5 Reasons Why You Can No Longer Avoid Facebook
It seems some business owners are still thinking that it’s optional to have a fan page on Facebook.
Hello!!!
Have you been listening to me????
Maybe they’re thinking, “When I have a bit more time to investigate what this is all about, I’ll set up a page”. Or maybe, “I already have a website, why do I need a Facebook page too?”.
I’m not exactly sure what the thinking is behind it, but I argue loudly that it’s no longer an option to NOT have a page for your business.
Your business NEEDS to be on Facebook.
Here are 5 reason why your business can’t avoid Facebook for one more minute …
1. Your competition is on Facebook.
This means they are already connecting with your potential customers, building relationships, driving sales, and increasing customer loyalty.
They are probably also using their fan page to announce sales and special offers, establish themselves as industry experts, and responding quickly to customer questions and concerns.
People buy from people they know, like, and trust.
How are you helping your customers know, like, and trust you?
2. Your customers and potential customers are on Facebook.
In September 2011, users spent an average of just under 8 hours per month on Facebook*. And given that Facebook has more traffic than Google - that’s saying a lot.
Why wouldn’t you want to be where your customers are?
3. The #1 way your customers want to interact with you is through Facebook.
In a recent survey** of US social network users, 80% of respondents said they preferred to interact with brands on Facebook (as opposed to 6% on Twitter). That is HUGE.
While you may be active on Twitter and be using it successfully, in terms of building relationships, you’re not going to find a replacement for Facebook.
4. Facebook is the best way to target your customers or clients.
How else can you choose to advertise directly to your ideal customer?
With targeting options like relationship status, location, age, and even employer, Facebook wins hands-down in terms of online advertising options.
5. It’s imperative that you protect your brand on Facebook.
I was recently wanting to look up the hours of a certain local Italian restaurant in my town. Since they didn’t have a website (that’s a whole story in and of itself), I looked them up on Facebook (or so I thought).
It appeared to be a regular fan page, however it quickly became obvious that there was something a little off. The owners of the restaurant were given…‘colorful’, and less-than-flattering nicknames, and the page contained information that no business owner would allow on their page.
Whether the page had been set up as a joke (or for even more sinister reasons), or just been hacked, it was a good reminder that if you’re not representing your brand on Facebook, someone else may be.
*http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/august-2011-top-us-web-brands
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