Facebook Page Essentials: 10 Blunders Beginners Make and Bona-Fide Ways To Fix
Some blunders are bigger than others.
Dropping dishes in a restaurant.
A ringing phone at a funeral.
Or ‘paper’ stuck on your shoe–during your wedding.
We all learn to double-check — to look down and to look up.
UPDATED NOTE: February 2021, this post was updated for content, readability, spelling, grammar, syntax, context and the continuous updating and understanding of Digital Marketing.
But, how do you know a Facebook Page faux pass from a social embarrassment?
Thinking about what your customers want vs. what you want.
Here are my 10 beginner blunders to avoid. No. 4 still baffles me!
1. Facebook page blunder – Not Replying to Comments
Seriously? Not responding? Wow. #Shocking
Should you reply to a comment? I say yes, but I am the old-fashioned type of guy and maybe I’m just doing social media wrong.
A comment is someone reaching out and talking. A comment is maybe the beginning of a relationship. A relationship that could lead to a sale.
Ever heard of the virtuous cycle of comments? The more likes, comments and shares, LCS, you get, the more your post is served to your fans, which exposes it to more fans, for more likes, comments and shares – a virtuous cycle.
So, answering comments is good manners, builds relationships and helps get more likes, comments and shares. #AGoodThing
How to Fix – Add desire, mix some humble pie, press the reply button and type “Thanks for your comment” and add your special sauce of caring, empathy, and feedback to continue the conversation. Read this blog for more about Digital Marketing, techniques, strategies and help.
Not Replying to comments is not as bad as the next beginner mistake.
2. Ignoring Complaints
Brands using their Facebook page often ignore complaints. Really? I guess they could. But ignoring complaints is the nail in the coffin of your business. Why? Because a) it’s bad customer service, and b) bad news spreads faster than good news.
Customer service (good and bad) is cited as the main reason for leaving a brand. Normally a business wants to keep customers, not lose them. You have invested heavily (money, time, acquiring fans, followers, and customers) so why would you jeopardize this relationship by ignoring complaints?
How to Fix – Be aware (and wary) of comments on your page and mentions of your brand online. Reply within hours, with a big dose of ‘Sorry we screwed up’ and ‘How can I make it right for you. And, if the person gets hot and bothered, immediately take the conversation off social. Immediately off social.
Ignoring complaints is a kissing cousin away from one-way engagement:
3. Facebook page One-way Engagement
Really? On social media? I guess all talk and no listening does happen. But, what’s the point?
Maybe your customers and fans have important things to say. The only way to hear them is to ask and then listen. Try fostering conversations by sharing and posting interesting content. Like following your content plan.
How to Fix – The root of this problem is deeper than just holding a conversation with your fans and followers. Asking the fundamental question ‘Why are we on social media?’, what is our business goal’s best starting point?
One-way engagement is a beginner mistake, but not as bad as set it and forget it:
4. Using the “Set it and forget it ‘strategy’“
Is your Facebook Page neglected? Have you seen those websites with ‘all’ the social button on their website — and no updates?
Beginner mistake number 4. Setting and forgetting.
Every small business, now, I hope, understands how important social media is for the growth and survival of its business and brand. The challenge, after the honeymoon period, is the daily resources sapping grind of content creation, curation, community building and lead generation.
When that boat anchor feeling arrives, brands silently enter the uh…. let’s ‘forget social media’ phase and leave it all to rot on the vine of that did not work ‘strategies’.
How to Fix – Delete your social media pages and fast. I’ll wait … done? Good. Or better is to find the resources — people, money, and expertise — and revive your community.
Your business is better with a community.
Setting and forgetting is the worst of the worst rookie moves, but, what if I cannot read what is on your website?
5. Facebook page Mobile Optimization
Facebook, as a platform is mobile/smartphone/tablet optimized.
The rookie mistake is your website. Humour me for 5 seconds.
Cut a small hole in business cards, big enough to push a pencil through. Now, hold that card about 8 inches from your eyes and read this blog post. Can’t do it, can you? Ok, now you know what it feels like to read your website on a smartphone.
Not a pretty picture. Well, actually not any picture at all and more like a hole in a card.
‘Why should I worry?’ Yes, why?
Another simple test (if you still don’t believe your website should be mobile optimized) is to look at your website’s Google Analytics and see the amount of traffic from smartphones and tablets. If smartphone and tablet visits are greater than 10% of your total traffic you are losing business. Plain and simple.
Also, and importantly, Google Webmaster tools include a section dedicated to Mobile Usability. Mobile usability tells you how good or not your website functions on smartphones. If Google thinks mobile usability is important (for people) so, should you.
How to Fix – If your website is built on WordPress then get a modern theme that is responsive. If your site is not WordPress, talk with your web developer to make it happen. Today.
Lost traffic is lost business and lost money. All three are terrible and so is using social like it’s a late-night infomercial.
6. Using Facebook Page as Your Private Advertising Channel
Is your daily ‘blue plate special offer’ that special?
Are you guilty of — here-is-another-10%-off-because-it’s-the-only-way-we-know-how-to-use-Facebook-to-get-sales-special-offer, offer?
I get it, ok:
- I understand your offer is special. It is special because you need sales. But, special for who? Your fans? I don’t think so. Do fans care about your business? Nope.
- If every Facebook page offers a ‘blue plate special’ is yours special?
No, yours is not that special. #JustSayingIt Just saying it!
Are fans and followers your private audience? No, absolutely not. Your fans have choices, and they choose to ignore your daily ‘blue plate special’.
Don’t believe me, think I am cracked, and blowing smoke?
Fire up your Facebook Insights and your Google Analytics and look to see where your sales are coming from. Go ahead, I’ll wait. So, is 100% of your sales come from Facebook? 90%? 10%? Somehow your answer does not surprise me. Maybe it is time to do some real marketing on social. #JustSayingIt
How to Fix — How to sell on social? Build an audience, add massive value to foster trust, get email addresses, nurture people with email, and add more value, until they are ready to buy. Wash, rinse, repeat and improve your process.
The better use of social media is relationship building, and not as your private advertising channel.
Don’t believe me? You shouldn’t. Check your Facebook Insights. Then maybe it is time to do some real marketing.
Numbers don’t lie.
That much I do know. And how do you build a community where people trust you? With content.
7. No Content Marketing Plan
Have you seen the Facebook pages that only post pretty pictures and offer their version of a blue plate special? Do you get the feeling they are doing, RAM, random acts of marketing? Or is there a method behind their madness?
We were all sold a ‘pig in a poke’ by the gurus. Hug your neighbours, hug your friends, rainbows and unicorns, and be happy ever after in the land of social media. Sales will rain down upon you in rainbow colours like the monsoons in India.
Well, it did not really turn out that way, did it?
Without a content marketing strategy, and editorial calendars, random acts of marketing, RMA, is the only tactic available.
Why is a content marketing plan helpful? (This is the short answer!!) Content marketing connects your business objectives to sales via content. Direct connection. Content marketing.
- Creates awareness of your brand in search and social
- Answers the question your prospect asks
- Helps convince prospects your product is the right one. And.
- You have a plan to work towards
- You direct the topic of conversation with your community.
What could be easier?
How to Fix — The short answer, (how do I get content) is to create and curate content — a mix of text, audio, video, images, graphics, and photos — which answers all the questions your prospects have about their problems. This content discusses the solutions (from general to specific) of the problems your prospects are trying to solve.
Host these answers on your website and blog. Then use this content — text, audio, video, images, graphics, photos — to create a conversation with your community on Facebook and social media.
Simple said, not simple to do.
Required Reading – What Everybody Ought to Know about Creating Luxuriously B2B Content and 18+ Reasons Why You Need Content Marketing
[Infographic]
Random acts of marketing are the shotgun approach of social marketing. RAB, random acts of branding, is also a beginner mistake to avoid.
8. Inconsistent Branding
Do you know why McDonald’s is wildly successful?
It is not the low low price or the ‘high-quality food. Their success comes from consistency. Walk into any McD’s– Munich, Madrid, Minneapolis, or Memphis and the food and experience is always the same. Count on it, all the way to the bank. See those golden arches and you know what you’ll get.
Now look at your own digital properties — your website, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc., — do you offer a consistent experience? Similar colours, logos, imagery and ‘tone of voice in your copy?
Why care and why bother?
Just like McDonald’s provides a consistent experience so you should follow their multi-billion dollar example.
How to Fix — Visual branding is actually easy. DIY your branding with Picmonkey, Cavna (or get help via specialists on Fivver) as they have premade templates and image sizes for Facebook, Twitter etc. Upload your logo, and pictures, copy, save, download and upload to Facebook, or Twitter.
Done.
9. About Us Page
Would you like to know the biggest digital marketing secret of all? The ‘about us’ page is not about you — it’s about your prospects and their problems.
How do you expect people to get to know you, like you, and trust you with an empty about us page? #JustSaying
And Not surprisingly ‘about us’ pages are the second most visited page on your website.
Why? Base reason number 1 — Because people want to know who you are. So a blank ‘about us’ page is a missed chance to build trust.
Round out the about us page. Take inspiration from these about us page examples.
How to Fix —
- Start with your customer’s needs. People care about the benefits they will get, not the features
- Think facts, not superlatives – if you’re the best then give facts or testimonials.
- Be honest and upfront – if a start-up business say so, if you are a home-based business say so.
Write the about us page. And while you are at it update your website about us page.
10. No Hashtags or not Enough Hashtags
Why use hashtags on Facebook? Because they are magic.
Magic. No not unicorns.
Hashtag link (connect) your posts to every other post on Facebook using the same hashtag. Get that? A link between your post and all other posts using the same hashtag (if the privacy setting allow).
How does this help?
Exposure.
Hashtags expose your content to people who are not fans of your page, or friends of your fans.
1) For example, if you talk about ladies’ fashion, on your Facebook Page, and use the #Fashion hashtag, every person clicking on the #Fashion hashtag can find your post on your Facebook Page. #Exposure
2) Trending Hashtags – Facebook is rolling out the trending hashtags features (along with lots of other features) to all users. Whilst it’s limited in its present usefulness and number of users, I expect this rollout to happen as the months pass. Follow the Girl and Boy Scout Motto – #BePrepared and use hashtags.
How to Fix — The ‘trick’ is using hashtags naturally. Two or three in an update is enough. Write first, hashtag second. Also, hashtags must relate to your subject in general – #Fashion- or specific #PradaLBD. Naturally, you can mix general and specific hashtags in the same post.
Required Reading – Take Charge of Your Hashtags
10 Facebook beginner mistakes and what to do to fix them.
Can you add any? Let me know in the comments.