7 Steps to Success for Brands on Facebook
Facebook for brand pages is both an art and a science. There are must-do’s and absolutely do not’s, some are more obvious than others. Over the past year, the Howell social team has managed the social presence of and assisted in gaining of over 12,000 followers for BB King’s Club in Memphis. The people, music, food and the soul are all local, but its reach is truly global – see infographic at the end of this post. People from all over the world are passionate about these things and with the help of social media, we’ve been able to truly spread the love. In celebration of great fans for a great business, here are some simple tips that helped us grow the BB’s fan base, brand loyalty and engagement.
1. Interact
When building a brand on Facebook, it is vital to interact with your customers. The easiest way to do this is by responding to wall posts, picture comments, etc. Your customers aren’t going to want to like your Facebook page anymore if their attempts to reach out to your company are ignored. Your customers will feel a more personal connection to your brand if they are able to interact with you.
2. Don’t Ignore Negative Comments
If a customer approached you at your respective business complaining about something, you wouldn’t ignore them. You would take the time to listen to them and see what you could do to remedy the situation. You need to do the same thing on Facebook as you would do in person. Though it might be tempting to simply delete a negative comment from your page, it could hurt you in the long run.
3. Contests, Giveaways and Promos
This technique is an exciting way to give back as well as connect with your valued customers as it shows your appreciation of them. It is also easy to gain more followers since this is a simple way for your followers to share your page with their other Facebook friends.
4. Engage your Customers
When you post on Facebook, don’t just post news from your company. Instead, engage your customers by asking them questions. The simpler the better i.e., what is your favorite meal at our restaurant, what has been your best experience with us, etc. You would be surprised how many people love to share their opinions and experiences on your company’s status updates, this includes you, B2B!
5. Be Consistent
When posting on Facebook, it is important to do so on a regular basis. Don’t post three things in one day and then not have any updates for another week. While overloading your followers will turn them off from your Facebook page, not updating enough will cause them to forget about your page and maybe even your brand.
6. Communicate Through Pictures
Based off the success of Instagram, it is obvious that pictures are a popular way to share updates. Share pictures of the people and products, the food you serve in your restaurant or even events you have held. Take advantage of Timeline and show users this visual history of your business. A picture of your CEO the day you opened, the launch of a new product, the opening of a second location, whatever! If you have a milestone, let us know about it and tell your story! The more visual and eye catching you are, the better.
7. Post at Strategic Times
It is important to post when you know your followers are both awake and engaged. According to a study from Bit.ly, Facebook traffic sees an increase around 9am and drops off around 4pm. If you have international followers, try to be aware of the time difference when posting.
So, get out there and share what your brand is all about. Who are you and why should we “like” your brand?
Post contributed by Megan McDonagh & Kiersten Bagley.
Infographic via.
