With more than 600 million active Facebook accounts, this ubiquitous social networking site is a potential marketing gold mine that has attracted the attention of the business community almost since its founding.
Due to the unparalleled opportunity to reach and engage with a target audience, all businesses, both large and small, should consider adding a Facebook fan page to their marketing plan.
A professionally designed fan page can take full advantage of Facebook’s vast networking potential while promoting your company’s credibility with current and potential customers alike.
The social proof aspect of Facebook
Facebook takes advantage of the principle of “social proof,” a psychological term popularized by Dr. Robert Cialdini, author of the groundbreaking book. Influence: the psychology of persuasion.
The best way to demonstrate the power of social proof is to provide an example we’re all familiar with: We seem to instinctively know that people are more likely to go to a busy restaurant than an empty one because the food must be good or the people would. not be there
A similar phenomenon occurs when a friend of a Facebook user “likes” a particular update or business on Facebook. Since he trusts his friend, he gives more weight to his decision and is more likely to investigate and consider the information he just approved.
Another benefit of this is when you “like” what your friend just liked, your own circle of friends sees it and the process gets exponentially bigger and can become a trend. This is what is known as going “viral”.
From a business standpoint, a simple Facebook fan page update has essentially become a free advertisement for your business that has just been broadcast to an exponential number of potential new customers.
Since there is currently no limit to the number of users who can like a page, this potential fan list is virtually limitless.
Are you beginning to see the exciting possibilities of having a Facebook fan page?
Facebook enables organic targeted marketing
But what’s really remarkable about Facebook is that your fan page update (read: product announcement) isn’t advertised to totally random people: it comes from trusted sources (essentially, “word of mouth” recommendations from your own friends) and is frequently broadcast to people within the same age group or geographic location as the original fan.
This organically available targeted marketing on Facebook has reported click-through rates of up to ten times that of regular paid ads.
Facebook is truly a marketer’s dream come true!
Facebook users are loyal and expect a consistent experience
Since fans of your Facebook fan page have access to updates and promotions within the Facebook site, a website they already belong to and visit frequently, this presents an obvious advantage over, for example, mailing lists. traditional ones that do not guarantee that an email will actually be sent. read by a busy customer.
It’s also important to create a sense of ownership and brand identity that your fans can relate to. That’s why creating a page that is in harmony with the company’s overall design, marketing tactics, and philosophy ensures attention and brand loyalty.
Facebook users are passionate
Beyond the advertising potential that Facebook Fan Pages have, a business can gain exceptionally accurate feedback and respond to it in a timely and personal manner. Feedback from people sharing their personal experiences allows a company to truly get to know its users, as they are more likely to leave messages on the company’s fan page wall when all it takes is a simple click. a button instead of the arduous task of writing an email.
And there’s another benefit for businesses: Responsive fan page owners come across as authentic and caring to their customers. Adopting this kind of attitude will put you far ahead of your competition.
you get as much as you put
It’s not enough to just create a professional Facebook fan page and hope that a community of passionate consumers will rally around your product or service. You need to take an active role in keeping your Facebook followers interested and engaged. This is achieved by making frequent updates and providing your customers with quality information and benefits like coupons, specials, and exclusive offers.
With attentive responses and frequent updates, it is possible to create and foster a sense of community between the fans themselves and the brand. This results in closer communication which ultimately translates into increased customer loyalty, a highly sought after and valued relationship that most business owners struggle to achieve with their customers.
Facebook is here to stay
Other social networking sites never caught on and achieved this kind of admission into the popular culture psyche. Somehow, Facebook seems to have achieved a critical mass that makes an investment in building a presence there worth the long run.
In all likelihood, driving this growth and sustainability is exactly what would benefit your own business the most: Rather than appeal to niches, this social networking service has managed to attract users from incredibly diverse backgrounds, age groups, and locations.
Bottom line for your business
All these factors, added to the potential growth of the network itself and the tools it provides, make Facebook Fan Pages a marketing tactic that should not be ignored.
In addition, it is an extremely valuable advertising medium for a minimal investment. This is why I strongly urge all businesses to consider the benefits of a professionally designed fan page that will potentially showcase your business brand to 600 million Facebook users.