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The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Marketing

Facebook as a channel for audience growth

If you’re a creator or brand, you might be wondering if Facebook is still worth your time and efforts. After all, it’s no secret that the platform now has a reputation for being a little bit… well, old-fashioned.

Despite this general perception, however, Facebook remains an incredibly important tool for creators and brands – and here’s why.

First and foremost, Facebook has an absolutely massive user base. As of 2021, the platform had over 2.7 billion monthly active users. That’s a lot of potential eyes on your content! What’s more, Facebook is particularly popular among older users, which means it can be an especially valuable tool to reach an older, perhaps wealthier demographic who is nevertheless curious about new things – after all, they are on social media!

But Facebook isn’t just a numbers game. The platform also offers a ton of features that can be helpful for creators and brands. For example, Facebook groups can be a great way to build a community around you and keep in easy contact with your followers. And with the ability to create and run ads, Facebook can help you reach new audiences and drive traffic to your content.

So don’t count Facebook out just because it’s not the hottest new thing on the block! It may not be the trendiest platform out there, but it’s still a valuable tool for creators and brands.

Facebook as a tool for inbound marketing

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Facebook allows businesses to connect with a large and diverse audience, so it can be a very helpful platform for inbound marketing. Here are a few ways this can work:

Besides these basic qualities, and despite its reputation, Facebook may be not only a good platform to use, but even one of the best out there, for various reasons.

Setting up your Facebook page

Creating your page

To create a Facebook page for your business, you can either start from your own personal Facebook account, or create a new one with your business email.

The steps to create a page are simple:

  1. Sign into your Facebook;
  2. Open the menu by clicking the 9-spot button on the top right;
  3. Click on “Create,” then on “Page.”

You will then have to input your business name, as well as select a category from the available ones, and add a short description of what your business is all about.

And there you have it! Your page is set up – but far from ready for your audience! Keep reading to learn how to make your Facebook page worth checking out.

Customizing your page

Your Facebook page is made of several details that are all important. They each have to work together to keep people reading your page and get them curious about your offer!

Begin by choosing a clear and recognizable profile picture as well as a cover photo. If relevant, your profile picture should be your business logo, while the cover photo should be an image that represents your business and its values. Make sure they’re both high resolution – nothing less professional than a pixelated image!

Next, fill out your business’s information in the “About” section of your page, including your contact information, website, and any relevant details about what you have to offer.

Make sure to add keywords in your “About” section that are specific to your business, to make it easier for people to find your page when searching for your business or related topics.

You can also personalize the URL of your Facebook page to make it easier to find on search engines!

Add an actionable button to make it ever easier for users to reach you or purchase from you – for instance, a “Book now” button.

Finally, you can pin your latest or most important post to the top of your page, so that people can see the crucial information it contains immediately.

As an example, have a look at celebrated entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk’s Facebook profile: it’s punchy, clear, and enticing!

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How to grow your account: have a strategy

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Having a Facebook page set up isn’t the end of the road. Your account won’t grow and bring you the attention you deserve unless you work for it!

You need a strategy.

Here are some tried and true ways you can grow your Facebook account.

What is the Facebook algorithm?

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Social media applications are run by complex algorithms and it is the job of social media managers and marketers to leverage this algorithm when posting content and creating their content strategy.

According to the 2022 Sprout Social Index, 71% of consumers and 65% of marketers plan on using Facebook the most over the next 12 months. Knowing how the algorithm works is the first step towards using this platform for all its worth!

The Facebook algorithm is a set of guidelines that determines what users see on their feed. It tailors content to each user based on a number of factors – each user’s feed is unique to them.

The algorithm is continuously getting smarter and smarter, learning from its mistakes and from user history to make more precise decisions about what posts to boost and which users to promote.

How it works

The probabilities of what appears on every individual’s timeline is calculated based on a number of factors: from the type of relationship between the viewer and the author of the post to how frequently they interact with each other’s posts, every behavior affects the algorithm. The following qualities are particularly influential :

Particular features of Facebook cater to the function and success of its algorithm and, therefore, determine the content timeline. These are the following:

Facebook has introduced the Feed Filter Bar, a feature that allows users to customize what appears on their News Feeds on their phone apps. Naturally, it has an impact on the Facebook algorithm since the algorithm always takes into account the user’s settings first.

The posts in your News Feed are ranked in the order that the algorithm believes you’ll be most interested in seeing them. The format and content of these posts are selected for how likely they are to spark conversations among people.

From live videos to posts on groups and pages, every piece of content is scanned for this ranking. “The goal of News Feed is to show you the posts that matter to you so that you have an enjoyable experience.,” says Ramya Sethuraman, a product manager who works on this ranking. Because Facebook’s goal is, of course, to keep you on Facebook.

The algorithm focuses on what it deems are “meaningful interactions” and prioritizes them in the News Feed.

You can also use certain new features such as “Favorites” to select 30 favorite accounts or pages whose posts you want to see as a priority on your News Feeds, and as a separate feed.

Personalization and relevant content are top priorities of the Facebook algorithm. In May 2019, Facebook announced its widespread use of surveys. This helped to gather feedback from users to ensure they were seeing content that was relevant to them.

The evolved Facebook algorithm therefore prioritises relevancy when deciding what posts to show to users.

Due to Facebook’s emphasis on high-value content, it now prioritizes content from original sources as opposed to recycled content. As a result, publishing original stories will give you a boost in your News Feed position, while publications that don’t will be demoted.

How to leverage the algorithm

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The Facebook algorithm is a multilayered tool that works in favor of the application, but there are certain guidelines you can use to get this tool to work for you, too!

Facebook prioritizes quality and authenticity above all else. As such, you should focus on creating quality content that drives real interactions. High-quality and original videos are particularly preferred!

With the use of machine learning and ranking, Facebook is prioritizing content from friends and family over businesses. It has built a system that presents so many different types of content in a way that’s personally relevant to billions of people around the world.

Understanding your audience will enable you to find material that will resonate with them, elicit a more energetic response, and it will avoid users losing interest in your organization. According to Facebook, since 2017, the platform’s algorithms have been prioritizing reactions (hearts, angry faces, etc.) over typical likes, which means that posts that spark conversations among users go up in the rankings. Making posts that prompt people to stop scrolling and start engaging with one another should be your goal!

Hindsight is the best teacher so make sure to analyze your performance in order to draw conclusions! You need to periodically adjust your posts according to Facebook’s Insights. This data can tell you a lot about who your target audience is, what time of day they’re most active, and what kind of content they’re most likely to engage with.

Don’t be afraid to try out new features, especially as soon as they are rolled out. Whether they are new options, formats, types of content, etc., you should always be testing something new on Facebook. The algorithm is designed to show users the content that they’re most likely to engage with, and part of that is based on how recent and groundbreaking a post is. By constantly testing new things, you can ensure that your posts are more likely to be seen by your target audience.

Leverage your Instagram page to grow on Facebook

Instagram is different from Facebook – in particular, it is younger and a little trendier. So why not use its cool factor and popularity to help your Facebook page grow?

Here are some ideas for how to use Instagram to boost your Facebook page:

By leveraging your Instagram audience and getting creative with your promotion strategies, you can effectively grow your Facebook page and reach a wider audience. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and try new things – you never know what might work!

These tips also apply to other social media platforms, such as Twitter: you can use Twitter’s specific features and language to bring people to your Facebook page! However, the two platform are quite different and you will need to learn about their specificities before jumping in.

Types of content for Facebook vs. Twitter

On Facebook, content that tends to perform well includes visual content such as photos and videos, as well as engaging and informative posts that encourage user interaction, such as polls, quizzes, and ask-me-anything (AMA) sessions.

By contrast, Twitter is a more fast-paced and text-based platform, so content that performs well there tends to be shorter and more concise. It ranges from individual tweets, links to articles or threads.

It is therefore clear that one key difference between Facebook and Twitter is the length of the content. While Facebook allows for longer posts, Twitter has a 280-character limit for tweets (for most people as of March 2023). This means that Twitter content needs to be to-the-point, while Facebook content can be more detailed and in-depth – and both can work in your favor if you approach them correctly!

Another difference between these platforms is their typical audience. Facebook’s audience tends to be more diverse and includes all kinds of people (even older generations, as mentioned above), while Twitter tends to attract a younger, more tech-savvy crowd. The content most likely to perform on each platform is therefore different.

It’s important to consider the strengths and limitations of each platform when creating content, and to tailor your content to the specific audience and goals of your marketing campaign. You can read more about using Twitter for your brand or business on the Hypefury Ultimate Guide to Twitter Marketing!

Community building on Facebook vs. Twitter

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Community-building on Facebook and Twitter can be very different experiences – the two platforms have different strengths and limitations when it comes to fostering online communities.

On Facebook, building a community is usually more centered around specific pages or groups, allowing for more focused and in-depth discussions and interactions. Features like events and polls can also help bring people together and facilitate more meaningful interactions. In a word, Facebook is about deep connections and even the development of actual friendships!

Twitter, on the other hand, tends to be more fast-paced and focused on short updates and quick interactions. While it can be easier to reach a wider audience on Twitter with the use of hashtags and retweets, it can also be more difficult to foster deeper connections and have more focused discussions.

On Twitter, build a community comes with providing value in a slightly less focused way – you may tweet out some tips about something specific you’ve been through, and many unknown people may or may not respond to it, but if they do, you can grow quickly!

Despite these differences, both Facebook and Twitter can be valuable tools for building your community, and they can even complement each other in certain ways. For example, a business might use Twitter to share updates and news, and then use Facebook for more in-depth discussions and community-building activities.

For instance, a podcast may have a Twitter account to share its latest episodes, and a Facebook group for its biggest fans to discuss each episode or related topics!

Since Twitter is more about sending a message in a bottle, it can also be favored to share updates and news with a wider audience, or to facilitate more rapid-fire discussions.

By leveraging the unique features and capabilities of each platform, you can build a strong and engaged online community across the internet.

Using Facebook groups to grow your brand

Community is built on Facebook through groups – which means that brands and businesses should not miss out on this opportunity to grow their name and connect with potential customers!

By creating a group, a business can easily share updates, promotions and exclusive content with a targeted audience.

Gathering feedback and addressing customer concerns is made more personal and direct through groups as well. This closer bond can help create loyalty and trust in your audience, and as a safe space for your customers, groups can also create a sense of belonging and strengthen your relationship with your followers and future clients.

But how exactly do groups work? And what features does Facebook offer businesses interested in building and managing a lively and engaging group?

Using Facebook groups to find collaborators

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Facebook groups gather like-minded people, or people interested and working in the same industry. It’s therefore no surprise that they can be treasure troves of new collaborators or potential employees, as well as great places to find jobs and opportunities.

Groups often have a job listings section where you can find opportunities that may not be published elsewhere and which are more likely to fit your profile, since the group already matches with your interests and expertise.

Since they’re all about community and sharing, Facebook groups can also be a source of professional advice. For instance, in the public group Actors UK, performers often post their latest headshots and ask for feedback from other members, which is always provided in a supportive way thanks to moderators making sure that remarks remain cordial.

By actively participating in a Facebook group relevant to your industry and making helpful contributions to discussions, you can build your reputation as a valuable member of that group, which can later benefit you when you are searching for a job, collaborators, or even customers interested in your offer.

Facebook advertising options

There are several ways to do advertising on Facebook – more or less complicated methods for more or less targeted results!

Naturally, there’s no point trying to advertise on Facebook right after creating your page. You need to first apply what we’ve listed above to grow our audience.

Boosting a post

The easiest way to make an ad of Facebook is to turn an existing post into an ad with the “boost” function. It’s ideal when you want to start with advertising and see what happens.

It’s very easy:

  1. Find the post on your page that you’d like to boost;
  2. Click on “boost post;”
  3. A window will open in which you can choose the goal you wish to achieve with your boosted post; the goals range from “get more messages” to “get more website visitors.”
  4. Edit what the action button will say, for instance “Learn more” or “Sign up,” and add the appropriate URL.
  5. If you want to, you can select your target audience by age, location, interests and gender.
  6. Finally, choose the duration and budget for your campaign.

There’ you have! Check out your analytics to see how your campaign is doing and revisit its parameters if needed.

Creating a Facebook Ad campaign

A Facebook ad campaign is quite an endeavor, but if you’re launching a new product or service or want to spread the word about a specific event, they could really make a difference!

Facebook offers many different kinds of ads for you to create:

Each has different qualities and fits your product and goal better than the others; so make sure you think it through before choosing your ad format.

Here’s how to create an ad:

  1. Log into your Facebook ad manager and select the “campaigns” tab, then click “create.”
  2. Facebook will then ask you to choose the objective for your ad from 11 suggestions, from “Brand awareness” to “catalog sales.” Choose the objective that best aligns with your goals!
  3. Choose a name for your campaign, as well as specific categories that your ad may fit into.
  4. You have the option of setting up an A/B test by setting this ad as your control ad.
  5. Decide the budget you want to spend on your ad campaign, either daily or for the whole duration of the campaign.
  6. Choose when to run your ad – yes, you can schedule it for later!
  7. Choose your target audience for your ad by age, gender, location and language. You can also choose to have it be seen by people who’ve already shown an interest in what you have to offer. Your targeting can be very specific, based on demographics but also on specific behaviors and niche interests, for the best results!
  8. Next, choose where your ad will appear, or let Facebook choose for you by ticking “Advantage+ Placements.” You can, once again, be very specific: choose by device type and operating system (desktop, Android), platform (Instagram, Messenger), placement (Stories, messages)…
  9. The Brand Safety section allows you to make sure that your ad won’t appear next to content that could damage it, for instance, sensitive content.
  10. Check out the potential reach and estimated results that Facebook has calculated based on your choices, and adjust accordingly.
  11. Finally, choose your ad format (your choices will be limited based on the objective you selected in step 2), and finalise what the ad will look like. Use the Preview function to make sure you’re happy.
  12. Click “Publish” and you’re done!

As you can see, creating a Facebook ad campaign is quite a process, but you will get better at it with practice and the results will make it worth the effort!

Monetization on Facebook

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Advertising is one of the key ways that brands can monetize their presence on Facebook. From sponsored posts to carousel and video ads, Facebook offers many different tools for advertising in its Ads Manager. Make sure to combine them with Facebook’s advanced targeting options in order to reach specific demographics or users with the same interests that will be more likely to be interested in your offer!

As well as advertising, Facebook can also be monetized when used to drive traffic to a brand’s own websites or e-commerce stores. Use Facebook to showcase your offer and direct people to your purchase page!

There are several steps you can take to accelerate your monetization on Facebook:

Define your target audience

The more targeted your advertising is, the more effective it will be. Defining your target audience for yourself, then using Facebook’s detailed targeting options, will help ensure that your ads are being seen by the right people.

Create high-quality, relevant content

Brands that consistently produce high-quality, relevant content – either organic content or paid advertising – are more likely to see success on Facebook.

Utilize Facebook’s analytics tools

By regularly reviewing your performance data, you can make informed decisions about your advertising strategy and optimize your campaigns for better results.

Experiment with different ad formats

As mentioned above, Facebook offers a variety of ad formats. Don’t be scared to try out different formats to see which ones work best for your brand.

Utilize Facebook’s e-commerce features

Facebook offers a number of e-commerce features, such as the ability to add a shop section to your business page and sell products directly through Facebook. Your Facebook page therefore becomes a store front for your business.

Facebook marketing: the do’s and don’ts

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As powerful as Facebook marketing can be, it won’t be very effective if you don’t approach it with a strategic mindset. Here are some “do’s” and “don’ts” to keep in mind as you navigate your way through Facebook marketing that will help you reap the best results!

DO:

DON’T:

Scheduling your Facebook posts on Meta Business Suite

If you manage a Facebook page, you can choose to schedule your Facebook posts so as to better organize your online strategy with Meta Business Suite. It’s very simple!

  1. Start writing a post as you normally would;
  2. Then, instead of clicking on “Post,” click on “Schedule your post from planner in Meta Business Suite.”
  3. This will take you to a new page – your Meta Business Suite, from which you can easily schedule your posts;
  4. A window will open allowing you to choose the date and time at which you wish your post to go live.

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The Meta Business Suite is a truly great platform for anyone interested in taking control of their Facebook strategy! It also allows you to schedule your Stories, as well as manage your drafts and ads.

You can schedule posts months in advance, and revisit your posts once scheduled if they need to be corrected. You can also do A/B testing of your posts, allowing you to test up to 4 versions of a post for 30 minutes and automatically post the one that garners the most impressions.

Facebook automation tools

As useful and effective as social media marketing can be, it can also end up eating into your precious time if you don’t approach it carefully. Nowadays, there exist many different services to help you work smarter and quicker, even on Facebook! Here’s a list of some of the most popular automation tools out there.

Whether you’re a small business owner, a content creator, or a marketer, Hypefury can help you save time and achieve your social media goals, on Facebook and elsewhere! Try it today and start growing your audience on Facebook, Twitter and everywhere.

If you liked this guide, check out Hypefury’s ultimate guides to Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn marketing!