Using Facebook for Business - My Tips!

Before I start, I just want to say, I'm not an expert in Facebook! So why am I writing this? because I've learnt a LOT along the way setting up and running my own page and I'd love to share my advice with you all, so here are my tips for setting up, running and growing your own Facebook page!

Content is Key! This is something that I've really only realised quite recently with the help of my assistant Lisa. I used to post around once a day, maybe something I'd put on my blog or a sneak peek picture. I was actually scared of posting, as a few times a week I'd post and then get one or two people 'unlike' my page, I thought maybe I was posting the wrong things or at the wrong times and I didn't want to annoy people, I stopped posting so much... BIG mistake! It's OK for people to unlike you, good, even! Because what you really want is engaged and active followers not a big number of disinterested people. So go ahead and post your updates, I'd recommend around 2-3 per day, but make them interesting, no one wants to know you've just had a cup of tea or you're taking a break to watch the news. Share a sneak peek, a link to your latest blog post, your latest creation, or share something you've found on another page that you love. Since I've done this, my likers have increased dramatically! yes I've lost one or two along the way but thats life, people are sometimes fickle - it's not personal and they will soon be replaced by new people who love what you do!

Watch the Numbers - If you look at the page manager section, you'll see after a few days which posts get the most views (is it links? pictures? videos?) so you can do more of whats popular! (Facebook recommends pictures above other media currently) It also allows you to see when people are more active on your page and engage with your posts more so you can post at that time of the day more and get even more interaction with your lovely likers!

Don't get too personal (unless thats what your blog / business is about!) - save personal things for your personal page unless they are very relevant. I often share pictures of Fuzzybutt as people ask regularly about her and what she's up too, she's a big part of my story and she's always in the office. I only very occasionally post really personal things and only if they are relevant - I recently had a lot of emails from people asking if I was taking enough time for myself as quite a lot of you know I had a rough start to my year and that I work very hard and sleep very little. I posted a quick candid snap of myself, B and Fuzzybutt (above) taking some time out to reassure everyone I was taking a few hours off. I also chose to post when my Dad died very suddenly earlier this year - only because I was on TV 3 days later and I knew I'd be puffy and red eyed, even through my make up, some of my likers had also seen some messages on my personal page from friends and asked me what had happened. I was anxious for it not to turn into a massive thing, I'm really not good at that sort of thing and would rather attention be on my business, products and creations than on me personally (despite doing live TV, I'm quite shy really!) so I kept things very short, simply thanking people for their well wishes (I was too upset to reply to individual messages but didn't want anyone to think I was being rude or ungrateful for their kind messages) and reassuring them that I would be on TV as planned.

These are too rare occurrences. Unless you want lots of people getting involved in and having opinions about, your life, I'd advise you not to share really personal things (only you will know what you are comfortable with!) If you put things out there, people will have an opinion on them and you may not like it, you need to decide what you can deal with people talking about and if it's not your domestic life / friendships / children etc... then simply don't discuss them.

Set the tone - This is a bit of a sensitive one - I've seen some Facebook pages where people have a very different tone to the way they really speak, I personally find this a bit odd. I find an authentic voice sounds much better and will always resonate with your audience. When I see posts that are very affected and I know this person doesn't really speak in that way, it puts me off, it's not authentic and comes across as very staged and fake. Lots of my followers have actually seen me on TV or met me at events so if I started posting 'Oh Goodness me, Golly gosh! Jolly Hockey Sticks!' etc... they would know I was being fake! I type as I speak (not as I think I should) and find this works best, people aren't silly and will know if you are being real or fake with them, be real and they will warm to you - very important I think (and much less effort than trying to keep up your act or fake personality you've created)

Be Engaging - Have a conversation, throwing stuff out there and never replying won't win you many fans. Reply to comments, ask for people's thoughts and opinions - these are your customers / audience and you'll never get closer to all of them at once (most probably!). This is one of my favourite parts of Facebook (and Twitter! and this blog!) it's impossible for me to engage with my audience every day, there aren't enough TV channels or magazines! and with both of those things, it's more of a one way conversation. With Facebook (and Twitter!) I get to speak to my audience and customers every single day! it's a fabulous way to keep in touch and to learn what people are liking / disliking and wanting from you. I can post up sneak peeks of products or designs and get almost immediate feedback, thats invaluable!

and finally...

Don't pay! It's really fine to do Facebook ads for your business or network within similar groups but paying for a bulk number of followers (offered via other companies, not Facebook) or getting people to 'like for like' is counter productive. Facebook only shows your posts to a select number of people. If you've paid for, or managed to swap, a ton of followers just to get your number up then only the 'fake' ones may be seeing it instead of the ones who are really interested in what you are doing! Build your following organically and you will have better results. Share your link in your email signature, on your blog, twitter etc... and people will find you (you can find my Facebook page here!)

There are some more great tips, direct from Facebook themselves right here. I really hope my tips help and if you have any to share with me, I'd love to hear them, I'm still learning! :o)

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x