Facebook has become such a go-to place for most of us today, that the whole distinction between Facebook for personal use versus Facebook for business seems to have just lost relevance. You got to talk about something, anything, nothing, just go to Facebook. Be it your new job, pictures and videos from the house party last weekend, or the joy of having a few drinks with friends at some bar – you can share it all on Facebook. The social media platform quite literally wants to know ‘what’s on your mind?’ And what makes this social media platform stand out is the simplicity with which it has managed to bring casual and professional content on the same stage. With the launch of Facebook pages in 2007, FB, as we fondly call it, opened the gates of social media for business. Later when Facebook Timeline for brands came into the picture, it was quite clear – Facebook Business was not just another ‘click to conversion’ social media platform; it’s a platform where brands come to life to narrate their story.

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Two billion people use Facebook every month – to connect with friends and family or to explore and discover what’s making a buzz. Now, whether you sell out of a physical store, or have trade online or through an app, you can’t afford to miss out on capitalizing an audience that big, or can you? Facebook Business offers a versatile understanding of your business goals. So, no matter how granular and unique your goals may be, they will fall under one of the larger goals that Facebook covers – awareness, engagement, and conversion. The platform allows you to take your business further with utmost sincerity, whether you run a whole campaign or a single ad. Excited to use Facebook Business already? Well, before you start, I’d wish for you to know how you can make the most of your time on Facebook Business. Here’s how:

Have clear goals

You need to first decide what is it that you expect out of your business page. You can’t just create a brand page and expect magic to happen! For instance, if your goal is to have at least 100 followers in the first one month after creating a page, you’d want to do the following:

• Share engaging content, especially videos
• Use hashtags
• Create shareable content
• Re-share other people’s content
• Reach out to influencers

The kind of content you create or curate largely depends on what you aim to get out of Facebook Business. Therefore, spend some time carefully deciding on your goals.

Make a soft pitch

People come to Facebook to have some fun, relax, chit chat, and in the process come across, and, maybe, engage with your brand. Your product promotions and sales pitch must come

before the audience under the disguise of some fun facts, discount coupons, or interesting posts that generate natural curiosity to follow. Aggressive marketing tactics like inundating the followers with products and slogan in isolation from any related conversation may backfire.

Be regular

Studies have revealed that more than 50% of Facebook users check their account or the pages they follow, at least once in a day. Now, imagine that a customer visits your shop once daily. Will you show him the same product every day or would you rather showcase the wide range of products or services that you offer? Similarly, you don’t want visitors to your page thinking that you have nothing new to share with them and take the risk of losing their interest in your brand completely after a while. Besides, fresh and regular content updates make a brand look more professional, serious, and knowledgeable about their work. Furthermore, the reaction of followers to your content helps you gauge the interest and inclination of your followers, better.

Promote your page

Last but not the least, promote your Facebook page throughout your personal and professional network, both online and offline. Don’t treat your page as a secondary marketing endeavor to gain some ‘extra’ business ‘if possible.’ Make your social media marketing campaigns work in tandem with the other traditional marketing methods you’re already using. Include your Facebook address on your business cards, email signatures, letterheads, website, and advertisements.

It’s not really rocket science to get your business up and running on Facebook. A focused strategy, consistent efforts, and quality content and you’d be making millions on that page of yours!