Tips and Ideas Proven to Kick-Start Your Facebook Marketing

Facebook marketing is something that is getting more and more popular as time goes on. The reason for this is because millions of people log into Facebook every single day. This is why it makes sense to use it for marketing purposes. Read through the tips presented here to expand your Facebook marketing knowledge:

1. Do not sign up for a Facebook account and expect the name of your brand to speak for itself. Even if the brand you are marketing is fairly well established, you still need to do work to make it even more popular. Failing to do this may result in you losing some of your fans.

2. If you don't have time to maintain a Facebook page for your business, you can still use Facebook for marketing. Facebook provides ads on their site which can easily be hyper-targeted towards your exact target demographic, from their sex and age to their likes and dislikes, making your campaign hyper-successful, too.

3. Make your posts professional in tone and spirit at all times. While social media usually has a relaxed tone, present your business and yourself professionally. When you keep a professional tone, you are respected more by customers.

4. By using the Power Editor, you can get your marketing post into mobile user's news feed, the best way to reach those who aren't using a traditional computer to access Facebook. In fact, there are also "Desktop News Feeds" which go to those on computers as well, so you can target both.

5. If you are using Facebook to market your business, make sure that you completely fill in the "about" section. This is a great way to communicate what your business is about. It is also an excellent area to put in contact information, locations, phone numbers and other helpful information about your business.

6. If you have a follower complaining on your Facebook page, try your best to resolve the issue publicly. This will let others know that you are a reputable business and will handle all of your obligations. If you cannot resolve a dispute with a customer publicly, try handling it in private.

7. Use Facebook as a customer service tool. Invite customers to send you questions, comments or complaints by commenting on your Facebook page. This is a great way to display your excellent customer service policies. Answer questions in details and offer refunds or new products right away to the customers who complain.

8. If you want to use Promoted Posts, do so only with your current fan base. When a non-fan sees "Promoted", they think it's a "Sponsored Ad" and tend not to click on it. Your current fans won't think that way as they already know who you are and what you do, and obviously like it.

9. Use pictures. Once you've got your site set up, share pictures with your Facebook friends and fans. These pictures can be of your product, or they can be inspirational or funny pictures. Your customers will share these pictures with their own Facebook friends, which raises your exposure across the site and will lead people to you.

10. Avoid posting non-related updates that don't enhance your content value. You may feel the temptation to discuss current events, or perhaps share personal anecdotes, but your fans may not care. Stick to your personal profile for these sorts of discussions.

11. Don't turn off the option that lets others post whatever they want to your page. Not allowing your customers to post causes them to think that you don't care about their opinions.

12. Promote your Facebook posts on Twitter. Twitter is an amazing social media for link sharing. If you take the time to craft some excellent Facebook posts, then get the word out by passing it through your Twitter stream. Don't be afraid to tweet it a few times over the course of the week to help the content gain some traction.

13. Post on a variety of topics, but all within your niche. Yes, it's important to write content that's brand related, but you don't want every post to seem the same. Find different types of content that will keep your fans engaged. Share pictures and ask questions along with normal posts.

14. Do not hesitate to moderate the negative comments you receive on your Facebook page. Some customers will probably post complaints on your Facebook page. Try satisfying them by offering a free product or a refund but do not start an argument. You could develop a negative image for your brand if your customers see negative comments on your page.

15. Post consistently, but don't scattershot your posting. While it's good to post every day, that doesn't mean that you need to post ten to twenty times a day to move the needle! That can actually be just as bad as not posting at all. People may think of your posts as social media spam at that level. Be moderate here.

16. You need to remember that just because there are a lot of people that like your page does not mean you will win. You want to have fans who want to buy from you and will share the content you post. The conversion rate is what determines the success of your campaign.

17. A clear purpose is necessary when figuring out your Facebook marketing campaign. You can't just think that getting lots of Likes on Facebook will bring in huge profits as a result. You must have clear goals, such as building sales by x percent, so you can work towards them.

18. Integrate your Facebook page with your other campaigns. Place links to your Facebook page on your blog, website and in the signature of your professional emails. You should draw attention to your Facebook page by presenting it as a way to get access to exclusive content and more promotional offers.

19. If you're using Facebook to market, make sure you're also posting there! No one will visit a page which rarely ever has updated content on it. Don't overwhelm your followers, but be sure to post at least once per weekday so that people will often check back just to see what's going on.

20. When using Facebook, think of it as a strong platform for sharing quality content. It isn't just informal chit-chat, it can be a large content format. Use it in this way. Post real blog posts to promote your posts from other media channels to your Facebook page. Facebook can bring you lots of traffic.

21. Try your best to remain professional at all times. Even if you are placed in a position where you feel like being less than a pro, think twice. Everything you do will affect the way your business is perceived, so be careful about the way you present yourself to others.

22. Try using custom tabs on your Facebook page. When you first create your business Facebook page, you'll have general tabs like the Wall and Info tabs. Try extending your capabilities by creating your own custom tabs. Some businesses have tabs that contain links to various kinds of content like products, newsletters, and ongoing contests.

23. Create a contest on your Facebook page that only fans of your page can participate in. This will make them excited to come to your page. They may even tell family, friends, or co-workers, meaning you will have more visitors coming to your page. Of course, more visitors means more business!

24. Think about why your page exists. Are you simply trying to get the word out about your company and new products? Or, is the page functioning as a forum for better communication with your customers? Once you have a clear picture of what you want your page to do, you can begin working on your marketing goals.

25. Build a solid fan base on Facebook to succeed with your marketing. That means you really shouldn't put too much investment into marketing products or promotions there until you have at least 5,000 fans. The interest in your products will automatically start to skyrocket once that threshold is reached.

26. If you are replying to a comment that was left by a specific user, make sure that you tag the person in your post. You want to get people to come back to your page as much as possible, and tagging is a great way to get someone to return.

27. Be communicative. When someone makes an effort to write you a question or even to just say something positive about your company, make sure you respond. It helps to create good will, and it says a lot about you as a business owner. New customers and potential customers will be impressed with how responsive you are.

28. Facebook's introduction of their Timeline format is altering strategies for many business marketers. Timeline allows for the posting of larger photos that are more likely to grab reader interest. Successful marketers are posting these larger pictures, coupled with a targeted call to action. This can run the gamut from downloading coupons to encouraging product users to upload their own pictures of your product in action.

29. Using Facebook as an effective marketing tool requires an investment of time and effort on your part. Opt for quality posts over quantity. Keep your content quality up, and give your audience information that they really want.

30. You should calculate the conversion rate of your Facebook marketing campaign on a monthly basis. Assess how many products you sell thanks to this campaign and compare this number to how many subscribers you have. Your conversion rate is an excellent indication of how successful your Facebook marketing campaign is.

31. Do not send too many mass messages to your fans. This is a very impersonal way to reach people, and many of them may delete the content before reading it. If you have something to share, create a status update about it. People are much more likely to read them.

32. Use videos whenever possible, especially if you have a new product to showcase. While a picture is great (and it is certainly better than nothing), a video is much more exciting and can give your followers more information than a picture and text alone can. Adding a video to your post is quite easy with Facebook's current format as well, so there really is no reason not to give it a try.

33. Make sure you talk to your fans regularly in order to find out what they want from your business. Take note of things posted on your page. You would be amazed at how helpful the public can be with marketing ideas. When someone posts on your page, make sure to respond to them.

34. If you are especially shy, you should find a way to overcome that before you start trying to market your business. People will not clamor to do business with someone that seems to have a hard time communicating. If this is not something you can change, you should consider hiring someone to do your marketing for you.

35. Use Facebook to share links to your site. You should try writing weekly articles or launching a video blog so you can create more content on a regular basis. Your audience will subscribe to your updates on Facebook if you create quality content. Make sure you mention your Facebook campaign in your articles or videos.

36. Watch your grammar, even if you do not feel like it is necessary. You may feel like you can get away with a mistake here and there due to the nature of your business, but this is not true. If you know that your grammar has issues, run everything through a checker before you post it.

37. Try making a group versus a page. A group allows everyone to interact and feel like they know one another. You can use both a group and a page to ensure your followers
get updates from your page and can discuss it or share their own information in the group.

38. When working on Facebook fan engagement through building conversation, lean towards posting easy to answer questions. If you post complex questions, you won't get many responses and you could even drive some fans away. Keep the questions simple, and aim for questions that only take a few words to answer. This will increase the interactivity surrounding your page.

39. Never rely on anyone else's advice as to when the best time for updating your page is. While a non-profit may find people are more charitable on the weekend, that doesn't mean your customers aren't actually checking out your page at work. Do your own research to figure out when you should be posting.

40. Put together a Facebook contest. People love fun things like contests and quizzes on Facebook. It's one of the things that makes the social media site so very special. It's not that hard for your company or brand to put together a contest, and it can really open up the engagement level of your community.

41. Personalize your brand so that it is memorable. When the things you post are boring, they're going to have the same outlook on your product or service. Show off a bit, but stay professional.

42. Come up with your own voice. It may be tempting to approach your Facebook marketing just like you see others have done before you. Yes, learn from their tactics, but don't steal their personality. It's important to find your own personality online so that people know what to expect from you. Plus, it can feel disingenuous if it's a personality that just doesn't fit your brand.

43. Organize a contest and offer a prize to the contestant who gets the most votes. The subscribers who enter your contest will ask their friends to vote on their entry. This is a great way to get more visitors to your page and perhaps get some additional subscribers for your campaign.

44. Respond to all of the negative comments that you get on your site. If you ignore these people then they're going to think you don't really care about their opinions. If you are able to handle negative feedback positively, people are going to respect you and will remain loyal to you.

45. Use a large picture on your business' Facebook page. You want your brand to stand out when someone stumbles across your page, and a large image is the best way to accomplish this goal.

46. If you are going to post any links on your page, make sure that they have a description accompanying them. You want to engage readers, and this is a good way to do that. This makes it very likely people will leave comments and possibly start a discussion on the information you are posting, which means people will have something new to share with others.

47. If you use your Facebook page to subscribe to other updates, make sure the pages you subscribe to are not connected with your competitors. Select pages that are going to help you start a nice positive brand image. If you want to share other updates with your own following, remember that your brand will thus become associated with that page.

48. Many people believe that having a personal Facebook page and business page in one is a good idea, but that is not the truth at all. While you may think that this makes you look more human, it will only give off the impression that you are not a professional.

49. Set some goals for your Facebook marketing campaign. You can launch your campaign on a trial basis if you are not sure how your audience will react to it. Once you get a better idea of how interested your customers are, you should set some reasonable goals for your campaign.

50. Create a custom tab for your Facebook page. You can use custom tabs as a welcome locale for all of your new Facebook visitors. It's a great place to promote your current offerings, products, and services. Plus, it'll give a little personality to your Facebook page which is always a plus.

51. Focus all of your Facebook posts towards your business or industry. Make them relevant and inform your customers and fans about things they would be interested in. Don't just make a post without having a purpose. Your customers already have enough information coming to them, so make your posts relevant so they stand out.

52. Post something every day on your Facebook page. Probably the single most effective way to boost your Facebook marketing is to be an active participant on Facebook. That means writing new posts, sharing new ideas, and passing on interesting things from around the web. The more active you are, the more opportunity there is for people to see your page.

53. See if Facebook advertisements are a good fit. Regular posting, while valuable and beneficial, only goes so far. If you want big results, ads can help you get them. They aren't too costly, and can make a world of difference.

54. Never buy Facebook fans to make you look bigger than you are. It may be tempting to throw down some cash to buy your way in to big fan numbers, but it never turns out the way you want. Those hallow fans bring nothing to the table, and people who are in the business can see through this tactic in a heartbeat. It's never worth it.

55. Use a cover photo on your Facebook page that really shows off your brand. For example, show a picture of one of your bestselling products. You want to keep your products fresh in the mind of the public, and choosing the right cover photo can make this a lot easier for you.

56. Ask your fans to get involved in the conversation on your Facebook page. The more engagement and interactivity you have, the more likely you'll gain more fans in the process. Let your current fans do some of the heavy lifting for you! Their conversation will generate interest from other people.

57. Remember to post on your Facebook page. When a business sets up a Facebook account, they will often release a flurry of posts, and then nothing for months. For this type of marketing to be successful, you need to post in a strategic manner. You do not need to post 15 times a day, but a few times a week is a great idea.

58. Use your Facebook business page as a content platform. You can use your page as a publishing platform that can channel your audience and further the reach of your content. If you have a blog that you write on, update your Facebook page to tell everyone about it and allow them to access it. After all, you may not get visitors to your blog on a daily basis. The more you write and publish in various locations, the further your valuable content can reach your audience.

59. Integrate your campaign across multiple platforms. You want your branding, your site's look and feel, to be consistent across your Facebook page, your website, your Twitter page, your YouTube channel, and so on. Consistent branding will make visitors feel more at home on all your business's advertising platform, and therefore encourage more use of all the platforms.

60. Make content on your Facebook page exclusive. People tend to love what they think is "out of reach." Try offering something valuable to your audience in exchange for them to "Like" your page. This is a win-win situation for everyone. Some businesses have offered free products like e-Books just for "Liking" their page.

61. Create a posting system for your day. Consistent posting is probably the biggest thing that you can do for your Facebook marketing, but if you don't have a plan, it's easy to forget to do it! Add this posting to your daily to do list, and never go a day without doing it.

62. Offer special items to give away to those that Like your page. You could offer a small sample of your product or something as simple as an Mp3. The key is to entice people to like your page, as once they do they will be alerted when you post anything new on your page.

63. Don't let Facebook negativity bring your brand down. It's tough facing negativity. The immediate response, if you follow through, is often defensiveness or negativity in return. That won't help your Facebook marketing. You need to approach negativity with poise. Take the higher road and respond politely and meaningfully. Your fans will take notice.

64. Use Facebook Offers to promote your special deals. All that needs to be done is you should get the offer set up and use the Promoted Post option. You can promote it outside your fan base if you feel it is a great offer.

65. Add Facebook sharing buttons on your website. Most blog platforms will automatically integrate these elements but you can easily find the code needed to add these buttons by visiting your Facebook settings. These buttons are a great way to encourage your readers to share your content while reminding them about your Facebook campaign.

66. Never argue with a member of your fan base. There may be some people that do not like your product and they might say negative things. Keep your cool in this type of situation. The way you handle it will give people a good idea of what it is like to do business with you.

67. One way to target your customers with specific ads is to add your email list to the "custom audience" feature on Facebook. This will lower your marketing costs and increase the company profits in the long run.

68. Don't ramble on your page. Don't fall into the Facebook trap of thinking more posting is best. People don't need to know every last thing you are up to. In fact, if you tend to ramble off-topic, you may actually be doing more harm than good. People follow you for a reason, so keep your focus on what you or your brand does best.

69. Likes won't pay your electricity bill, shares won't bring home the bacon and comments won't pay your employees' wages. None of these things directly help you turn a profit. You can easily advertise on Facebook without ever investing in a Facebook business page, so consider other options and how much money they can make you.

70. Offer something in exchange for signing up on your Facebook page. Having visitors register on your page lets you engage them in ongoing dialogue about your business. Offering them something, such as an entry in a sweepstakes, makes them more likely to register on your page and provide your business with valuable leads.

71. There is nothing wrong with posting links to content on your website from Facebook. People think that Facebook fans want to stay on Facebook all day - this is a myth. In fact, they're quite happy to visit your site as long as you offer them something of interest, so give it a try.

72. Organize some networking events on Facebook. You could for instance encourage your subscribers to post an ad, a link to their own website on your page or a picture of the last product they purchased. Choose a time when your subscribers are likely to be online, such as Saturday afternoons or a weeknight.

73. The design of your Facebook page should be similar to your website's design. For instance, if your website used royal blue, then use royal blue in your Facebook page design, too. People can easily connect your brand to your page this way. If you make it totally different, this may cause your loyal customers to be confused.

74. Facebook is constantly changing things up, which is why it is so important for you to check out your data every now and then. Because of new algorithms, your posts may not be seen by everyone who likes your page. By keeping one eye on your data, you can figure out which posts reach the most people, and then you can tailor your content around that.

75. Get customers to use your Facebook profile to put up reviews. Interested consumers appreciate customer testimonials. When your current customers let others know about your product in this way, you'll find new customers start to appear.

76. Event sharing is a powerful Facebook marketing tool. One example would be to create buzz with your followers by sharing an event about a trade show you are attending. Facebook will even take care of all the reminders!

77. Consider developing a Facebook app if your subscribers are likely to use this feature. A good app should be fun to use and valuable to your audience. You could for instance develop a game based on your products or provide your subscribers with an interactive catalog. Measure the interest of your audience for apps before getting started with this project.

78. As your business grows, you may want to hire an employee dedicated to updating your Facebook page. Daily posting engages patrons by updating them on new products, specials and deals. What is even better is that users can share your posts with their friends as well.

79. Know what your goals are. Why do you want to use Facebook marketing? What do you hope to accomplish with it. Before you get started, it is very important that you take the time to clearly define your goals. Decide on an effective strategy. Try to get it right the first time.

80. Be sure your Facebook page properly represents your business or company. Usually, fans of your page are there because they are interested in learning about what you offer. If you do not have any details about your products or services, they may be confused about what it is you are offering.

81. You should choose a strong argument to convince customers to subscribe to your social media updates. People need to see a value in joining your Facebook marketing campaign. You could for instance offer a small immediate discount to the customers who subscribe to your Facebook campaign before completing an order.

82. It is possible to send out messages to all of your subscribers at once. While you certainly do not want to overuse this feature, as it will annoy people, it could come in very handy if you have a big announcement or you are running a contest. Save it for only your most important announcements, however.

83. The point of creating a Facebook page is to reach more people and increase sales, but you should try your best to look like you are about more than money. If people feel like the only reason you are trying to get their attention is to make money, they will not look at that as a positive thing.

84. Do not use your official Facebook page to stay in touch with your friends or relatives. Make sure everything you share on your official page is related to your products and will interest your audience. Create a personal profile so you can stay in touch with your friends and family.

85. Post a variety of information, but make sure it's all relevant. You need to share content that has to do with your brand, but you shouldn't only talk about one aspect of it. Think of different methods of developing content that interests your followers. You can
try posting a photo to incite conversation, or you can create a posting that has a question that needs to be answered.

86. Learn how to target your ads. Do not waste time and money marketing to people who are not interested in what you are offering. Filter users by age, geography or gender along with many other characteristics. Facebook makes it very easy to target your audience, so take advantage of it.

87. Keep your posts very simple to digest. Remember, most folks are pretty busy during the day. If you overcomplicate your messaging, chances are you'll get zero response. Keep your posts to a few lines during the busiest times of the day, and ask simple questions that are easy to answer.

88. Give your Facebook marketing campaign time to grow and develop increased sales for your business. Great marketing never happens in the blink of an eye. The recipe for Facebook marketing success is simple: increase your fan base, then provide your followers with useful information so that they want to come back often. Your efforts will eventually be rewarded.

89. Even if you have things set up to share posts from other sites on Facebook, you should still leave things directly on your Facebook page. You do not want anyone to get the idea that your Facebook page is just an afterthought, so make sure that you leave original content there.

90. If you are going to post coupons and deals on your Facebook page, make sure that they are worth something valuable. Nobody wants to be constantly bombarded with messages offering five dollars off, especially if the median price of items you have for sale is more than one hundred dollars.

91. Don't post just to post on Facebook. That's a sure-fire way to lose fans. If you are posting randomly with very little substance too many times every day, then many people will look at your brand as simply spamming their Facebook feed. Yes, you want to post as often as possible, but make sure the posts are quality.

92. Remember to respect your followers privacy when using Facebook to market your business. If someone sends you a glowing review through a private message, remember to ask their permission before making it public. They may have chosen to send you the message that way because they did not want to be publicly acknowledged.

93. If you only deal with a customer every now and then, you don't need a Facebook page for your business. Your customers appear randomly, so there's no reason for them to follow all your daily posts. Instead, pay for Facebook ads that target customers for you.

94. There are plenty of resources you can use to learn more about Facebook marketing but keep in mind that the methods recommended by Facebook marketing gurus might not be adapted to your target audience. Learn as much as possible about Facebook marketing and choose the methods that seem to be adapted to your audience.

95. Make a Facebook group for your brand or business. It will consolidate a lot of things for you, allowing you to answer questions and communicate with your followers. Tell them about sales, coupons or interesting articles. This can be a great way for you to know your customers.

96. Talk to your audience on your Facebook business page. If someone is taking time to write something on your Wall, you should answer them. It's similar to someone calling your business. On the phone, you would talk to them and answer their questions to make a good impression. This concept is the same with email and web form submissions. It needs to be the same with your Facebook page.

97. Do not place any images on the cover of your page that are not good quality and/or are not relevant to your business. You may see a nice picture that you think people will love, but it won't make any sense to post it if it has nothing to do with what you are selling.

98. Offer Facebook fan only special deals and discounts. People love feeling like they are part of an exclusive group. If you give offers that only those that are fans can take advantage of, then you are helping build some real brand loyalty among your fans. They'll definitely pay attention for more opportunities.

99. Keep in mind that a lot of Smartphone and iPhone owners have access to Facebook on their phone. You could share link to your mobile website on Facebook or encourage your subscribers to share pictures taken with their phones, for instance while visiting your store or when testing your products.

100. Promote other businesses on your Facebook page. Facebook is often about cross-promotion. If you promote someone else, they'll be more likely to pass on the goodwill and promote you to their audience. That's a big opportunity seeing as some brands on Facebook have thousands of followers. You can really open the door to a lot of new fans.

101. Marketing through the use of Facebook tabs is an easy and efficient way to get the word out. Why not create a "Promotions" tab and highlight items you have on sale, coupons you've made available or even contests you're running. It's a great way to allow your followers to easily keep up with what's going on.

102. If you're using tabs as part of your marketing campaign, make sure the most important tabs are at the front of the list. Under your tabs is a link marked "Edit", you can click that and then reorder the tabs, placing your most important tabs, such as Promotions, at the front.

103. Use all of the options available to you on Facebook when using it to market your business. There are so many different ways that you can customize your page, the key is knowing exactly what those options are. If you need help there are many websites, including Facebook, that can give you some insight.

104. Think of Facebook as a dialogue. A lot of people when they begin Facebook marketing, talk AT their audience. You need to talk WITH your audience. Feel like you
are having a conversation with them, not like you are announcing things to them. Remember, Facebook is a social medium. You need to be social.

105. Facebook has become almost a second website for many businesses. After being of Facebook for a number of years and comparing traffic results from Facebook and to the official business website, many businesses are finding they have more Facebook traffic than they do on their home website. This is a great way to expand your presence on the Internet.

106. Cross-promote your Facebook page among the other social media sites in which you are active. Social media is much more than just Facebook, so make sure those on other networks are aware of your presence on the other social media networks. They may not realize that there's a big conversation going on where they can get more involved!

107. Use Facebook Insights to make a better Facebook page for your business. Facebook Insights is an analytic tool that tracks user interaction and usage of a Facebook page. It is free to use for every page administrator. Use it to see how many people use your page, what content interest them the most, and what is the least interesting to them. Use this data to adjust the activities on your page accordingly.

108. You want your posts to be focused, but also with some variety. Post content that is related to your product, but do not be boring about it. Try finding various ways to engage fans with the content. Consider posting a question or posting a photograph.

109. Don't forget to promote your Facebook page through offline channels. There are many places that you can drum up interest in your Facebook page, including print advertising, on your business cards, on direct mailing pieces, and even on your shop windows! You can grab many new Facebook fans this way.

110. You must have a regular presence on your Facebook page if you wish for it to make a difference for your business. Facebook shares the most active businesses information before those that are not sharing information very often. To ensure that your messages are getting to those that care you must remain active.

111. If you aren't a business that tends to grab emotional engagement from fans, consider getting behind a cause on Facebook. People respond very emotionally to causes, and that can lead to a halo-effect with your brand if you are sincere with your actions. It's a great way to build up your brand awareness and fans on Facebook.