I do apologize if it seems I am having a bad time with Facebook. Just that I see businesses investing time and money on it without realising there are better alternatives.
The problem is that everyone says Facebook is good for business because that is what everyone says. They believe it and keep at it even when things don’t work out. They start to think they have done something wrong because everyone says Facebook is good for business. So they keep on trying because at some point they will get it right and reap the rewards. What if that never happens?
So don’t get sucked in because there is better out there in Internet land.
For everything that Facebook offers, there is a social network that will do it and do it better. When you break it down, you can…
- Issue updates on what’s new and the latest product/service
- Post links to latest products on your eCommerce site
- Upload photo’s to a gallery
- Invite people to your page
Far too many are treating it as an extension to their existing eCommerce site. So if everything is on Facebook and it’s the only place to find it, aren’t you limiting yourself?
Updates on what’s new and the latest product/service
Do this on your blog, the blog should be the extension to your existing site. You own it, you can do what you want with it. Think of the time you have spent updating Facebook, instead you could be updating your own blog. Not only that, every visitor to the site CAN SEE everything you have written. Not just 16% of fans that ‘like’ your Facebook page.
Post links to latest products on your eCommerce site
Write blog posts that sell your products or services. Each post can detail much more information than your typical eCommerce site does. In turn, each one can link to the product page, search engines love internal links.
Upload photo’s to a gallery
Just like a blog, upload pictures to a gallery where anyone can see them. Not only that, post them to sites that connect the picture with the original page it came from – like Pinterest for example. Great photo’s can generate traffic to your site. Don’t lock them away, get them out there for people to admire and click on.
Invite people to your page
Instead of waiting for Facebook users to drop on by your page, get on to Google Plus or Twitter and share your latest news. Listen in on twitter and answer questions, share what you find exciting on Google Plus.
Bonus advantage
Facebook pages often turn up in search results but that is the problem – never often enough. If you stick with Facebook then you are stuck with poor showing in search results.
Now, if you had content on a blog, Twitter, Google Plus, Pinterest and so on, you have already dramatically improved your chances of being found on search results – compares with Facebook alone.
