Last month we looked at the changes Facebook has made regarding Business Page and why Engagement Rates are diminishing. We started with a list of Don’ts, discussing methods that are no longer effective and things you should avoid doing on your Facebook page. This month we will continue our discussion with our Do list including the best content to post on your Facebook page, and what you should be implementing to make your Facebook Marketing more successful.
Facebook Marketing Dos
Do Post At Least Daily
While over half of Facebook users log on to Facebook daily, many of your Fans only access it a few times a week. If you don’t post on the day that they are viewing their Newsfeed, they will never see your information. In addition, for those that do log in daily it is good to have content for them to see each day.
Weekends are when most people spend time on Facebook, yet many jewelry stores do not post on these days when the store is closed. As a result they are missing out on the best opportunity for their Fanbase to see the information they are posting.
Studies show the best response rates are from pages that post at least once a day with a total of 10 to 12 posts a week. Posting more than 3 times in one day, or more than once in any one hour can be seen by some Fans as excessive, and cause them to unlike your page. So spread your posts out during the week and make certain to post at least once a day.
Make use of the schedule feature in Facebook to plan and schedule your post. This way you do not have to remember to log in at a certain time to make your post and you can schedule your posts on days that you are not at the store.
Do Use Pictures
To get your message read you need to grab your Fans’ attention. With over 1500 possible items in their Newsfeed, people tend to scan down their feed and stop to read only the items that catch their eye. Nothing catches their attention more than an interesting photo.
Images on Facebook receive 50% more interaction than text posts, which is why pictures dominate the Newsfeed with over 350 million photos added every day! The visual impact you make is often the difference between your post receiving high engagement and being ignored.
Quality matters. Jewelry out of focus or snapshot quality images will not have the same effect as high quality photos. Vary your pictures from one item of jewelry to several items. Use different backgrounds to add interest, grab attention, and help convey your message. If all your pictures use the same drab background and are of the same style, your Fans will not be inspired to stop and read your message. Learning how to use Photoshop or some other photo editing program is the most valuable skill to have when it comes to Facebook Marketing.
Do Educate Your Fans
One of the primary objectives of your Facebook marketing is to establish you as a knowledgeable jeweler and the #1 premier jewelry store in your area.
Educate your Fans with information about jewelry. Let them know about the quality of your jewelry and what to look for when buying diamonds and jewelry. Share fashion trends, and tips to care for their jewelry.
A little bit of selling here and there is great, but those marketers who do nothing but sell, sell, sell, are going to get ignored, dismissed and overlooked by consumers and prospects. To be successful on Facebook you need to provide more value. Share information that is relevant to your customers and they will gladly engage with your page and spread your knowledge virally with their friends and family.
Do Share Interesting History, Folklore, & Stories about Jewelry
Jewelers are among the most fortunate marketers on Facebook. We have an abundance of interesting information to share and our Fans are eager to learn. From interesting history of jewelry and diamonds to folklore about gemstones there is a never ending supply of fascinating stories to share with our readers.
Those of us who have been in the industry for a long time have heard these stories so often we no longer think they are interesting or that anyone else cares. But that is not true. Our Fans want to hear these stories. That is why they liked our page – to learn more about the jewelry they love!
Do Build a List Outside of Facebook
Your Facebook Fans are a rented list, you do not own it. If Facebook would shut down tomorrow you would have no way to contact any of your Fans. In addition, with organic reach diminishing it is now vital to be able to communicate with your Fanbase outside of Facebook. Facebook is a fantastic media to reach new potential customers, but once you reach them you need to get them onto a list that you own.
E-mail addresses have traditionally been the contact data to gather. However, with e-mail open rates dipping below 20%, e-mail is no longer the powerful communication tool it once was. Today the preferred method of communication is Text Messages. With a 98% open rate there is no better way for jewelers to have important messages read by their customer base than a well-designed Text Campaign.
There are strict regulations and laws governing the building of your list and sending bulk text messages to your customers. The ideal method to gather cell phone numbers from your Facebook Fans and remain compliant with federal regulations and laws is to develop Mobile Campaigns such as Text-2Win, Text4Info, Text2Join, and/or Text4Coupon. Programs like Mobile4Jewelers.com makes it easy to set these up.
Do Use Facebook Ads
Facebook provides advertisers with the more demographic targeting information than any other online source. With over 72% of adult Americans active on Facebook, your market penetration rivals the best marketing media. Ad rates remain among the lowest of any online advertising platform with cost per engagement often below 10 cents, and $4 to $5 per thousand views. This all adds up to the best ROI for your marketing dollars.
In addition, with lower organic reach, Facebook ads is now seen as the best method to ensure your posts are seen and read by your customers and prospects. You don’t have to spend a lot of money either. A daily budget of $2 to $5 is very effective for most retail jewelry stores.
Facebook provides a number of ad choices and is constantly changing and updating the Ad Manager. Time spent to learn how to create and manage your Facebook Ads or hiring an agency like Internet 4 Jewelers is essential. There are a number of choices designed for ecommerce that can be a complete waste of money for brick-and-mortar retailers. Also, with the changes that Facebook continually makes, ad types that may have been successful in the past may no longer be effective. Staying current with these changes is key to your paid ad marketing on Facebook.
Brad Simon is co-owner of Internet 4 Jewelers and specializes in Social Media Marketing, Mobile Marketing, and Local Search Marketing exclusively for retail jewelry stores. For more information you can contact him at 864-680-4416 or Brad@Internet4Jewelers.com.
