To give you a little background, I started using Facebook in 2005 when it was only available to a handful of colleges with working student e-mail addresses. Like most of my classmates, I used it for photos and keeping in touch with long-distance friends. In 2007, things started changing. It was no longer a private forum and outlet for students to connect; we were seeing teachers, parents, co-workers, and eventually, companies developing profiles and pages to connect with us.
If you work for a company that does not have an online presence, and you have an opportunity to build one, do it now! Consider Facebook the yellow pages of today. Your page is not going to replace your company Web site, but it is going to allow you to connect with new audiences and express your brand’s personality.
Creating a Facebook page is the simple part, it’s keeping it going that takes persistence. If you’re not listening and if you’re not engaging, then there’s really no point. If you don’t have time to monitor and post, then appoint someone else on your team to head this marketing initiative.
Below are some simple dos and don’ts I’ve learned along the way.
Do:
– Have fun with it! Make weekly contests and get your fans/followers playing along.
– Join other groups and see how different brands are connecting to their audiences.
– Encourage your employees, friends, clients, and customers to post.
– Develop a group for a separate campaign; the awareness will trickle back to your brand. (If you work for a shoelace manufacturing company, create a page for walking.)
Don’t:
– Make this a sales page! If someone wants to learn more about your company, they will go to your corporate Web site.
– Wait to engage. Ever seen “Field of Dreams”? — If you build it they will come? I’ve learned you need to focus on the content and build culture before you focus on expanding the network.
A successful company profile on the social networking site can help with leads, organic growth, employee retention, talent searches, morale, external public relations, referrals …