Facebook for small businesses – the ultimate guide

How to use Facebook for Small Businesses I The Ultimate Guide

There’s no doubt that Facebook is still one of the top social media networks worldwide – what’s more, it’s unbeatable! According to the Meta annual report, Facebook is the third most visited website in the world, right after Google and YouTube, so it’s an excellent tool to help your small business grow and reach the stars.

If you don’t know how to use Facebook properly to make the most of it, here we bring you the so-called Facebook for dummies guide, that will make it all easy-peasy. Get yourself prepared, grab a good coffee or tea, and learn with us all the best Facebook small business marketing tips!

Why is Facebook the best tool for your project or Small Business

Why is Facebook good for small businesses? Well, there are so many reasons, but the first data you should know is that Meta has up to 2.91 billion monthly active users! This translates into unlimited possibilities to publicize your business and get new potential customers since you will have immense visibility.

Using Facebook and making the most of it for your business could seem quite challenging, as the algorithms are constantly changing. But this platform offers some helpful tools and options for businesses, such as letting you target a specific audience through Facebook Ads. 

The first step is clear: you should create your own Facebook Business Page, which is completely free and includes advantageous functionalities such as sending and receiving messages from your customers, posting news, or interacting with other users’ pages and content.

The basics: set up your Small Business Facebook profile

The first step is to create an account on Facebook with an email and a safe password, or if you already have a profile, just click on “Pages” and set up yours! Include your business name, brand, or organization, so everyone can easily find you.

Pick the best category for your business

When you set up your business page, you can choose up to three categories. Be careful at this point, and select those who are the most specific and relevant for your company. These will make your business grow, as the categories will appear clearly on your page, help people to find your business more easily, and be shown on “related pages” so more people will discover you!

Update your profile with customized templates

Once you’ve picked all your categories, it’s time to go all out with your visuals to capture attention at first sight! Think about your profile picture, as it will be one of the first things your audience will see from you. 

A top choice would be to place a logo! If you need inspiration to create yours, you can find free inspirational logo templates or even design from scratch. Don’t forget about an impressive  Facebook Header that conveys the image of your business in detail.

Find more Facebook Post Templates

Personalize the CTA button

Last but not least when setting up your business profile is picking the right CTA button to invite your visitors to make a specific action, such as visiting your website, getting tickets, making a call, and so much more. Facebook offers the option to personalize it, and it will appear at the top of your page. Explore all the possibilities – and decide wisely!

Build a marketing strategy for Facebook

Your Facebook Business page is now ready to go – congratulations! It’s time to set a truly effective strategy to help your small business grow online and build a loyal community. We come to the rescue with some top tips and tricks to make you successful, but as they say, good things take time: organization and patience are key in this exciting online journey!

Plan your content and posts

Sit and think about what you want to show the world and your audience: your news, any offers, or new product launches, and make a calendar according to that. It may vary according to your needs, but a weekly calendar can be truly useful and help you see your content planning in perspective! Opt for Facebook Posts and Stories, and don’t forget to include an attractive CTA and invite your followers to leave any comments or suggestions.

Invite your friends to your page

Mouth-to-mouth can be effective when it comes to promoting your small business, so don’t forget to invite your family or friends to leave their likes and interact with your content. Even though it may seem like a simple action, this will boost engagement, make your page and posts more visible, and get your first followers! 

It’s really easy to do this: click the button right down your profile cover, and select the option “Invite your friends”. Then write down all the names, and send your request.

How to use hashtags on Facebook?

Should you use hashtags on Facebook? The answer is, undoubtedly, a big yes! As in other social media networks, if you use the most relevant hashtags on your posts, you can take them to the next level. With hashtags, any topic or phrase becomes a clickable link, making it way easier for users to find relevant posts they’re interested in. 

If you’re wondering how many hashtags should you use on Facebook, according to various resources, the ideal number would be between 2-3 hashtags. It significantly increases the engagement rate, so choose those that make sense with your content and target. A top trick is to use the same ones as in your other social media profiles and select industry-specific ones.

Facebook resources for Small Businesses

When it comes to building long-term, trustful relationships with your clients online and reaching a new audience, Facebook is a top choice. Here we will uncover the top business tools this social media network has to offer for you and your company, from how to create ads, or the possibility to access direct chats. Let’s get into it!

Ads and custom-made audiences

This tool is an absolute must when it comes to promoting small businesses on Facebook. It can be a bit challenging at first, but you have at your disposal Audience Insights, which brings you useful information about two public: the one from your page, and one more general from the whole audience on Facebook. 

This will help you get more information about various topics such as ubication or likings so you can plan a paid Facebook Ads campaign for a specific target audience – they’re the most successful ones! And don’t forget to check out a Facebook guideline for Ads, to make sure you meet the design and technical specifications.

Direct messages and chat to keep in touch

Put yourself in the mind of a user or buyer. We all like to feel like we’re talking to a real person behind the screen – and not a robot – right? Facebook direct messages through Messenger and customer chats will allow you to have a closer and more fluid relationship with your audience, be able to answer questions up-to-the-minute, and build brand awareness. You also have the possibility to schedule messages, so you have no excuse not to use this handy tool.

Last tips on how to boost your Small Business on Facebook

Generating leads, building a loyal online audience, and growing your client base is not an easy task in such a competitive market, but with all these ideas and tricks we’ve uncovered, the path will be clearer! Remember to boost your creativity and have fun along the way, as it will reflect on your content.

Succeeding on social media is not an exact science, that’s for sure. But focus on your target audience, get to know them, and use tools such as Ads or chats to be approachable and relatable. Come on – this is just the beginning of creating your new and impactful Facebook small business marketing campaign!