Blog post by: Evan Mathu, Baer Performance Marketing Intern
Over the last twenty years, we have seen a tremendous shift in how local businesses are doing business. In more recent days, recessions and COVID-19 have further altered how they sell their wares. It is easy to look at many of the changes of recent years and be apprehensive; yet, these changes provide significant opportunity for small businesses, especially on the digital frontier. Specifically, in this post, we’ll be talking about Facebook for businesses and why getting your local business a Facebook Business Page can increase your awareness and sales.
Why is it Important to be on Facebook?
Social media has provided businesses a chance to engage with consumers right where they live — literally. People all over the country and world use social media daily, and no platform has the reach and history of Facebook. And there has never been a better time to create a Business Page for your company; Facebook has instituted dedicated pages for business that look more professional than personal pages, allow for easy advertising on the platform, and even institute an on-page shopping feature. Two-thirds of people surveyed on Facebook say they visit local business pages weekly, and as the world trends toward online sales, it has become a necessity that businesses transform with their consumers.
Business Basics
So, creating a business page on Facebook is a good idea — what next? First of all, ensure that you’re creating a business, not a personal, page. Starting the account as a “business” allows you to take advantage of all available tools and makes your page more professional. Second, choose attractive images for your page, and create a simple name for your account (so people can find you with one easy search). Just like other accounts, business accounts allow you to post frequently, and you should certainly take advantage of this. Posting engaging content frequently is always better than having a dead page, and it allows you to maximize your reach.
Specific Facebook Tools
Now that you have the basics, start focusing on the special tools for business. Create a “call-to-action” button for your page. This is a button placed at the top of your page that allows you to direct visitors in the direction you want — whether the button says “shop now” or “visit our website,” it can help steer customers to places you choose. By using the “shop now” feature, Facebook allows you to set up a shop online with ease. Lastly, business pages make the process for running advertisements easy and cost effective, making digital marketing significantly easier than it is otherwise.
Facebook pages are one of the first things prospective customers will see when looking for your business, and they are crucial first impressions. Just as a quality page can boost sales and significantly improve awareness, a poorly-managed page can give off bad impressions and make customers even less likely to interact with your company. Here at Baer, we know your image is important. Let us use our years of experience to help you make the most out of your marketing efforts, whether creating a new Facebook page, maximizing your current accounts, or making other marketing moves, we would love to help! Find us on our website, or @baerpm on social media!
