Using Facebook as a Brand Marketing Tool
For many of us, social media has become a way of life, and it has completely changed the way we communicate with each other. It’s a place to connect with others, share experiences, and stay entertained/informed all in real time. With the constant connection comes immediacy, and as a small business, it’s simply a necessity to have social media accounts.
Getting a page started is only half the battle. As a small business, it’s important to stay active on your account. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to publish 10 posts a week, but interacting with other accounts and pushing out meaningful content is essential. And with today’s algorithm, it can be challenging to gain traction on your posts.
If you’re a small business, you most likely wear many hats, and social media may not be at the top of your day-to-day list. Check out some easy ways to stay present on social media without having to dedicate a great deal of time to the effort.
Know Your Audience, and Speak to Them
Your audience is the core and most important part of your online presence. These are the people who love your product or service and are quick to like, share and comment on your posts. The Facebook algorithm favors these people and is quick to show these loyal customers your most recent post.
The Facebook algorithm is a tool that decides which posts users see on their Facebook feed. According to Hootsuite, the 2021 Facebook algorithm rewards posts that users engage with (like, comment, share). Posting content that actually speaks to your audience will trigger these users to engage, generating a greater reach.
Now that we know posts with a lot of engagement get more impressions, we can see that pushing out meaningful content that is likely to get your loyal fan base engaging with your content is crucial. This will grow and expand your brand presence to new audiences.
Recency is Key
Post recency rates high in the algorithm. Facebook likes to show users newer posts, so scheduling your content to post when your followers are online will yield a greater reach.
With the right tools, frequently checking when your followers are online will help your brand be seen by more people. Learn how to see when your followers are online.
Another way to figure out the best time to post on Facebook is looking at the day and time some of your more popular posts that had high engagement. Mimicking previous successful posts can also help your business page get off the ground and on the eyes of new customers.
Curate Meaningful Content
In 2018, Facebook announced that it wanted to bring people closer together. To achieve this, the algorithm was adjusted to connect people to more meaningful posts. Going back to our first tip, this means that pushing meaningful content to your followers is almost the number one factor when it comes to the algorithm.
How do you achieve this? Try tapping into the emotions of your audience and keep it light. People already see and hear about daily societal issues from other accounts, so keep your content fun and uplifting while making it as personable as possible.
In recent years, the algorithm has favored “love” over the basic like. So, the more “love” reactions you get aside from just the “likes” the better. This goes for all of the other reactions as well (sadness, caring, anger, laughter), because Facebook sees these reactions as more meaningful.
Although the Facebook algorithm has shifted away from favoring organic content curated by business pages, there’s still ways you can maximize your brand’s reach through strategic posting. The tips stated above are three easy ways you can market your business on Facebook without having to spend much time and money.
Stay up-to-date with the ever changing algorithm and other business related topics on Facebook for Business.
