When it comes to social media tools like Facebook, we are often asked, “How can I get more mileage out of [Facebook]?” and “How can I leverage Facebook for growing my organization?”

With the recent interface changes and the opportunity to reach over 500 million active users, Facebook has become the social media tool of choice. This month, we want to give you our 10 Practical Tips for Facebook.

  1. Create a Facebook Page
    Most users start with a Facebook Profile. Profiles are intended for personal use. Facebook Pages are for business use, and offer a more robust set of features for content management. Facebook has even provided instructions for converting your Profile to a Page.
  2. Establish Your “Vanity” URL
    This is the customized extension for your Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MyAwesomeCompany. This will make it easy for marketing and publishing your Facebook web address. You can get a personalized URL after your Page has been “Liked” by at least 25 people.
  3. Post Regularly
    We recommend posting with the same frequency every other day and on weekends (we typically recommend posts in the mornings). This is the time you will get the most amounts of interaction, and that is the strength behind Facebook. We also recommend having multiple Page Administrators so in the event you are out sick or unable to publish, another administrator can jump in.
  4. Take Part in the Conversation
    Your followers want to feel a sense of connection to you—a sense of community. Only posting information without responding to comments makes people feel ignored and not valued.
  5. Be Authentic
    Every organization has a “tone”. Remember on Facebook, people expect you to be real and a little casual. Don’t be afraid of this. Show that your authentic responses are coming from a person by adding your name to the end of a company-related post.
  6. Metrics are Your Friend
    Use Facebook Insights to see how your Page is being used. You can review statistics on wall posts, page views, discussion topics, and photos views. Also, “listen” to the conversations happening on your Page. This will help you gauge audience interest.
  7. Add Images, Links, Feeds, and Videos
    Photos are a great way for people to feel connected to what you are doing as an organization. Tag your images for SEO by including your company name, location, and relevant keywords in your captions and album names. Leverage the power of links by including links not only to your branded website content, but other relevant and related topics through feeds or manual updates. Finally, videos are a fun way for people to see and hear you, as well as learn from your expertise on a subject.
  8. Promote through Cross Pollination
    Be sure to link from your website, blog, emails, and social media feeds to your Facebook Page. Encourage your Page followers to link to your Page as well as share with their friends. You’ll be surprised how quickly your network will begin to grow.
  9. Optimize Your Page for Search
    When creating your vanity URL, use “key words” for your organization such as your organization’s name. Be sure to keep it as simple as possible, and remember once you have chosen a name you cannot change it. Also, be sure to adjust your privacy settings for search rankings.
  10. Advertise on Facebook
    If you feel your content is relevant and want to further target your audience, try Facebook advertising. Be sure to review the “Best Practices” and “Reasons for Rejection” as you begin. When pricing your ad, we recommend using “Pay Per Click”, since click-thrus are typically low on Facebook. Don’t let this worry you, as your ad will be viewed by thousands and drive awareness and interest.

Food for Thought:

  1. If you already have a Facebook Page, what other tips or advice would you recommend?
  2. What is the biggest mistake you are seeing from other organizations/companies on their Facebook pages?
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