Why it is worth your while to spend time on Facebook

Facebook… everybody's doing it but not everybody's doing it right.

Who isn't on Facebook these days? Chances are that as you are reading this, it is open in a tab in your browser, right?

This white paper will give you a list of simple things that you can do to turn Facebook into a successful tool with which to communicate with customers.

Let's start with the basics when creating a company Facebook page:

• Your business is not a person so do not create a profile.
  If you are registering a business, creating a "Page" is the best option. Enhanced customisation options and regular activity feedback helps to create a vibrant, real-time connection with your audience.
• Ensure that your updates are targeted and goal driven.
  Do not broadcast mundane updates to your audience or you risk losing their interest. A clear and concise message drives through the clutter and leaves an impression in the mind of your busy consumer. There is no "Like" button for irrelevance.
• A successful Facebook presence takes time and effort.
  It provides a platform for an ongoing dialogue with your customers, so be sure to respond to queries and complaints in a timely fashion. A quick response gives the customer a good brand experience and encourages brand loyalty.
• Understand the medium.
  Facebook has rules and tools that enable you to make the most of the medium. From using analytics to track performance, to simply understanding how images are displayed, all contribute to the experience. If your customers aren't pleased, they leave. Simple as that.
• Understand your customers' online habits.
  People share things they enjoy or find interesting. Don't be boring or predictable. Mixing up your content also allows you track which items attract the most interest and feedback.

Three steps to an Effective Facebook Strategy

1. Customise

   While the basic layout of a Facebook Page remains the same, there is a lot that can be done to streamline the appearance of your Page in line with your brand. Big brands like Victoria's Secret and Vodacom have made use of Facebook's customisation apps, and there are several third party packages to work with. A customised Facebook page increases customer engagement and encourages credibility. Make sure that you don't get too clever or complicated with your Page design - keep it simple, clean and easy to follow.

2. Engage

   Don't overcomplicate engagement. Your customers expect a coherent brand experience when interacting with you, so make sure that you focus on those expectations.

   • Facilitate what your customers expect of you.
     If you are a health shop, offer advice and recipes to personalise the interaction and then use that relationship to introduce new products and services to your client base. That way the interaction does not appear cold and sales-driven. Take what they know and love about you and build on it.
   • Make engagement easy and offer real value.
     Creating competitions that require fans to "Like" the post as a condition for entry enables you to gather more information about the preferences and trends amongst your clients. This delivers real benefits to strengthen the relationship with customers. It also gives you the opportunity to grow your network of customers and fans.
   • Use engagement as a testing lab for new products and services.
     Facebook facilitates conversation around the intended new product through enabling fans to comment, "Like" and share information. How they respond to a new idea enables you to use the feedback and develop a Facebook strategy in line with what your clients want and need.

3. Track

   

   Facebook allows you to track so much feedback that it is important to consider what you want the outcome of your strategy to be. Do you simply wish to grow your fanbase or do you want to measure increase in turnover? Your motive will determine your strategy.

   • Many "Likes" are an indication that your audience is finding value in what you have to say or offer.
     But it is only the first step in opening a line of communication with those people. It is very important to keep delivering real value to that audience to develop future business from the interaction.
   • Use the tools.
     Facebook Insights are daily or weekly updates of activity on your Page such as the amount of interactions and posts. This gives you an idea of the type of content that attracts the most traffic, when to post and who your regular respondents are.
   • Create unique and conditional offers to gauge response.
     Having customers bring printed copies of your Page in exchange for discounts or competition entries is a simple way of comparing the overlap between your online fanbase and regular customers. This will help you to formulate new strategies to target the two demographics and establish real value in both relationships.
   • The value of Facebook analytics creates a paradigm shift in marketing measurement.
     For the first time brands have a tool that can track both quantitative (how many people like you) and qualitative (what they like about you and sentiment) measures.

It is worth reiterating that much of the value of Facebook lies in the fact that customers have already indicated trust. They are willing to supply you with a wealth of information about who they are, where they work, what they like, where they hang out and much, much more. It is important that your Page delivers real and lasting benefits to the relationship, or you will be erased, hidden and unliked forever.

If you are interested in finding out more about optimising your social media presence feel free to contact us. Nicework is a creative communications and web development company with a design-driven ethos. We count ourselves lucky to be involved with people and projects we are passionate about. Our aim is to deliver client satisfaction through great design and nice work.