Facebook marketing can seem extremely daunting for the unprepared; in fact, any form of social media marketing can put fear into many executives. There are some easy ways for brands to build a positive presence on Facebook while engaging with consumers and pushing people to websites and online articles. These simple strategies will help to boost pages from wastelands into thriving communities.
One of the easiest ways for brands to make some impact is to get involved in major events and holidays throughout the year. It can be hard to build a marketing strategy around any old weekend, but utilizing celebrations gives companies a clear and distinct direction to head for. Coca-Cola created its own version of the events at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, such as Coke Curling and Bottle Cap Hockey. The company asked customers to upload their home videos using Facebook, the best of which won a $100 gift card. Similar ideas could be used for Halloween decorations or Super Bowl games.
Facebook can also be a place of great talent, and one way to actively engage with skilled customers is to ask for ideas and opinions on new products and features. Customers love to get involved with their favorite brands; even putting out a simple post asking for innovative suggestions on company services can result in a post going viral. It might also uncover a few great ideas.
Another great way to interact, if a brand’s image allows, is to become a little funny and whacky. Skittles has always been a little weird in its marketing, and its Facebook page is a great example of how to generate interest. One Facebook post simply said: “Really boring pirates carry pigeons on their shoulders.” This resulted in a lot of engagement and shares. Interaction can also be boosted by using the 70/20/10 rule: 70% branding content, 20% from other sources and 10% self-promotional. Intel has an extremely active Facebook page using these principles, showing that all brands, when doing their social media marketing right, can make big waves.
Other tactics for using Facebook include providing great customer service, responding to everyone, posting consistently, delivering stories via video, and ensuring that interesting content is provided for fans. By following such steps, businesses - no matter what their brand - can make a big impression and boost business as a result.