Facebook for Professionals

Nancy Beth GuptillCool Tools for Social Media

Introductions

Agenda● Introductions and how everyone is currently using

Facebook

● Benefits of using Facebook for business

● How Business Professionals use Facebook

● Personal Profile, Business Profile, Business Page and Groups – what are the differences between them

● Communicating with Potential Customers

● Driving Traffic to Your Website

If Facebook were a country...

● From: clickymedia.co.uk

The Growth

● clickymedia.co.uk

Facebook Facts

Using Facebook for Business● Most popular social network with over 500 million users● A tool for connecting people with those around them

● Provides the opportunity for users to experience the personality of your brand online

● As a marketer, you can use Facebook to expand your online footprint and engage with customers directly

● The largest Mall in the world where your Business Page is your 'store front' – if people like what they see, they'll stop in

Defining A Facebook Strategy

Hub & Spoke

Your social media strategy should have the end result of identifying “highgrade” prospects that you know are interested in your business and thus have a better chance of becoming a customer.

Defining A Facebook Strategy

Business Goals for Facebook1) Get found by people who are searching for your

products or services

2) Connect and engage with current and potential customers

3) Create a community around your business (a tribe and hungry crowd)

4) Promote other content you create, including webinars, blog articles, or other resources

5) ULTIMATE: Drive traffic to your website and blog, sign up for your e-zine

Your Business Reasons?What are your business reasons for being on Facebook?

• Update your followers on latest developments • Answer questions about your products and services • Share information about your company • Create photo albums of products or events • Broadcast news and views

What else?

Facebook Rules & Regs● Business Use: Facebook rules state a business can

not set itself up with a personal account

● A business MUST have a business page or group page

● You can have unlimited business pages and groups

● Personal Use: You can only have one personal account, with a limit of 5000 Friends

● You can segment your friends into lists; you can have 100 lists, with 1000 friends per list

Profile vs PagesProfiles are meant for people Pages are meant for businesses

Differences between Business Pages and Personal Profiles: 1) Pages allow for multiple administrators to help manage the

account

2) Pages are, by default, public and will rank in Facebook and public search results

3) Pages are split into different categories (local businesses, brands, musicians) that help you get listed in more relevant search results

4) Personal profiles have friends, requiring mutual acceptance, while anyone can become a fan of your Business Page

Business Page vs Group

GROUPS – organizing around ideas and topics

● for members to connect, share and collaborate on a given topic or idea

● are effectively used as a tool to build awareness around various ideas

● Ability to make them 'exclusive' and 'by invitation only'

Business Page vs Group

Business Page – entities and organizations can broadcast information

● A tool for companies and public figures to engage their fans and customers

● Facebook users can interact with companies and public profiles they wish to follow

● Build a community

Facebook Page vs Group

Facebook Page vs GroupThe key distinction is a group is for a community of people with common interest, while a page represents a brand or entity of which there are “fans.”

Examples● PAGES:

http://www.facebook.com/marketingtwins

http://www.facebook.com/peiflavours?v=wall

● GROUPS: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=42317699692

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=66127681677&v=wall

Summary of Account Types

● Personal Account – restricted to 5000 friends - You can create very Personal or More Professional

● Business Account Only – unlimited likes, limited usage

● Business Page – unlimited Fans / Likes

● Group Page – restricted to 5000 members (messaging will be disabled)

Using Facebook as a Networking Tool● Create a Personal Profile – make it Professional● Create a 'Professional' Friend List● Use Facebook Groups – join groups of interest,

create your own [Evaluate group based on recent news, wall postings, member list, discussion boards]

● Post introductions on walls of groups and business pages with link-backs

● Participate in 'discussions' and 'reviews'● After meeting someone in person, ask to keep in

touch, find and friend them on Facebook

Creating A Personal Profile That's Professional in Nature

● Show your full name, job history and schooling.● Only add work-related email accounts / IM.● Only add industry contacts as friends.● Only join networks related to school and work.● Only have one professional looking photo or do not

include a photo.● If “blasts from the past” try to find you this is where they’ll

end up and you can add them as a contact without revealing lots of personal information to them.

● http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/facebook-101-business-guide/

Creating 'Professional' Friend ListList Segmentation

● Go to 'Home' – click on 'Friends'● Click 'Edit Friends'● Click 'Create a List'● Name your list● Select contacts

Page Functionality

- The Power of Sharing- Creating Photo Albums- Using ‘Notes- Creating Events- Monitor Your Page (analytics)- Customizing using FBML (facebook

Markup Language)

Attracting FansAttracting Fans (Free)

- Suggest to friends- Use the Power of Sharing- Add page links everywhere in online and offline

promotions- Add Facebook social plug-ins on blog and website- Add FB widgets on Blog and webpage- Include the Like and Share functionality on your

website and blog - Include collecting names in offline business processes

Attracting FansAttract Fans – Paid Options

- Facebook Ads- Run competitions and sweepstakes (Facebook has

Rules)

Communicating with Potential ClientsBest Way to Keep Your Page Active and Fans Engaged:

● Share quality, relevant and meaningful content● post frequently (2-3 times per day)● Develop a content and posting strategy● Have a mixture – links, photo's, questions, text,

video, audio, events, tags, tags (@)

How to Engage & Network● Ask questions● Run contests● Have fans join SMS● Use the words 'you' 'yours'● Keep posts short● Address fans by name● Respond quickly● Thank Fans● Surprise Fans● Use @ tagging● Use discussion boards & testimonials

Features of Facebook Pages aside from the basics

● Customize using FBML● Custom Tabs● Enhanced Walls● Custom Welcome Messages● Embedding audio, video, images● Integrating Blog, Twitter, Email Sign up

Facebook Insights● User Insights: records total Likes, active users,

demographics, and page views● Interactions Insights: shows page activity,

such as posts, mentions, likes and comments.● Post Insights: shows how many impressions

each story on their Page receives and what percentage of those impressions result in action (likes, comments, or clicks)

http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=914

Characteristics of a Great Page

● Content & Posting Mix● Experiential – integrate audio, video, contests,

blog, twitter, etc.● We'll email you a 'How To' guide with lots of great

information and tips

QUESTIONS