Let’s start with a quick question…do you know anyone that isn’t on Facebook?
Well, very soon the business world will be just as consumed by this online networking phenomenon as the social world, because in 2011 the vast majority of businesses will realise that Facebook is a tool that can show a massive return on investment.
And, the businesses that already have a presence on Facebook, but that’s about it (sound familiar?), will be transformed into regular users, because ‘likes’, ‘fans’, and ‘groups’ will be integral tools for marketing success this year.
So why will your business get involved in Facebook in 2011?
1. Everyone wants fans. At the moment, 1.5 million local businesses are using Facebook, and the average value of a Facebook fan to these businesses is almost £90. And, when you consider that collecting these fans requires time and effort, rather than huge expense, you can see why more businesses are making Facebook a priority. Here’s a tip, Incentivise people to ‘like’ you on Facebook.
2. It’s so easy to ‘Like’ your business on Facebook. With a Facebook ‘Like’ button on your website, all it requires is somebody to click!
3. Once somebody sees others have liked your page within their group (and it will say on your website if this is the case) it creates social proof which means you are a trusted and useful resource.
4. Look around and notice how many adverts (both on and offline) have a Facebook page advertised. Also, notice how often Facebook is mentioned in the news. I can tell you, it’s mentioned almost everyday in mainstream publications. What does this tell you?
5. Don’t wait to see if it could work for you. By the time you begin, you’ll already be way behind. You can start a Facebook Fan Page today, for free. It’s very straightforward. Don’t miss the first wave of excitement and profit.
6. To all your existing customers, send a message saying you have a Facebook page and they can get money off/2 for 1/Free ‘stuff’/ or access to restricted information and do whatever it takes to encourage them to ‘Like’ you on Facebook.
7. Create a definite strategy. Work in phases to grow your list. Stage one is marketing your page. Stage too is growing your fans and stage three is providing relevant content.
Here are a few things to think about if you’re still not convinced:
– Facebook refers more traffic to websites then Google
– Relevant information is finding us through our friends on FB, not Google
– The majority of traffic is from communities and Fan Pages