As anyone who uses Facebook knows quite well, policies and algorithms change quite frequently on the popular social media site. Search Engine Watch notes that some recent changes to the news feed algorithm may negatively impact companies that have pages, but do not want to pay the website for advertising. Essentially, the new algorithm will result in a decrease in the distribution of page owners’ status updates, which means they will reach fewer customers.
Fortunately, there are ways that business owners can get around this new algorithm and still make Facebook work for them. By keeping three key tips in mind, page owners can sail through this latest change and still reach new and existing clients.
Facebook is a Great Way to Respond to People
While some businesses post a lot of updates on Facebook about sales, promotions and other company-related news, they might not be doing as well as they could in taking care of the No. 1 priority: the customer. If a client posts something on a business’s page—whether it’s a question about a service or a compliment or complaint, someone from the company should take the time to reply. As Socially Stacked notes, people who feel like they get a personal response are more likely to become “brand advocates,” which leads to them telling their friends and family members about the terrific company that took care of them on Facebook. An example of a business that does this very well is LifeLock, which was recently included in Best Facebook Pages list of top business pages. Customers and potential new clients who ask a question on the site get a personalized reply from someone from LifeLock in a timely and friendly manner.
Facebook’s News Feed Can Be Adjusted
Although Facebook typically shows visitors the top stories in their news feed, many people like to have them sorted by “most recent” status instead. For business owners who would like their posts to show up on their clients’ news feeds, there are things they can try to make this happen. For example, businesses can suggest that their clients click both the “like” and “get notifications” choices on their pages. When people do this, they will see new posts automatically, just like the rest of the posts that they see from their friends, neighbors, co-workers and that cute cashier who works at Safeway who just accepted their friend request.
Facebook is a Marketing Tool
By using Facebook apps, business owners may be able to get access to a list of new customer emails. For example, the app can be used to promote a giveaway or extra special promotion for a product or service. By sending the URL to the promotion to websites that list these types of deals and arranging for auto-responder emails, business owners can get an often pretty impressive list of emails, which they can then use to reach out to potential new clients.
Examples of Great Business Pages
Inc.com lists 20 companies that have Facebook pages that truly stand out from the rest of the crowd. Examples of these include Bonobos, which offers both fashion advice and a great deal of interaction with the people who post on their page. In addition, Burt’s Bees is credited as an ideal place to share information about new skin care products in a creative and effective way.