Rules & tips on advertising to market your business on Facebook

facebook

Digital marketing offers a simple and cost-effective way to advertise your company and in the current competitive environment, you cannot afford to waste a single drop of opportunity for self-promotion.

It’s a fact that people spend far more time attached to their browsers nowadays, so it makes sense to market your business online, and if you want to put your company on the map, social media is the place to be.

Facebook has over 2 billion active users. That’s 2 billion potential customers you can reach out to, and the best part is digital marketing offers a level playing field. Large multinational companies with plush stores compete equally with small independents, and everyone is eligible for a slice of the market pie. From online restaurants to online funeral directors, online dog groomers to online pharmacies, if you are selling it you can advertise it. If you want to successfully market your business on Facebook it’s worth bearing a few tips and rules in mind to help you to make your advertising experience a positive one.

Build Your Brand

Try not to think of Facebook as just a store, if you monitor your success on the number of consumers that are willing to immediately “click to buy,” then you may be disappointed. Facebook is a browsers paradise and provides your business with the opportunity to reach out to those who fall into your target market.

Plant the seed of how wonderful your product or service is and use social media updates to water and feed it. Encourage that seed to grow in the minds of your potential customers and build your brand. Today’s browsers are tomorrows buyers and they are more likely to buy from a company they have a good relationship with.

Target Your Market

Ok, so there are two billion users, lots of people may click on your FB page, but not necessarily those who have any relevant interest in your product or service. In order to reach out to your target market you need to understand who they are. Use Facebook to focus your efforts on those you are interested in. You can target users by city, state and country by selecting a location. You can also focus on gender, age, birthdate (if you are selling party supplies you will be able to seek out the birthday boys and girls).

You can also target by education and workplace. Other ways to define your audience include by looking at their relationship status and interests. You can even specify keywords (based on their user profile – what do they like?) to convert browsers to buyers, so making sure your advertising is relevant and reaches those who matter can be a crucial business strategy.

Don’t Break the Rules

When it comes to advertising on social media platforms the rules are not made to be broken. Facebook has devised a set of community standards, specifying what type of content you can share. They also have very clear advertising policies in place. All users must adhere to these and businesses need to be clear on what is considered to be prohibited or restricted content. Some of the rules are more relevant to certain types of businesses than others, for instance Facebook does not allow the sale of weapons, ammunition or explosives. Those with weapon-related interests can use Facebook, posts such as “Gun Exposition today,” would be allowed, however “Get you ammo here,” would definitely! There are also restrictions placed on other online business adverts, such as those for online dating sites and online gambling. Even a fully regulated online pharmacy cannot promote the sale of prescription pharmaceuticals and ads for offline and online pharmacies are only allowed with prior written permission.

Facebook can ban any business that flout the rules and this can have dire consequences for a company. A Facebook ban can leave you out in the cold while your competitors mop up the customers left wondering where you have gone. All the hard work making connections and building a rapport with current and potential clients would be wiped out. The ability to reach out to your target audience promptly and in a cost-effective way would be lost, which in turn will lead to lost sales and reduced profits. Social media is the on-trend way of selling, make sure you embrace Facebook and use it wisely, and above all don’t underestimate its power as a marketing tool.