(Free Charlotte NC Graphic Design and Marketing Advice)

Q: How can I get more Facebook likes on my business page?

A: If you’re like most Facebook users, your posts will only show up on the feeds of the people who have liked your page. If you boost a post, your post will show up on people’s pages even if they haven’t liked your page. This is a great way to get in front of people that have never heard of your business.

It’s pretty neat because you can target different types of people by demographic, location, etc. for a very low cost.

The only thing you should make sure of is that you have an incentive for clicking/liking the boosted post. Maybe if you are an insurance agent you can tout “I can save you up to $200/mo on your health insurance! Click to schedule a meeting! [include a link to your website]” Or host a small contest like “Like [Your business’s name here] Page for a chance to win 1 of 10 $10 Starbucks Gift Cards!” (This is practically bribing for likes but will help you get a larger audience when you do decide to post an important message about your field.

Hopefully this short tip has helped a bit! Boosting posts is super easy I’m sure you’ve already seen some messages on Facebook prompting you to do so.

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Never Run Out of Facebook Post Ideas Again!

Bookmark this page, print it out, email it to yourself, do whatever you need to. I have compiled this list to be referenced over and over again. Give it a try!

1. Share current industry news.
2. Seasonal/holiday related posts.
3. Repost a community event you will be going to.
4. Answer a frequently asked question about your industry.
5. Happy birthday to one of your best clients.
6. Share an inspirational quote image. Images get up to 60% more attention than plain text.
7. Tell a cheesy joke. Something to bring a smile to your reader’s face. Keep it short and lighthearted.
8. Post a Fun Fact. Can be about your industry or loosely related to your field. The more surprising the answer the better!
9. Post an attention-grabbing statistic about your industry.
10. Correct a often-believed misconception about your industry.
11. Post an infographic for your target demographic. Try using dailyinfographic.com
12. Post a behind the scenes photo of you doing work in your business. Maybe post your workstation, too (if it is tidy).
13. Throwback Thursday: take a trip down memory lane to tell your clients the humble beginnings of your business.
14. Monday Motivation: Give users a positive message to get them pumped for the rest of the workweek.
15. Introduce your newly hired employees. Include a professional photo of them.
16. Tell a short personal story about your brand. This will help give your business a more human element.
17. Post a simple holiday recipe.
18. Post a selfie! Keep it professional; selfies including children tend to do better.
19. Post a fill in the blank question. Stick around so you can moderate the responses and give an answer!
20. Ask users their opinion on a choice to be made!

    

21. Give a shout-out post to someone close to you. Show that you appreciate them and their accomplishments. Make sure you tag them in the post so they are notified that you posted it.
22. Give a shout out to a group of hardworking people you know!
23. Post a customer testimonial.
24. Ask users their favorite memory, ex. What was your most memorable Thanksgiving Dinner?
25. Repost some of your customer’s photos (PM them to ask their permission first!)
26. True or false posts. Provide a simple “fact” and then ask your followers if they think it’s true or false. Reply back with the answer.
27. 
28. Link to a popular industry-related tool that clients could find helpful. (can be an e book, web app, website, etc!)
29. Post an article that would be helpful to your target demographic.
30. Host a small giveaway on Facebook. Post updates on the contest every few days. When the winner is chosen tell them how to receive their prize. Post Must include:
    1. Urge users to participate and mention how to participate (Ex. like my page, leave a review, fill out my survey (provide Survey Monkey link) etc)
    2. Date the contest starts
    3. Info on the prize
    4. Date the contest ends.
31. Repost some of your popular old content! Just because you post it once, doesn’t mean that everyone was able to see it. Tweak the wording a bit and post it again.

After 2 months of posting these topics, measure your success with Facebook insights. (Find the link on your business page—it is the 4^th link above your business’s image banner) Scroll to the bottom of the page (to your most recent posts) and find out what posts are more popular than the rest. This way, you can focus on what is working and drop what isn’t.

If you haven’t already, make sure you learn how to create and follow a social media strategy to work more efficiently!

The post Mega List of Facebook Post Ideas (Brand Builders) appeared first on Ruby Dog Designs.

Starting without a strategy is a great way to waste a lot of time and energy. Follow the below steps to help you flesh out your strategy.

1. Know the demographic (age, gender, location, race, likes/dislikes, activities, personality traits) of your target audience. If you don’t know demographic information for sure, just make an educated guess based on your past customer interactions and your future desires for the market you’d like to grow your business into.
2. Create a content calendar following the 60/20/20 rule. Try marking down popular holidays and public events related to your niche.
3. Think about a possible web series with a theme to invoke a feeling of continuity with your followers.
4. Schedule posts using Our Giant List of Facebook Post Ideas. (aka. Never run out of content ideas again!)
5. Schedule the posts for these times: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 1pm, 3pm, and 5-7pm
   1. You can schedule Facebook posts natively by going to your Facebook business’s page, and directly above the image banner click on publishing tools. On the left hand side of the page under “Posts” you will see a link that say scheduled posts. Click the blue “Create” button on the top right side of the page. Type in your message, add a photo, and then click schedule and follow the prompts to choose the exact date and time for Facebook to autopost for you.
6. Look at your business competition’s social media. Steal some of the ideas that are working well for them.

After 2 months following your social media strategy, measure your success with Facebook insights. (Find the link on your business page—it is the 4^th link above your business’s image banner) Scroll to the bottom of the page (to your most recent posts) and find out what posts are more popular than the rest. This way, you can focus on what is working and drop what isn’t.

I hope this Brand Builders guide has been helpful to you! Check back for more Brand Builders, website, and graphic design content!

PS. Check out our Instagram Brand Builder Guides also!

The post How To: Set Up a Facebook Social Media Strategy (Brand Builders) appeared first on Ruby Dog Designs.

Facebook is a hodgepodge of many different styles of people. But for your business page, is it so important to keep it processional while not being too stiff! Social media is about spreading a message while still enjoying yourself.

Here Are Some Tips to Keep a Professional Appearance While Online:

• Creating an authentic, (not too sales driven) voice will help people feel more drawn to the messages you post.
• Make your posts interactive by asking questions.
• Nurture relationships by replying to people that comment on your posts. Most interaction with posts happens within the first hour, so keep an eye on your Facebook notifications. Downloading the Facebook app and checking on your business account may be helpful.

Million dollar question: How often should you post to your Facebook account? You may find varying answers to this question, but most agree not to post to Facebook more than once a day. Measure your success by the number of likes you get. Don’t overwhelm people with too much content.

The Nature of your Posts

When on Facebook, it is good to follow the 60/20/20 rule: 60% of your posts are conversational, 20% are industry related, and 20% are promotional. Here are some examples of what I’m talking about:

60% conversational posts can be weekend plans, trending memes/funny family friendly pictures, inspirational quotes, how was your Monday, upcoming holidays, community events, life tips.

20% industry related posts can be fun facts about your particular industry. Don’t directly mention your business’s name or services.

20% promotional posts can be deals, sales, and items that you are selling. These posts should share a link to your business-landing page. If your business has a long URL, I’d highly recommend shortening your shared links with bit.ly. Long links can be intimidating to the layperson, and a short link is more aesthetically pleasing.

Social Media is for casual conversations and photo sharing. It is not made to bombard your followers with ads. The 60/20/20 rule helps us stay within socially acceptable boundaries. Try to follow it in your social media plan.

Source: Step by Step Facebook Guide for Legalshield Associates

Next I will be providing you with some killer tips and topics to help your craft your posts!

The post Keys to Posting Professionally on Facebook (Brand Builders) appeared first on Ruby Dog Designs.

Do you own a business but don’t know how to make a Facebook business page? Follow this guide for easy setup instructions! (est. time setup – 20mins)

Steps to Creating a Facebook Business Page.

1. Make sure you are logged into your Facebook account.
2. Type the following address into the url: www.facebook.com/pages/create.php
3. Select the top left box that says “Local Business or Place”
4. In the first box, type in your business’s name.
5. In the second box, start typing your business’s category (or select whichever is closest to what you do.) Ex. If you are a Hair Stylist choose Cosmetics, Beauty, and Personal Care.
6. Type in your business street address (optional)
7. Type in your city, zip code, address, and business phone number. Later you will be able to access settings to keep the address hidden, if you wish.
8. Upload a professional photo of yourself or of your business’s logo (.jpg or .png format is fine)
9. Click- do not create ads. (you can do that later if you want)
10. Add a professional cover photo (you can make it with canva.com). Dimensions of your cover photo should be 820 pixels wide x 312 pixels tall at 72 dpi.

Done!

Later you can also create a vanity URL, which is a custom web address that will help clients go directly to your Facebook business page. Create a vanity URL by clicking on the gray text on the left side of your business page underneath your business name. It should have a @ sign in front of it. Enter your unique vanity URL (I’d recommend using a short version of your business name. Ex. Joes Fixer Upper Auto Service can have a vanity URL of @Joesfixerupper . The purpose of a vanity URL is to be able to give interested customers a short name that they can easily type into the Facebook search bar. Ex- “Find me on Facebook ‘at’ Joesfixerupper!”

Next, let’s delve into some tactics to keep our Facebook active and fun.

The post How to Create a Facebook Business Page (Brand Builders) appeared first on Ruby Dog Designs.

Part 2: Facebook Marketing

Why Should Your Business Be on Facebook Anyways?

Facebook is the word’s largest social media network. There are over 2.07 billion monthly active users on the site. (as of September 30, 2017) That means at least 27% of the population of Earth gets on Facebook at least 1x a month. This is nothing to scoff at, especially because 79% of online adults use social media regularly. (Source)

If you are thinking it is time for your business to get on Facebook, you are right! Many prospects and clients will automatically assume that your business has a presence on Facebook. Facebook is a key inbound marketing tool – directly from business to an attentive client. Not only will interested customers be able to see what you have been doing recently in your business (helps create a more relateable and personable experience), but it also gives a client a chance to view positive reviews and recommendations from people just like them. Peer recommendations almost always have more power than paid advertisements.

So are you ready to get started? Good. Carve out about 1 to 1.5 hours from your day to get your Facebook set up. Facebook business pages have simple guidelines.

1. Keep your business page separate from your personal page
2. Be impartial in political issues, and do not take sides on controversy
3. Do not alienate future prospects
4. Don’t discuss religion, sex, or politics

If you do decide to discuss a current event topic- try rephrasing it as a question. Example: Congress may change tax law regulations. What do you think about this?

Simple rules, right? Next I will discuss how to create a Facebook business page.

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