There is a lot of information available on what to do to make your Facebook Page a success, but very little written on what not to do.
Here are a few common mistakes that are easily rightable.
Unattended Facebook Page
If you create a Facebook Page and then leave it when it all gets too hard, you’re likely to be doing damage to your brand. Your Page is a point of contact and every interaction or lack thereof is a reputation enhancer or detractor.
If people land on your Page and find that you haven’t updated it for six months, they are likely to assume you don’t really care, so why should they give you their business? Either deactivate your Facebook Page or keep it up to date.
Think of it this way, Facebook is like a pet, not just for Christmas, but for life (well the lifespan of Facebook anyway!)
Overposting
Another common mistake is posting too many times a day on your Facebook Page.
It is a recommendation that most brands only post once or twice a day. Obviously, that depends on your industry i.e. a news service may update their status 5 to 10 posts daily.
Also, posting too often includes timing of the posts – keep them at least 5 to 15 minutes apart.
Customising
Not customising your unique branding on your Facebook Page with a Landing Tab or Profile Avatar is sadly a brand detractor and mistake.
This is an extremely important part of letting people know who you are and statistics show that a Page will grow 40% faster than a Page without these details.
Incomplete Details
Similarly, leaving the Info Tab incomplete is a mistake.
The Info Tab is the great place to provide company description and incorporate links to your website (central hub), blog and any other social networking profiles you may have.
Think of it as one giant Meta Tag – it is important to populate with keywords for search engine optimisation.
Unclaimed URL
Not claiming a vanity or direct Facebook URL is a mistake. This assists not only Facebook users to find your brand when conducting searches, but also assists with search rankings on major browsers.
Boring Content
An all too common mistake is continually posting the same type of content.
We humans like a bit of diversity, so post photos, videos, questions, polls etc.
Statistics show that there is an increase of Likes and engagement if content is varied. Also, remember the 80/20 rule – 80% of what you do in social media should be non-marketing messages (things people can learn from or use whether they do business with you or not) and the other 20% can be a sprinkling of promotional items now and then.
Not responding
Not responding to your fans in a timely manner on any social media platform is a mistake. Make sure you do reply to people when they have questions, even if you think the question is stupid or irrelevant.
Creating an engaged, thriving Facebook Page takes time. Don’t despair – consistency and persistence will win the day!
Until next time…..
