5 Fresh Facebook Tips for your Startup!

As the biggest social media platform at the moment, Facebook has over one billion monthly visitors. It is a space where people represent themselves, their ideas and their interests, and is thus a great space to promote your business - with no additional cost! With hundreds of pages on Facebook, it is easy for your business to get lost and forgotten. To make sure this doesn’t happen, you need to make sure your startup’s Facebook page is professional, interactive, and relevant to your target market. The 5 hot tips below will help you do just that!

#1: Creating your Identity

• Your Facebook profile is the online ‘version’ of your business, so it has to represent the values of your business, and it must always be in line with your business

• When you use the ‘Create a Page’ function, make sure you fill out all of the information correctly: what type of enterprise you have, what sector are you in, and other relevant questions. These will become important for where your business pops up as a recommended page, or when you decide to pay for advertising in the future

• Keep it professional! Small details like high-quality images and grammar make all the difference, so while going through the setup process explained in this article, always double-check yourself!

#2: Content Control

• Beyond selfies and connecting with old friends, Facebook is also known for being the setting of many disagreements and political controversies. In most cases, getting involved in these kind of debates can be damaging to your business. If your reason for being on Facebook is to promote your business, then try to stick to that: don’t get unnecessarily involved in discussions that may polarise potential customers.

• You should also be very strategic about what you post online. The content of your posts always reflect the interests and values of your business - try to keep all your posts positive, professional and relevant. Don’t let your personal interests distract you from focusing on what is important to your business.

• Timing is also vital to the success of your business’s Facebook page. Posting too often will flood your followers’ news feeds, making them frustrated and more likely to unlike your page. At the same time, if you don’t post often enough you will soon become irrelevant online! Striking a balance requires some planning. The rule of thumb for a new page is two posts per day.

#3: Use the Facebook Functions

• Facebook is great as a platform because there is a range of options for you to use! Having text-only posts, or only images, makes your posts a bit one-dimensional. Try to use Facebook’s features to post a mixture of text, images and links to your website, or interesting articles related to the good/service you’re providing.

• Remember that as a page, your business can also like and comment on other pages. This is a good way to build your brand, as you can demonstrate what your business’s interests are, and which enterprises you support.

• Events are also a nifty tool on Facebook, especially if you are organising an opening for your business, or a launch of a product. Use the ‘Create an Event’ option and invite your customers!

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• Facebook is also a great space to network with people and connect with potential partners, customers and investors. Seek out and join Facebook groups relevant to your sector or geographic area, and join in the discussion!

#4: Interact with your customers

• One of the most unique elements of social media marketing is that there is an opportunity for two-way communication with your customers. Make sure you make the most of this! It can be as simple as asking a question in a post to stimulate conversation, or replying to comments left on your posts.

#5: Consistency, consistency, consistency!

• Most people have lots of enthusiasm for posting on Facebook when they first start a page. They start off with a really strong presence, with many posts, but then over time other priorities take over and the Facebook page becomes dormant. Do not let this happen to you!

• Schedule at least half an hour per week in which you plan your upcoming posts, and schedule them to post periodically throughout the week. Setting aside this time will help you ensure that you keep posting regularly to your page!

Facebook is a very useful platform for individuals, businesses and organisations. Having an accessible and interesting profile has almost become a necessity for any successful business. Thus, you need to ensure you take the time to plan your enterprise’s Facebook page, and ensure that it is professional and relevant to your consumers!