Facebook continues to be one of the main places people all over the world spend their time. I believe I saw a headline that said about 36% of the world’s population has an account or that has used it in the last month. Whatever the numbers are for people and time on the platform, it doesn’t matter. It’s crazy.
I imagine it is similar to the adoption of the radio and the television. People couldn’t get enough. For whatever the reason, people are opening Facebook all the time.
Now, for businesses that means an audience waiting for information. Not information about you and your brand necessarily. But information that entertains and possibly educates them. Something with a bit of a personal touch.
Why are businesses still spending more and more effort on Facebook marketing? Because you have the audience there and if you want their attention and business you need to be publishing content on Facebook.
If you’re just getting started, here are some thoughts on what you can share…
1. Answers To Questions
Google states that their purpose is to help their users find the answers to the questions they’re seeking. It’s really that simple if you consider that just about all searches on Google are questions. Even if you type in something like “used car”, you’re probably wondering, where can I buy a used car…
Facebook is very similar. People are looking for content. Either content that entertains them or that educates them. Or both…
So it’s a good strategy to start by just answering questions that your target audience has. Let’s say you’re an auto repair shop. What questions do you get in person, over the phone, via email and on Facebook? You probably answer them all the time without thinking much about it.
But you can bet that if people are asking on the phone that people are wondering the same thing on Facebook.
It can be as simple as writing a post on Facebook that starts with:
A customer came in today wondering what a tire rotation is…
If you’re wondering how to provide value on any content platform, answering common questions is a great way to provide value.
2. POV on Industry News
Another thing you can do is focus on industry news. It’s similar to answering questions because when something new happens your customers or audience are probably wondering what it means for them. You can give them your point of view (POV) on the topic and help them get that answer.
It could be a recall on a certain vehicle that you often service. Recalls can be confusing even though they seem pretty straightforward. You can offer some clarity by posting about a recall and making it easier for your customers to take action or not take action.
3. Sneak Peek Photos
Photos are popular on Facebook. Video is popular. It’s good to share more than just text. Let’s say you’re launching a new product soon. The product is all finalized and ready to go, but you’re waiting for the right time to launch it.
At this point it can be good to post a sneak peek photo. This can build a little buzz for the launch.
I like to not do this until the product is ready, though. Because you can get into trouble if you do a sneak peek prior to completion because delays can happen and now you just have annoyed customers.
Movie trailers are a good example. If they come out too early people lose interest. But if they come out when the film is done and ready, they can really get people excited.
4. Product Details
This is another one that relates to questions. Your audience likely occasionally has questions about your products. Every once in awhile share some details. How it’s made. What it’s made of. How to properly use it. All those kinds of things.
This can be tricky on Facebook because it’s more of a personal site. It’s not really for selling anything. But your customers will have questions and they will find it valuable to see this kind of information on occasion.
5. Personal Stories
Facebook is personal. It’s been that way since the beginning and will probably always be that way. People share photos and stories of themselves and those close to them. That’s what people want to see from other users, including businesses.
Share stories about the people in your company. Yourself. Other employees. Your interactions with customers. Anything people-related usually does well on Facebook.
Conclusion
Many businesses have been using Facebook since it first launched. But many, many more businesses are just starting to use Facebook as a marketing tool. If you’re looking to start a page, that’s great. But if you’re struggling with what to share, hopefully the ideas here can get you started in the right direction. It’s not a complete how-to guide on Facebook marketing, but it should be enough to help kick things off.