8 Things to NOT Do On a Facebook Business Page
It is true that all businesses should be represented on Facebook. It is as crucial as having a website, especially if you do not have one. However, sometimes businesses can be very excited to be on Facebook that they sacrifice sophistication for the sake simply having a page because they know they have to.
Here are 8 ways to NOT operate your business Facebook page.
1.) Operating as a profile instead of a business page.
If your business is on Facebook as a profile, this means you have "friends" instead of "likes / followers." Profiles act differently than pages and your audience is best reached through the versatile business page.
2.) Only posting photos.
Photos work well to capture attention, but your page needs more variety to keep your audience interested. Videos are the new eye-grabber in social media and you should be incorporating shared videos as well as your original content through video. You can also share links from similar companies or those you have partnerships with.
3.) Posting click-bait.
We've all seen these posts on our timelines about a video "so amazing I'm shaking at the end." Facebook now measures how long a visitor views a linked website you share to determine its value. If you share a page that gets a lot of clicks only to be closed out of within a few seconds, Facebook will start limiting how many people will see your future posts. Think about it as Facebook looking out for your followers as a way to trust you or not.
4.) Forgetting to comment or post as your page.
When you are an administrator to a page, you have the option of commenting or liking other posts as your page or as yourself. Keep in mind which account you are representing so as not to get in hot water.
5.) Leaving your "About" section blank.
This is A-1 information on your page. Here, visitors are looking for your hours, phone number, and where you are located. They also want to see your website link (if applicable) and a little bit about your business mission. This section of your page takes little time to complete, but is absolutely essential.
6.) Posting too often.
So you have a lot of ideas, opinions, sales, photos, and video, right? Great! Now hold yourself back and don't post them all at once. You will reach your audience best with 1 or 2 posts each day, including weekends. Spoiler alert: You don't have to only post during business hours! Your customers check their Facebook when they wake up at 6:00 am, when they eat lunch at 11:00 am, and before they go to bed at 9:00 pm. These times are rich with engagement, so space your posts to cover both business and home hours, but do so sparingly.
7.) Being slow to respond.
Businesses have Facebook pages to directly communicate with customers. It is a great way for two-way communication. If you receive a direct message to your business page, it is best to respond within one hour. The same should be done with comments on posts. Even if the comment is "I really like this shirt!," try replying with, "We're glad this suits your taste!" Regardless of a positive or negative comment or message, ignoring it will only create anger and disappointment.
8.) Using Call to Action words in every post.
Call to Action, or CTA, words include phrases such as Call Today, Give Us a Try, Visit Us, Buy Today, and more. As mentioned earlier, Facebook works in favor of the consumer. It works to protect consumers from being flooded with pushy sales posts. When you use these phrases in multiple posts, Facebook begins to scale back how much of your audience sees your posts. When constructing your posts, don't think sales, think communication and relationship-building.
Muscadine Marketing offers social media management and consultation to business owners who need more time in a day to accomplish the growth of their business. We work with businesses who know they need a social media presence, but don't have the time or know-how to use it effectively. We offer free consultations to review your current social media presence and let you know how you look to your audience. Reach out to us at info@muscadinemarketing.com with the links to your pages to get started.