How to optimise Facebook to improve your business right now

Facebook is a powerful medium, well beyond it's 'social media channel' identity. It's becoming a hybrid media outlet, replacing traditional means with a personally curated 'news' scroll.

Networking in Facebook Groups, watching exclusive Lives and webinars, and using Reviews in decision making. It's a constantly-changing organism that many brands use exclusively to run their business from - often, with minimal or no ad spend.

According to a Nielson study, 50% of Australians spend an average of 1.7 hours per day on Facebook. Touching on the 'customer's customer' approach explored in a previous article, Facebook is one of the best platforms to leverage it. It's the place to broadcast, create dialogue, and network.

What's new on Facebook?

Facebook has opened 'Search Ad Placements' to target people based on behaviour, just like Google.

The 'Stories' camera also has a new 'Mood' mode, so you can create GIF-centric frames if you serve younger markets. And, a new 3D Photo function can now evaluate any image and simulate depth within it, to make them appear livelier and at a higher quality. This is beneficial for your product shots and experiences.

If you're active on Facebook, new privacy 'Clear History' functionality requires more creativity in your targeting. Security is a hot topic and, in-part, an ethical question, but as communicators, there's an opportunity to create personalised targeted experiences that your consumers love.

Video is the norm

Facebook is morphing into a video-dominant platform, particularly in the wake of social distancing. The question isn't if you do video but WHEN and HOW often. From an advertising perspective, video is 10% of the cost of a carousel or single image promotion.

'Going Live' is 3 x more powerful than regular videos, due to the scarcity aspect. Hook people in with an engaging, emotive presentations. It's important to maintain interest, through voice tonal changes and movement with your hands to help connect with listeners.

As for length, aim for the 15-20-minute mark to allow 'time to build' your audience via Facebook Lives. Consider bringing in interesting guests and use Zoom to go Live into your Facebook Group and/or on your Facebook Business page. Map out 10-12 key points that you want to cover and make room to acknowledge any comments.

Bypassing traditional media

For launches and releases, creating a press release people can share and 'Going Live' means you can use organic, free promotion methods.

Garnering Public Recommendations is another important no-cost way to create social proof and leverage the customer's customer approach. Send your buyers a text message within 60 minutes of using your service with the direct one-click link to your Recommendations page.

You can do more on social than ever before. Facebook is in the throes of becoming a single point, catch-all 'home' to communicate, shop, and learn. Yet, being humanistic and prioritising connection over selling will get you closer to 'cracking' Facebook and building invaluable brand equity.

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