It’s not unusual for one of us to get pulled aside by our clients, somewhat timidly asking to learn more about Facebook. For those of us who didn’t get turned on by the notion of a public online profile that connects you to everyone you’ve ever known (usually those of us a little older!) Facebook’s continuing changes are overwhelming to keep up with, and the navigation and terminology can be a little confusing.
The thing is, if you ignore its power and influence when it comes to search results, you’re in for an impossible journey. Your business simply can’t be found online without having a business page.
That’s not to say it’s more important than your website, that would be a backwards way to look at it.
Facebook links to your website when you fill out the profile with all your business information. That link is one of the most important links you can get.
Here’s how you need to look at it:
Google is the current and long-standing search engine authority. They decide, based on algorithms they determine, which websites get to the top of a search engine results page. Not every business can show up, and the smaller the screen, the fewer that show. A significant percentage of shopping and browsing is being done on mobile phones and tablet devices, and this is forecast to continue for … like … ever. These buyer behaviors matter to everyone.
Google decided last year, in an effort to provide searchers better results for their terms, that a site with high interactions could be trusted to be more relevant to people. If people endorsed a business by sharing it, reviewing it, or commenting on it, they reasoned, it must be better than most. They felt it would get rid of the riffraff people were finding when they looked for things online.
The also reasoned that Facebook interactions matter more than the rest. If people can easily interact and share on Facebook through handheld devices, then a company which doesn’t appear to be socially active has no social ‘proof’ that it is a legitimate business.
Additionally, if you have any online appearance at all (usually from a link from an online business directory), your company may have a ‘Community Facebook Page’ that until recently, you had no control over whatsoever. Now you can turn your community page into your business page if you claim it. Then you can control it with accurate profile information and a link to your website. You can also un-publish it now, and work only with your customized page. If you’ve seen your business exist on Facebook when you haven’t set up your own page, don’t leave it unattended. Your reputation may be subject to whoever leaves whatever comment, image or video on it.
Clearly, you need to set up your own Facebook page, or have someone set it up for you. It’s easy to learn to manage, and a couple of interactions per day can mean the difference between your website being viewed by Google and Facebook users as relevant or invisible. Add the Facebook app to your mobile phone and you’ll find it’s easy to be in control of a very important link. We can help you with all of this; just give us a call.
Make it easy for your website visitors and customers to interact with you, too. Put a Facebook badge or ‘Like’ button on your website, and encourage happy customers to go to your page and leave their comments about your service. When you respond to them, you actually promote yourself as a business sensitive to the opinions of your customers. It’s a win-win.
Did I convince you? Why or why not? Leave us a comment on Zero To Sixty Marketing’s Facebook page!
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