Facebook Marketing strategy (2021)

 

Facebook Marketing in 2021:

How to Use Facebook for Business

Potential customers are already looking for businesses like yours on Facebook. A smart Facebook marketing strategy is the only way to connect with them.

If you’re a brand hoping to thrive on social media, mastering Facebook marketing is going to be key.

More than 2.8 billion people use the platform every single month. That’s a lot of potential eyeballs on your business.

Because here’s the thing about Facebook: while you might think it’s just a place where your aunt can leave cryptic comments on your vacation pics, it’s also a place for audiences to connect with businesses big and small.

In fact, two-thirds of Facebook users report visiting a local business Facebook Page at least once a week. This digital marketplace is downright bustling, if it’s not too bold of us to say.

That’s right: the people are looking for you! But if you want to tap into this audience, you can’t just rely on luck. A focused Facebook marketing strategy is essential. Keep that eye on the prize (and off your aunt’s comments).

Your step-by-step guide to setting up Facebook for business

If you’re working with a limited budget, we’ve got some good news: setting up a Facebook Page for your business is absolutely free.

Then, once you’ve created your Page, you can use it to create content, share your contact information, link to your website, build a product catalog and communicate with your customers… also for free.

If you do have some cash to spare (brag alert!), there’s the option to use paid marketing strategies like Facebook ads and sponsored posts from your facebook business page, too.

But step one is to set that Facebook Page up (did we mention that it’s free?). Here’s how:

1. Head to facebook.com/pages/create (Note: you’ll need to be logged in to your personal account to get started, but don’t worry: your personal info won’t appear on your new Business Page.)

2. Choose your page type: Business/brand or Community/public figure

3. Enter your business details.

4. Upload your profile and cover photos. Make sure to use the optimum image size for profile so they look their best.

5. Click Edit Page Info: here, you can fill in your description, contact information and any other relevant details like operating hours.

6. Click Create Page @Username to make your vanity URL. This can be up to 50 characters long and helps people find you easily on Facebook.

7. Click Add a Button under your cover photo to set up a call to action like “Shop” or “Contact Us.”

8. Pat yourself on the back: You just launched a Facebook Business Page into the world! And she’s beautiful!

If you’d like a little more help getting through the setup process, we’ve got you covered.

Types of Facebook posts

Now that you’ve got a Facebook Business Page to call your own… it’s time to create some content.

On Facebook, you can create different types of posts. Each have their benefits and can spark engagement in different ways. Your brand’s social media strategy and goals will likely impact what style of posts you’ll be making.

Here, we’re breaking down all of the different options you have for Facebook Page posts, including examples to spark a little inspiration.

Facebook text post (a.k.a. status post)

This is the O.G. Facebook post: just straight up text.

We’re talking just words here. No photos. No videos. No links.

They’re direct and to the point, but if your goal is to drive traffic to your website or directly convert a lead to a sale, text posts aren’t a great option. The social network’s algorithm also isn’t too fond of these bare-bones posts, and they usually don’t get much reach in the news feed.

What text posts are good for, however, is sparking conversation. Use a text post to ask a question or call for feedback.

Text posts can also be useful for sharing important information your audience might be seeking out on your page, like ticket availability or opening hours.

Facebook photo post

Generally speaking, photo posts see much higher engagement  than text posts. An eye-catching photo (or illustration or infographic, we’re not picky!) is a great way to catch the attention of a potential customer scrolling through their news feed.

Particularly for product-focused businesses, photos that show the goods in action can be really effective.!

And don’t worry if you aren’t a professional photographer — or are selling something difficult to capture in an image: stock photos are here to save the day.

Facebook video post

Video posts see even higher engagement than photo posts do. Whether it’s for a short-and-sweet video announcement or a longer, artfully shot vid with a narrative, video can be incredibly compelling.

Vox posts its explainer videos right into its feed so users can soak up all the intel right there on Facebook, and easily comment, react or repost to their feeds. This primer on vaccines, for instance, has 1,400 shares.

On Facebook, video plays automatically in the news feed, so you’re all but guaranteed to catch users’ attention. It’s the perfect trap!

Facebook Live video post

If pre-recorded videos aren’t your thing, try dabbling with Live.

Facebook Live video is a live-streamed broadcast, right on your Facebook Page. This medium is very, very popular — in spring 2020, 

Live video is an intimate, authentic way to connect with followers. These broadcasts can be used for Q&As, behind-the-scenes tours, product demos and much more.

The british council ran a Q&A to answer questions about its English-language courses, racking up over 7,000 views and sparking an active conversation in the comments from people who were watching live.

Linked content post (aka link posts)

A link post is a post that shares a URL with your followers. Just paste a link into the composition box, and a preview of the website will automatically preview. (Is it technology or magic? We may never know.)

Wealthsimple, for example, shared this link to a how-to story on their website. The meta image and description are enticing and eye-catching: we want to stop writing this story to click and read it right now!