC
This type of bidding method means that you will be paying for each click on your Ad regardless of impressions mAde. The less click you receive the higher the price of cost per click and vice-versa. The Ad is only sent to people who are likely to click. A click can mean a like, comment or a photo click.

iv. Optimized for impressions- CPM
If you chose this method your Ad will be seen by many people in your targeted audience with limitless number of displays.

This type of bidding you will have to pay for a thousand impressions by setting up a maximum amount for your campaign.

 

5. Measuring and optimizing

The best way to test your Ads is to Split test them. Split testing means taking your Ad into two different versions with a single difference and track their performance for a particular period of time and see which works for your page. Afterwards use the best performing Ad and change the element. This way you will get best results since you are not depending on the exact Ad.

Then track your Ads performance in your Facebook Ads Manager to see which performed better.

 

Conclusion

Facebook marketing strategies that used to work have become unworkable. And marketers are aware that Facebook algorithm changes and it’s hard to keep up with the changes. We have talked about Facebook tactics, Facebook algorithm, Facebook Ads, and Facebook videos in-depth to help you in your marketing campaigns.