This week I wanted to take a moment to talk about perception. Particularly the perception that likes or follows on social media platform directly relate to sales and visibility. Whilst we all like to focus on the numbers and get excited when people start following and then lament when we are unfollowed, it shouldn’t be your sole driver of being on social media.
So, if the numbers don’t matter, how on earth do you turn social media presence into sales? I’m living proof that the numbers don’t matter. I have less than 500 followers on Instagram and just reached 200 on Facebook, and yet I still have enough business to keep me out of trouble, PLUS this business is 80% from social media! Here are my tips to ditch the numbers and focus on other parts of your social media strategy.
Participate in Facebook Groups
By this I do not mean to post in a large number of groups only on promotion days. What we are looking for here is quality and consistency over quantity. Look for opportunities to provide value, comment thoughtfully and provide realistic advice. Your presence will result in more people becoming aware of you and your expertise.
Even if you don’t get any likes or comments on the posts, you are building an invaluable brand awareness. A case in point is recently I was recommended to a client by someone I had never had interaction with! They had seen me consistently in a Facebook Group, associated me with the problem my client was facing and recommended my services, without ever speaking to me, meeting with me or even commenting on a post!
Another interesting example of the Facebook algorithm in motion is shown by the image below. I consistently get about 10-20% reach on my posts, but what’s with the 400% reach? This image was a quote that I had posted on my Business Page. Instead of simply posting the quote in a Facebook Group, I shared the link. Due to timing and obviously relevant content to the Group, several people liked and commented, which skyrocketed the visibility of the post in the Group as well as helping tip the Facebook algorithm in my favour.
Using your Business Page
Whilst you may feel that you need to put a great deal of effort into your posts to only reach such a small portion of your followers, I want you to know that it is worth the effort!
Once you have placed all your energy into providing valuable content in Facebook Groups, where do you think people are going to head to find out more information about you? The answer is likely your website or your social media profiles. You need to ensure you have consistent (yes, at least daily) posts, with relevant and important information pinned to the top. In addition, make sure you have your services section completed (as this helps people quickly and easily see what you provide and for what cost).
All of this resides at the top of your Facebook Business Page so will be one of the first pieces of information that visitors see. Someone should be able to tell within 30 seconds exactly what you do and how you do it.
Make sure you are utilising every portion of this real estate to have up to date contact information, easily identifiable profile and banner photo. First impressions count!
Of course, you still need to make sure you are providing relevant, engaging content on your social media platform. This includes using Facebook Lives, video and IGTV as part of your broader content marketing strategy, but by using social media wisely and efficiently you can maximise your return on time investment.
If you would like to know more about keeping your Facebook Business Page alive with fresh content, feel free to contact me. I’d love to chat!
