25 Ways to Use Facebook to Brand and Build Your Business

Facebook is a great place to connect with existing friends and reconnect with old ones. It is amazing how many connections have been rekindled within Facebook. While Facebook is a great social tool, it is also a highly effective business tool if utilized correctly. Statistics reflect that Facebook is a huge network just waiting for your business to tap into. Facebook has grown to over 400 million active users, the average user is spending approximately 55 minutes a day on Facebook and more than 80,000 websites have implemented Facebook connect. Businesses are just beginning to catch on to the social media wave. You can promote your business, product or service, land jobs and connect with your customers because, trust me, they are there!

25 Ways to Use Facebook to Brand and Build Your Business

Optimizing Your Profile

1. Complete your profile so that people can see who you are.
2. If you do not already have one, I suggest creating a business fan page.
3. Make sure you read the Facebook info about Fan Pages.
4. You can install some great applications that will allow your blogs and other social media accounts to be integrated into your Facebook Fan Page.
5. Add basic information to the group or fan page such as links to company site, newsletter subscription information and newsletter archives.
6. Post upcoming events including webinars, conferences and other programs where you or someone from your company will be present.
7. If you have personal photos or information that you wish to keep private or only wish to share with certain people you can customize your profile settings. 
8. Create individual friends lists or folders as I call them, such as “Business,” “Family” and “Church”, etc. This will help you target your profile settings more efficiently.
9. Make sure your profile picture is professional and will reinforce your personal or business brand. 
10. Your fan page should contain a “landing page” where you can capture the email information of anyone who joins your fan page. This will assist in connecting with them in other ways.

Sharing Your Business with Others

11. Obtain a branded Facebook vanity URL in order that people can find you easily.
12. Add your new branded Facebok URL to your email signature and any marketing materials that you distribute in order so that your prospects can find you on Facebook.
13. Post updates about your business on your wall and on your fan page. Be careful about how you share your business – don’t blast it but share what is going on in a non-pushy way. For example: “we have some great specials today, $10 off all ABC’s” or “drop by today and mention this FB for 20% off any purchase”.
14. Share your own and/or other people’s articles and links to valuable content that would be of interest to your fans. Good content is a critical component of keeping people engaged on Facebook.
15. Build both your Twitter and Facebook presence by using both to leverage the other. For example, when someone connects with you on Twitter, invite them to friend you on Facebook and vice versa.
16. Find more connections by uploading your contacts.
17. Tap into the Find Friends to locate other people you may know but don’t think of. This will continue to build your friend list.
18. Market your products or services by sharing discounts and coupon offers.
19. Utilize survey or research data to build credibility. Facebook has a Review option that is great for this.
20. Add Facebook Connect to your web site. You want your prospects to be able to find you in a variety of places.
21. Suggest Friends to your clients and colleagues; doing this will establish trust and build reciprocal relationships. Remember that social media is all about building relationships.
22. Buy Facebook Ads to target your precise target market.

Connecting With Others Inside Your Niche

23. Use Facebook’s search feature to locate groups and fan pages related to your niche.
24. Join network, industry and alumni groups that revolve around your niche or that you have associations with.
25. Locate and contact experts within your niche and invite them to your fan page, to be a guest speaker at an event or write a blog post that pertains to your shared niche. This gives them exposure and creates a ton of visibility for your business.

About Author

Kim Garst

Kim Garst is a renowned marketing strategist and speaker who is trailblazing the use of artificial intelligence in digital marketing. With over 30 years of experience as an online entrepreneur, Kim helps entrepreneurs grow their business and authority online by using AI technology. She is leading the way with proven AI frameworks that help entrepreneurs build authority in their space.

She is keynote speaker and an international best-selling author of Will The Real You Please Stand Up, Show Up, Be Authentic and Prosper in Social Media.

Named by Forbes as a Top 10 Social Media Power Influencer, Kim is well-known for her skill to simplify complex technology and make the use of AI understandable for business growth. Her relatable, actionable advice helps guide new entrepreneurs to harness the power of AI to succeed in digital marketing. Kim is leading the way in combining human and technological skills to create a new model for AI-powered marketing.

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