10 Questions and answers about Facebook Marketing !

source : Maggie Georgieva

Despite the technical difficulties we experienced at our biggest webinar—The Science of Facebook Marketing—many of our attendees' questions didn’t revolve only around sound issues. We received a bunch of thoughtful inquiries about marketing on Facebook and wanted to share those with you! Here are our answers to the top 10 questions companies asked us about Facebook marketing:

1.What is the best way to drive interactions on your Facebook page?

Takeaway: Think Content.
The most effective way to drive interactions on your Facebook page is by creating fresh and unique content. Your followers can start a discussion when they have an interesting topic to tackle. Don’t blast your network with self-promotional materials, but post content valuable to the community. Rest assured, they will want to share that further.

2. Facebook etiquette: how often should we be replying to fans?

Takeaway: Stay in Touch Constantly.
Respond to fans and people who “like” your company as many times as possible. If they have a question or a request, spend the time to address these. Though this is a very time-consuming activity, it helps you increase brand awareness and drive happy reviews.

3. Does using images prove to be more effective than just words on Facebook pages?

Takeaway: Graphics Matter.
Using images and photos on Facebook is critical to attracting people’s attention. Multimedia messages present an effective marketing channel that more companies can now leverage. Even a simple step like letting people tag your photos can turn into a great opportunity.

4.How often should you post your website content on your Facebook page?

Takeaway: Don’t Be Sales-ey.
Publishing your own content on Facebook depends on the frequency and character of your content creation. If you have an active blog that is not product-oriented but provides resources your fans will find educational, share these links! Same goes for your new videos and presentations.

5. Is there any value to creating and using Facebook groups?

Takeaway: Build Your Reputation.
Facebook groups enable you to demonstrate your expertise in a specific area. If you remain an active member of the group community, your opinion will be valued and sought. As you build relationships with others immersed in the same field, you can increase your thought leadership and gain brand recognition.

6. What examples of company Facebook pages do you consider to be effective?

Takeaway: Test New Tabs.
We consider “elite” Facebook pages the ones with the highest Facebook grades (calculated based on their power and reach in the Facebook community). Prominently, Starbucks and Coca-Cola are in the top ten. They use unique tabs that introduce interactive information like a Starbucks map and Coca-Cola reviews.

7. Are B2B companies more difficult to promote?

Takeaway: Become an Industry Resource.
Though Facebook seems like a great marketing channel for business-to-customer (B2C) companies like Starbucks and Coca-Cola, it is also successfully used by many business-to-business (B2B) companies. As Leyl Master Black recently mentioned on Mashable, B2B companies can use Facebook to “become an industry resource."

8. How can Facebook ads be used in a campaign? What makes them effective?

Takeaway: Target Specific Audiences.
Similar to Google ads, Facebook ads can complement your already existing marketing efforts. You can reach your precise audience—female or male, married or single, professional or still in school... Sync it up with an event that you are promoting, or target a specific location. Facebook ads are not very expensive and you can easily experiment with them!

9.What do you think about sending people to Facebook instead of sending them to your site?

Takeaway: Create Landing Pages.
No matter where your prospects arrive, they should be greeted by a clear and direct call-to-action. They might be at different stages of their familiarity with your product/service and you need to test diverse landing pages. Think of it as a long-term nurturing campaign rather than a quick slice-and-dice scheme.

10.Should a brand's Facebook presence be a communal thing or an individual effort?

Takeaway: Distribute Power.
Social media for business should be distributed among several team members. That gives you the opportunity to experiment with different communication styles and add a richer set of content ideas and engagement tactics.