To have or not to have?
Being an entrepreneur is a never ending list of things to do…is running a Facebook page really worth adding to the list?
Why you should
A business page on Facebook is your platform to communicate with your customers and potential market. You can build a following and constantly receive feedback from your audience concerning your product / service or matters that are important to them…and therefore to you. A Facebook page allows your business to have a voice, a persona and as such, it can be a very powerful brand-building tool. This is genuine real-time engagement with your customers.
Facebook can also add value by directing traffic to your business website. In 2019, Facebook reported 2.4 billion active users, but Facebook allows you to target your specific audience. You can determine who will see your adverts based on factors such as age, location, and interests. Most small businesses do not have the budget to really grow their website presence. Boosting visitors by posting articles, promotions, competitions and reviews on Facebook can help improve the business’ overall digital presence… which makes it easier for the right people to find you. Having a page allows for an alternate call-to-action “follow us on”, as opposed to just “call us”. It’s always beneficial to make it easy for the customer to see you and contact you.
It’s also vital to have a page if your competition does. If a bricks ‘n mortar shop failed to put up an advert and branding, while the competition had signs everywhere… guess where the customers would go.
Why you Shouldn’t
Facebook is social and it requires engagement. It’s ideal for talking to and listening to your customers and your wider community… so if your business is very niche or the only store in town, chances are your customers might not benefit from you being on Facebook.
If you really do not have the advertising budget or resources to post frequently and to respond to your audience – then you shouldn’t start – it will be almost impossible to get any value from it. In order to achieve any results, you will need to consistently put effort and time into managing your business page. A page that is rarely updated gives the impression that there is no one there, or even worse, that no one cares… PR nightmare!
It is worthwhile doing your research first: who and where are your customers in terms of social media; what are they interested in; where are your competitors and what can you learn from other business Facebook pages?
Which will you choose?
Tell us if you think having a Facebook business page is a good or bad idea.
Top Tip
Ensure that you start a Facebook page, not a profile. Profiles are personal and require customers to be friends. Most customers are wary of ‘friending’ a profile, but they are happy to like a page.
Here is a useful video showing you how to set up your Facebook business page
Author: Janet Askew
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