How Facebook Can Drive Traffic to Your Local Business

Facebook is no longer just a social media platform, but an e-commerce platform too. With the addition of a Shop section and more live streaming partnerships, Facebook is clearly positioning itself to be a channel for increasing your ROI.

So how can you turn Facebook from a social network to an advertising platform? How can you make more business off of one website? Here’s how:

Showcase your Products and Services

It’s not enough to just have a Facebook page, you have to actively publish content and promote your offerings. If your business involves selling sneakers, post a photo of a pair up for sale, along with a product description and a call-to-action (“Buy this pair at our website today!”).

Of course, you’re not limited to products. If your business offers something less tangible, say an HVAC company or a car repair service, take pictures of the work for your clients and post them, with their permission of course. Showcasing your work gives viewers an insight into the quality your business provide. The objective is to make your customers, and their friends and family, more aware of what you offer.

Engage with your Audience

Don’t forget to treat your customers as humans, not just Facebook profiles. Here are a few ways to engage with your fans, and to get them to engage with you:

• Ask a question. The best way to get people involved is by asking for feedback and opinions. Social media for TV shows tend to ask “What did you think of last night’s episode?” If your business sells a certain product, such as vinyl records, you could ask a related question to your industry, like “What are you listening to this weekend?”
• Feature User Generated Content. Ask your audience to submit their own iterations of something. For the release of their new video game, Horizon: Zero Dawn, developer Guerilla Games featured fan art created by some of their players, continuing the conversation around the game. Not only could you gain raw, valuable insight from customers, but you also increase their engagement and show future customers you care about what they have to say.
• Host Interesting Events. Take the conversation offline and into the real world by setting up some events. Zuvaa, an online African garments marketplace, set up a “pop-up” tour and created the events on Facebook, notifying people with similar interests or in the nearby location. The Empty Bottle, a dive bar in Chicago, has an annual pizza summit that they successfully promoted on Facebook. Create events relevant to your business and this will generate buzz and excitement.

Advertise

On Facebook, there are a couple different options for promoting your product or service. Did you recently make a post of a new product and want more people to see it? Pay a little extra and boost your post. Want more people to visit your stores? Set that as your objective, under the Conversions section of the Ads Manager. Facebook allows you to set your own priorities per ad in order to reach your targeted audience.

Below is a full list of your options. Make sure to tailor your Facebook advertising strategy to suit your business’s needs.

Offer Discounts, Special Access, or Other Perks

Reward your customers with a limited-time offer, such as free shipping or $15 off an order of $100 or more. Since Facebook can be such a personal space, unique offers make your customers feel more special.

Facebook: Just One Channel

These are just a few suggestions on how your business can create a bigger online presence and greater audience engagement. The most important thing to keep in mind is to provide value. Customers won’t care about what you say or do until you can show them how they will benefit. for them. Make your posts interesting, start a conversation, and ask for customers’ feedback. Only then will they return the favor with their business.

Also keep in mind that Facebook is just one channel among many. Maybe try advertising on Instagram too. Or use Twitter as a form of customer service. And don’t forget to see how paid advertising on Google can help your business. Use every tool in your arsenal to give you a leg up on your competition.
For more guides, articles, and tips for how social media, paid advertising, and search can help improve your business, visit Arcalea’s blog today.