Facebook Marketing --- it can MAKE You or BREAK You

Introduction to Facebook Marketing

MySpace made a big hit in social networking for almost 3 years and reached up to 100 million users, until Facebook came and by 2008, it had surpassed MySpace in worldwide users, specifically in the United States. Having around 950 million users, with which 43% of them are located in the US, Facebook is currently the most visited website, other than google.com. That is why companies are investing in Facebook marketing.


Facebook is a word that has become a part of today's vocabulary. Presently, the Facebook website has 62 million active users worldwide.


Without further explanations, obviously, at this point, you know how Facebook can significantly help you promote your website and your business. Facebook marketing is one of the hottest trends among online entrepreneurs. Imagine having more than 62 million potential clients!


Below are examples of what can be done on Facebook.

1. Buy and sell
2. Find and post job listings
3. Drive traffic to a blog or website

Really? Does everyone have a Facebook account? Let's just say, if you don't, then you're missing a lot! Sign up for a Facebook account now.

Why invest in Facebook marketing?

It was November 2006 when Facebook Pages were released as an advertising platform. Prior to its launch, internet marketers simply purchased ads for their offers. Thanks to Facebook, digital marketers now have a way to have an entirely unique opportunity to market products or services. 

Facebook Pages is designed to encourage brand loyalty. One satisfied customer may visit your page repeatedly and become a “fan”. Your page visitors can even publish a review on your page's "wall". 


The page owner and admins may also encourage interaction with other members by posting photos, videos and even participating in group discussions. You may also send updates to your "fans" about what’s new in your business. You may also add different kinds of applications and games.

Facebook has a million subscribers!

Because of its popularity, internet marketers see Facebook as the website of their dreams. Why? The reason is the numbers. In marketing, numbers are very important.


As mentioned, Facebook today now has millions of subscribers from all over the world. It is the fastest growing social networking website today. People from different backgrounds subscribe to


Facebook. People create groups. Some groups are for people who are in a specific age, while others are based on their interests.


Depending on your target demographics, you may apply to be a member of one of these groups. You may also create your own, and try getting people who are interested to join.


Facebook also has various tools that you can use such as news feeds, walls, blogs, notes, etc - which will be discussed in the succeeding chapters.

Newsfeed: Facebook’s Unique Feature

Unlike other social networking websites, Facebook offers a unique feature that will let you efficiently market on the internet. One of them is the news feed feature. Depending on your privacy settings, you will be able to broadcast whatever it is you want to announce through the news feed feature.


Do know that some people don't want this feature. But from an internet marketer's view, the news feed serves as a great way to promote your offers.

Tips to know how to harness the newsfeed feature

1. Create a profile. This is the first thing that you need to do. You might want to complete your profile page to its fullest in order to let people viewing it take an interest.
2. Host an event and post it in the news feed. This will get people in your network interested and if your event is worth the time, they will even tell other people in their network to join in the fun.
3. Share humorous videos or pictures. This will help in promoting your profile page. People love to laugh!
4. Post news articles. For example, if you are selling sports apparel, you might want to post the latest news in sports. This will generate targeted traffic that will most likely be interested in what you are marketing.
5. Comment on other people's profile pages. It’s a great way to expand your network and increase your profile viewers.

Facebook Marketing is a Friendly Tool

We all know that Facebook does help us to be able to keep in touch with old friends as well as relatives or simply make new friends and meet new people. It does make the world a smaller place. On Facebook, you may post pictures, discuss your interests and hobbies and do other great things.


Another great thing about Facebook today is that anyone is welcome to sign up. Whether you are a college student or you are an entrepreneur looking for a niche market, Facebook is the place to go. If you're starting an online business, never forget about Facebook! It is indeed a friendly tool.

1. A Friendly Tool to Reach Out to More Clients
2. A Friendly Tool to Increase Your Sales

Facebook has launched its Facebook Ads system that allows you to formally advertise your products and services. People are more likely to buy a product recommended by their friends. If you advertise on Facebook, expect to increase your sales, as well as get a niche market for your products and services.

A Friendly Tool to Reach Out to More Clients

Originally, Facebook was primarily designed for Harvard students but was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League. However, because of its interactive tools, it was made available for all people from different parts of the world. One of the best things about Facebook is probably its tools that you can use to market your business.


But, how?


You will see different people here from all walks of life - of different ages, cultures, gender, etc. That said, it gives you an opportunity to creatively market your products or service according to your target audience.


Facebook is a social networking platform. If a person in your friends' list loved your products, they will most likely tell their friends in their Facebook friends list about their experience and encourage them to purchase from you --- then, their friends to their friends, and so on - it’s like a virus. It’s exponential.


Keep in mind that targeted traffic is the key to online marketing. Starting with Facebook is a wise choice. You'll be surprised as to how many people will be quite interested in what you have to offer for just a short period of time.

A Friendly Tool to Increase Your Sales

If you own a business and you want to effectively market your products or services, the internet will be one huge bulletin board where you can advertise virtually. It is open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. This is called internet marketing. With thousands to millions of people visiting the internet daily from all over the world, you can be sure that promoting online will unquestionably boost your sales.


One exceptional website where you may want to focus your online advertising campaign on is Facebook. It is now considered to be one of the largest social networking websites existing. In fact, a lot of people have already begun marketing on Facebook. This is an excellent way to generate targeted traffic to your website which will enable you to increase the potential in promoting your products and services, then the volume of sales will naturally follow.


In today's ever-competitive business world, you know that you need to use every tool possible in order to get ahead of your competitors. So, the next time you are thinking about marketing your business online, do try marketing on Facebook.

Tips and Tricks on Facebook Marketing

Here are some tips in order to use Facebook at its full potential and let it help you make a lot of money.

1. Fill out your profile completely. Not just your name, age and other basic things, but you need to really fill your profile page. Remember that the best profile is a profile that has all the information in it.
2. Expand your network. Don’t just stay in one circle. Interact with other people within your industry. Build new relationships by joining groups related to your profession. That way, you will be able to connect with people who are also interested in what you have to offer.
3. Don’t be shy. Facebook is all about connecting and interacting with other members. Interact and establish good relationships, then you’ll be able to expand your network and improve your marketing strategy.
4. Catch people’s attention. In internet marketing, getting targeted traffic is the key to success. Your Facebook page should be unique in order to catch attention. Add some applications, games, videos, as well as syndicate your blog website using RSS. By doing these, you will be able to provide people with lots of fun things to do on your page.
5. These are some of the things that you need to do in order to successfully market on Facebook. Always remember that getting people to view your profile page is the key to success in Facebook marketing. Through these tips, you can be sure that you will get a lot of viewers on your profile page and increase the chances of getting them on your business website or get them to buy your products or services.
6. Know your audience. For example, if you are reaching for an 18-25 demographic to sell your products, you will see that Facebook will be able to provide you with your target customers. Most subscribers here are called the "tech-savvy youth audiences".
7. Add as many friends as you can. When you register on Facebook, you can also add friends. Try adding as many as possible and establish a good relationship. If you have friends who use Facebook, and surely you do, encourage them to promote the products or services you offer.

Do these, and you’ll be surprised as to how Facebook can help you run your business. Always remember that you need to work hard in order for you to become successful.


Facebook can do far, great things for your business. It also already has the tools necessary to market your products or services effectively. It is just a matter of knowing how to use these tools, such as Facebook Ads.

Facebook Ads: Overview

As mentioned, the internet is the hottest place today to earn. However, although it will potentially generate a lot of cash for you, success isn’t automatic.


Keep in mind that if you have a new website, no one knows about it and if someone knows it exists, he or she wouldn’t care. You need to market your website.


Facebook developed an ads system called the Facebook Ads. Basically, Facebook Ads is a pay per click program offered to marketers on Facebook. The great thing about Facebook Ads is that it is very affordable and you will never worry about spending too much money on advertising without getting any return on your investment.


If you have a small budget and you are experimenting with your marketing strategy in order to know what is going to work or not, then Facebook Ads is perfect for you.


You need to consider the fact that spending a lot on pay per click ads can have a negative impact on your business. Here are two things that you need to think about:

1. Will the products or services you are offering convert?
2. Is there even a demand for what you have to offer?

Creating the Perfect Ads for Your Business

In the world of internet marketing, PPC or pay per click ads is by far the most used types of advertising.

Things to remember:

• The idea is that you need to create something catchy and flashy enough to grab people's attention. No one would click an advertisement on the internet unless it catches their attention.
• People log on to Facebook to check out what's new with their network of friends. Your job is to take away people's fixed intentions and make them spend a little time taking a look at your advertisements.
• You need a bit of creativity. See example below:
• If you are trying to sell your iPhone, you might want to try advertising "Want an iPhone at a cheap price?".
• You might want to consider specifying your target customers to be people in college or people between the ages of 18-25 - since kids today are crazy about cheap and cool electronic gadgets.
• You should also upload a photo. This will add to the effect and will surely attract more potential buyers. People are visual.
• Your selling point should be strong. Give people a reason why they should check out your offer. Get into your target customer's mind and find out what they need and what they really want. Ask yourself, what attracts your attention?

Facebook Ads have great marketing tools.

1. Advanced Targeting. Target your niche market by age, gender, interests, location and more. This will mean that you will be able to easily target the audience you want. By having this feature, you will be able to quickly find people that may be interested in purchasing the products or services that you offer.
2. Trusted Referrals. Attach friend to friend interactions about your business to your ads. Facebook encourages word of mouth marketing. This is a great feature as people are more likely to buy a particular product that is recommended by the person they know.

Getting Started

1. Paste the URL of your website.
2. Choose the audience you want. You can choose the age range, the location, education status, political views, and relationship status.
3. Include some keywords that will normally show up on interests.
4. Create the advertising - the title and a body.
5. Include a photo - this is optional.
6. Set a budget.

Tips for Beginners

Note that marketing on the internet is different from marketing in the real world. In fact, even the most experienced marketers in the real world have a hard time marketing on the internet. It requires different strategies to make things sell.


With the kind of risk as mentioned above, why would you set up a 100 dollars a day budget for pay per click advertising when you can get it at Facebook for only 10 dollars a day. Below are some tips if you don’t know how to move forward with Facebook Ads:

1. Experiment. Test your advertising for a week or two with an affordable budget to find out what works and what doesn’t.
2. Start out small. If it works out, then you can increase your budget little by little.
3. If the ad didn't turn out as expected, improve it but don’t increase your budget - at least not yet. Remember that spending more is not really a good thing especially when marketing is concerned.
4. Be patient. Making huge jumps on the internet is not really how it's done. Start out small and work your way up. It may take time, but with this method, you’ll see that you will have little to lose and everything to gain.

Facebook can break you...

Although Facebook may bring success, it may also be a cause for failure if not managed properly...


You can’t ignore the opportunities available with Facebook to attract, engage and convert potential customers, but building a high-converting Facebook page has been elusive for some. To know the elements of a successful Facebook page is essential, but to recognize the reasons why your page is failing is a different story.


If you aim for your target audience to like your page and follow you, you have to continually reward them with great content. You also have to incorporate Facebook ads wisely to boost your posts, increase page views and turn your fans into buyers. Fans are great - but we get no money from them until they become our consumers.

10 Possible Reasons of Failing Facebook Page

1. You’re not ALWAYS visible on News Feeds. Post regularly. You need to be visible on News Feeds as often as possible for you to stay familiar, if not popular.
2. You focus so much on felt needs vs real needs. Facebook users are human. Why you sell what you sell is important. Put a heart on your posts. And don’t dare fake it, people can tell.
3. Your posts failed to go through all phases of the consumer cycle.
4. Photos: Maximize the space. The background should be white, and you should keep the 20% Ad Text Rule - which means that the text on ad photos cannot take up more than 20% of the photo
5. Description: Must be short and precise. Avoid being too wordy.
6. Blogs: Be visual. Avoid plain text. Make it timely and practical. Watch TV and do some research on what’s trending.
7. Title: Long titles are okay as long as it is the summary of your content.
8. Other things to consider: Bullet points, videos, related articles, etc.
9. You lie! People are more attracted to brands that communicate exactly who they are and what impact they wish to have.
10. You Can’t Relate to Your Audience. Not knowing your audience is like talking to a foreigner of a different language, which you’re not familiar with. Sooner or later, huge amounts of time, effort and money have been spent without a return on investment or not even breakeven.
11. You Don’t Conduct a Facebook Page Audit. Know where the gaps are between your current standing versus where you need to be. There are tons of benefits in doing Facebook Page Audit.
12. You’re a Snob. Facebook is a social media platform. So if you’re not responsive to comments and messages, what’s the point? Nobody would feel good when ignored.
13. Your Goal is Not Defined. What’s your marketing goal? What’s your gauge of success? Where do you want your Page to be 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, a year from now?
14. You’re Not Maximizing Facebook Ads. Either you aren’t using Facebook ads correctly or you’re not using Facebook ads at all. Facebook page won’t work without Facebook ads. Why? You must pay Facebook in order to reach your target audience and deliver the right content to the right customer and the right time. It’s worth it.
15. You Don’t Measure and Analyze Your Results. You must know what worked and what didn’t. Facebook Insights (your Page analytics tool available to all page admins) is your best friend.

Conclusion

Facebook indeed is a great marketing tool, yet, as with every business decision, it’s always wise to weigh up the pros and cons before jumping in head first. The audience on Facebook is HUGE. In fact, no other social network comes close. It does have fantastic tools and targeting capabilities. 

However, you can't just sit back and relax. With Facebook Marketing, it requires commitment. I'd say, everything does.

So hop on a call with your virtual team now and discuss!