Change Your Facebook Focus - Achieve Social Success in 2017 | Get Fact Up #56

It’s been a big year for Facebook - Instant Articles, Marketplace, Professional Services and Live Video are just a few of the features that have appeared this year.

Looking back we can see that there have been some great changes that have are creating new and exciting opportunities for businesses and marketers.

But... are they being used to their full potential?

Adam Read of Buffer recently published the report “The State of Social in 2016”. This is a great read and has some really interesting information.

But here’s one fact that really caught our attention:

Only 1 in 5 businesses currently use Facebook for Customer Support.

Facebook, the number one social tool, with all of its new features for interaction and engagement… is still being used for passive brand awareness, by 85% of business owners.

Business owners are expecting Facebook to link them to droves of new customers - but most of them are too scared or busy to make the connection. Now, suspend your disbelief for a moment and look at the huge opportunity that this represents.

4 out of 5 of your competitors are not using Facebook to it’s full potential.

So if you are willing to get your hands a bit dirty, you can have a clear advantage in this space. Let’s look at a few of the things you can do now to make Facebook work for your business.

1. Monitor your notifications

Take the time to check your notifications panel. Respond to your comments - give advice, prompt action, thank people for feedback (even negative feedback).

Also be sure to check where your posts are being shared - jump on and thank them for sharing. Remember that this will be seen by all of their contacts.

On Facebook, interaction is key - it has a much more profound effect than just passively posting content.

2. Encourage direct messaging

Get used to the direct message feature of Facebook - a lot of business owners choose to ignore this much to their own detriment. This is a very easy way for you potential customers to speak to you directly, don’t neglect it!

Reply effectively, and increase your response rating. This visible score proves to your audience that there is a real person ready to speak to speak to them, which goes a long way to building their trust.

3. Create a call to action button

Having a call to action button gives your page the final touch - It can be setup for phone calls, website visits, to set an appointment, sign up, buy a product and more.

Businesses that have turned on this feature have reported an average of 2.5 times higher conversion through Facebook.

As well as switching on a call to action, you should make sure all of your contact details are up to date and visible.

There’s a big opportunity on Facebook for business owners that aren’t afraid to interact with customers.

Don’t just make it a new year's resolution - pick up the slack and get the lead on your competitors.

Use your Facebook the way nature intended, and provide a new level of customer support to your clients.

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