I see it all the time. A Facebook profile that should be a page. A Facebook page that is dormant or only posts things that are also posted on someone’s profile. For a lot of people, this may not matter that much. For a church or business that’s using Facebook as a key part of their advertising and marketing strategy, it matters.
As I’ve looked around Facebook and seen the pages I like and follow and as I’ve talked with other churches and learned along the way, I’ve come to some conclusions about Facebook and social media. Some conclusions about how to best utilize it and how to make it look excellent without shelling out a ton of money.
Here are a few tips for businesses, churches, and anyone wanting to better use Facebook (and most other social media networks as well)…
Set up a business or church Facebook page as a page, not a profile
I see this one all the time. Someone mentions that you start a Facebook page and you immediately go and begin starting a Facebook profile for it. That’s not the right way. In fact, Facebook frowns upon someone having a profile if it’s not a person. A profile means you’ll have to sign in and out of accounts, request and accept friend request, and make up a birthdate and all that personal stuff. Set up a page instead. Tie it to your personal Facebook account. No one will ever know it’s linked to your personal page and you can let others administrate it as well later.
To begin setting up a Facebook page, go here.
Remember your target audience
If you’re a church or a business in a metro area, don’t try to look like you’re coming from the hills of Tennessee (no offense Tennessee people). Know your culture and build your posts and posting times around that. Do you live in a farming community or an area where a lot of people get up early? Maybe mornings are best to post. Do most people love a certain sports team? Maybe you should post about them when they’re playing and after. Maybe even build a campaign around their games. Just remember who you’re wanting to read or see your posts. Don’t offend them and know how to use your time and resources.
I’ve written on knowing your culture before. View it here.
Use high resolution photos
I posted a few weeks ago on some places to find free stock photos. There really are no excuses. Remember, many people view Facebook on their phone or tablet, but people are using their bigger screen sized computers as well. Plan for larger windows and sizes.
Find my post with free high resolution photo sites here.
Spend money
Facebook has effectively made it to where businesses and churches have to spend money to get their content seen. It’s nearly impossible to reach a large audience without it. You can fight it and miss the Facebook community and opportunity, or you can spend a little and leverage it. Depending on your market, you may be able to find other avenues, but in many places, Facebook is still king. Facebook has many types of ads and you can set just about any budget for those ads. Use them wisely, use them well, but definitely use them.
Here’s a post with more information about how Facebook displays content.
Use a logo for your profile picture
No one recognizes your taco, bracelet, steeple, or friend chicken breast. If you want to stand out on Facebook, use a logo or something that will be unmistakably yours as your profile picture. Don’t use your family’s picture at the beach or the booth inside your restaurant. You can be creative, but make sure we know it’s you. Otherwise, you’ll never earn the respect or recognition to engage.
Those are just a few of my tips. Anyone want to add? Feel free.
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