Facebook pages for businesses just became websites.
That’s right. Facebook used to be a great way to be seen. Getting large numbers of page likes once meant that anything you posted would be seen. Facebook was great for business.
However, Facebook changed its visibility algorithm. Now, whether your page has 10 likes or 10,000 likes, very few people will ever see any of your posts or updates. Users will not see updates from businesses unless they turn notifications on for them (which is hard for a casual user to find and must be done for each individual page that a user chooses to follow).
If you don’t want your Facebook page to become obsolete, here are a few ways to gain some of your reach back.
Buy your reach.
While posts are out, ads are in. Advertising on Facebook allows you to buy back that reach you lost when Facebook changed its policies. Facebook ads allow you to:
- Promote your page’s social posts.
- Target people based on their behaviors, likes and demographics.
- Advertise to people who are similar to your current followers.
- Advertise affordably. Throw $50 at it – you’ll be surprised how far that goes.
Find your cheerleaders.
These are your super-fans, the ones who love your business so much that they can’t help but talk about it. They’ve already noticed that your page has disappeared from their newsfeeds and have chosen to receive notifications from your page. Find ways to get them to share your content and to encourage their friends to do the same.
Make them come back.
Give your followers a reason to check your page regularly, whether they turn on their notifications or not. Post contests, coupons, offers and event details to your Facebook page. Come up with something compelling, useful and beneficial to keep them coming back for more.
Become your business’ ambassador.
Facebook’s algorithm prevents businesses from appearing in newsfeeds, but people’s updates have not disappeared. You and your employees can share your business page, news, press releases and updates from your personal pages. You could even post in groups for more specialized targeting.
Turn it into a customer service hub.
Encourage activity on your Facebook page by turning it into a customer service support center. Ask for people to check in and leave reviews so you can engage with them. Your reach will grow by getting people to your page to submit reviews.
Use your physical space and other media to drive traffic to your Facebook page.
Direct customers to your Facebook page using in-store advertising and signage, links from your company website or other online advertising. All roads to your Facebook page are good roads to your Facebook page.
Get endorsements.
Your new viewers can come from other pages’ viewers. News outlets, partners, vendors, non-profits and organizations can share their reach with you – all you have to do is have them share your posts or mention you in a post (with a link to your page). If they have super-fans, their fans could easily become yours.
Facebook pages for businesses might not be what they once were, but that doesn’t mean that they are obsolete or useless. They can be quite helpful as a part of your overall marketing strategy. As Facebook evolves and changes, so must our strategies.
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