Beginners Guide to Social Media Marketing: Facebook Do's & Don'ts

When Facebook marketing began, many businesses were hesitant to get on the social media app however they quickly realized that having a Facebook profile was vital for business success in the digital age. Today, Facebook offers a place for businesses to form authentic and valuable relationships with their target audience and drive greater sales.

In order to market your business successfully on the platform, you need to understand the unique opportunities that come with the app and how you can use them for lead generation purposes.

Below, we take a look at the dos and don'ts of Facebook marketing for your business.

Facebook Marketing Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t use Facebook for a hard sell

Facebook is a place where individuals can connect with each other, share photos, watch videos and take a breather. As a business you don't want to disrupt these conversations, rather, you want to be a part of them.

The “hard sell” tactics you need to stay away from include using advertising slogans and repeatedly posting a product or service with no other context but to make a sale. This kind of digital behavior will result in your business being “unfollowed.”

Do Nurture Relationships to Make Future Sales

Instead of sharing sales-only related content (as per above), create and distribute content that is shareable and helpful - and content that benefits the viewer and offers value. From informative thought-leader blogs and how-to guides to inspirational images and videos, you need to get a conversation started with your audience. This tactic nurtures brand trust, generates leads, and ultimately leads to more sales.

Don’t Just Wing It

Many business owners don't take social media marketing as seriously as they should. And when this is the case, their social media pages can become stale, repetitive and boring. It is important to conceptualize campaigns and work to create an online environment that speaks to your target market. Essentially, sharing an image now and then does not cut it.

Do have a Clear Strategy

It is vital that you have a clear goal in mind when it comes to using Facebook for marketing and lead generation purposes. When putting together your Facebook marketing strategy consider the following:

Post regularly, you want to keep the conversation between your business and your audience going. Put together a content calendar that outlines what you post everyday to ensure consistency - and make sure to keep your goal in mind when putting your calendar together. Everything you post should have a specific goal, be it to attract your audience, engage your audience or convert prospective clients into leads.
Schedule in posts that attract, delight and nurture your target audience. These posts can consist of links to blog posts, informative articles, videos or imagery that grabs the eye.
Make sure to analyze and track the success of your Facebook posts using the Facebook analytics tool.
All your posts should have a strong Call To Action, a CTA that is designed to meet your specific goals.
Encourage user engagement and respond to any comments on your posts.
Use a specific tone of voice that is in line with your brand but also allows for ease of communication between your business and your audience.

Don’t Talk At Your Audience

As stated previously, Facebook is not about a “hard sell.” You want to create a community and it is vital you nurture audience relationships as opposed to simply speaking to them like they are just potential sales numbers.

Do Talk With Your Audience

Create a “human” tone of voice for your business. Users want to talk to other people, not an impersonal and seemingly automated bot. Invest in a Facebook manager that is able to grasp your business tone of voice and speak with your audience as opposed to at your audience. Of course, this tone of voice needs to suit your brand identity and this needs to be front of mind at all times.

Don’t Ignore Comments or Queries

This is one of the biggest no-no's when it comes to social media marketing in its entirety. Even if you don’t like a comment that someone has left on your page it is vital you respond in a professional manner. This kind of communication shows your audience that you care about their needs. If you blatantly ignore a comment, you can be sure that the user will quickly turn to your competitor.

Do Encourage Communication and Always Reply Timeously

Craft your posts to encourage your target audience to comment on specific industry or product-related topics. When they engage with your content it is vital you respond quickly (within 24 hours) because failing to respond will weaken your relationship with potential customers and your followers will slowly decrease.

Don’t Just Use Text

Today, social media is more visual than ever. No one wants to read through captions that are long-winded and repetitive. Everything you share on your social media should have a visual element to it if you want to grab the attention of your audience.

Do Use Images and Videos

With visual social media apps like Instagram and TikTok making waves in the online community, it is vital you use images and videos on your Facebook page. For example: if you are a retailer, make sure to post images of your products or instructional videos about how to use your products. This will keep people on your page for longer and will entice them to take the next step in the buyer's journey.

Don’t Ignore your Analytics

When it comes to marketing your business through Facebook it is vital you keep an eye on your Facebook social analytics. Analytics are available through the app and give you insight into what type of content works best. For example, you are able to measure which posts get the most clicks and impressions. This will help your marketing team optimize your Facebook strategy and ensure greater success on the platform.

Do Test Facebook Ads

Facebook offers an array of highly targeted paid ads.

These include:

Image ads
Video ads
Poll ads
Carousel ads
Slideshow ads
Lead generation ads
Dynamic ads
Messenger ads
Stories ads

When choosing an ad format for your business, make sure to consider your goals and objectives. For example, if you are putting out an ad for brand awareness, a visually appealing image ad would be ideal. However, if you are promoting your products a carousel ad would be a great option and if you are looking for high-quality leads, a strategic lead generation ad is the way to go.

Take your time experimenting with Facebook’s ad creator and carve out time to get creative when putting your ads together. Use Facebook analytics to identify which ads are working for your business and leverage off these insights as you continue your Facebook marketing journey.

The Wrap Up

If you are beginning your Facebook marketing journey, the above tips will help you reach your goals and objectives.

Facebook marketing is no longer a fun side project for marketers, it is vital for business success.

Today, Social media continues to evolve at rapid speed, heavily influencing how businesses communicate and engage with their customers. When used correctly, it can positively affect your brand's perceptions and be the driver of generating more revenue.

How We Can Help

Whether you're a B2C or B2B business, social media is a radical part of digital marketing. At Nexa, we offer a full range of social media services with a proven track record spanning 15 years, which marked the start of these pivotal platforms.