facebook

If you’re using a Facebook business page as part of you marketing plans, you may have noticed recently that the number of people who have seen your posts has dropped like the proverbial rock. On a good day, our own posts are reaching about 5% of our fans. Does that mean you should throw in the towel on Facebook marketing? That’s up to you to decide, but before you do, take some of these options into account to see if Facebook is still viable for your small business.

Facebook has put marketers and businesses on notice: soon (or maybe already) your posts will be seen by fewer an fewer people. Why? So you’ll be compelled to pay for ads. And that’s right from the horse’s mouth, not just the random ramblings of a cranky marketer. Ok, fair warning: I DO get a bit cranky in this post but I also provide you with the information you need to prepare your business for the changes and some ideas for coping with them.

Let’s be honest: as much as we talk quality over quantity, sometimes it’s about the quantity! You need some kind of critical mass to make your Facebook marketing efforts worthwhile, but at the same time you want to be sure your fan base isn’t made up of fakers or disinterested people who will do nothing but hide your posts and mess with your EdgeRank. Don’t resort to desperate tactics like buying fans. Try any – or better yet, all – of these ideas to increase fans that fit perfectly within your target audience.

In internet years, Facebook is practically Neanderthal. It’s been around long enough that when we consider Facebook marketing, many of us think, “of course”. But ubiquity doesn’t mean opportunity. Before you start a Facebook page for your business – or before you continue into a neverland without goal or end, ask yourself these questions to find out if Facebook marketing is right for you.

Facebook business pages are free; every business can have one. That fact cuts two ways. Your business can have a well-crafted marketing Facebook business page that matches, compliments and supports its brand or your business can be the subject of this article. Here are five things to consider so your page isn’t an embarrassment to your business.

If you’re not totally on board the mobile bandwagon yet, then surely you’ve heard whispers that it’s rolling through town – at high speeds and with determination. Thanks to the research efforts of Qwaya – a tech company in the business of building social marketing tools – this infographic should give you food for thought as you plan you marketing strategies for 2013 and beyond.

Just recently we discussed setting up a Facebook business page starting from Square One. And mine is not the only post out there about how to get started on Facebook. Nor am I the only one giving out Facebook marketing advice like Halloween candy. A quick Google search should get you just about any advice you could want. Except for one thing. There’s quite a lack of information about whether or not Facebook marketing is a good idea at all! All the how-to posts start with the assumption that you’re going to do some Facebook marketing. But have you asked yourself whether you **should** be doing some Facebook marketing? Here are some questions to ask to help you decide if it’s worth investing your time and money.