Of recent, there has been a lot of talk about using Facebook as a marketing platform. It has partly to do with it being the widest social media network. People from all age groups invest a couple hours here daily befriending people and making contacts. All said and done, it boils down to – Can Facebook really give your business a competitive edge?

At least, we see it doing do for the following reasons.

It won’t dent your pocket

Think about using a new marketing strategy, and your mind is already doing the math. Facebook marketing is what we call budgeted. Setting up a page is free of cost; your company logo, a few pictures and brief write up is what you need to get started.

The costs you might incur are Facebook Ads. However, when compared to the number of likes it adds to your profile, the costs are quite low.

Reach out to more people with “Likes”

One of the biggest advantages of using Facebook is its wide reach. It has more than 15 billion users. When someone “likes” your post or comments on it, it is automatically posted on their wall and becomes visible to their friends. Interested people will do the same continuing the chain of likes and comments. This way you build awareness about your brand and also generate more leads.

Target the right people

One of the reasons a business marketing strategy fails is because we are targeting the wrong set of people. Facebook curates content from member profiles and hence is partly in a position to tell “who” would like “what”. By paying some extra cash, you can request for your ads to be delivered to that specific demographic. It raises the chances of converting visitors to potential customers.

It’s an interactive platform –

Having a Facebook page gives your business a personal touch. So, you should use this platform to build rapport with your customers. Listen to their queries and take time to answer them. Respond or acknowledge comments.

Create an image for your business –

Any person wanting to buy something from you will first want to know more about you. You can use your Facebook business page to create brand awareness and build confidence in your customers about your business. Here you can post information about your business, your history, your area of specialization, your physical location and contact details. You can post pictures and videos of your business as well as the products you sell.

Divert traffic to your website –

In addition to generating leads for your business, you can secure your customers for life by diverting them to your website. Place links to your site at strategic points on your Facebook business page. Instead of simply placing a link, you can post web content with embedded links.

You can use your Facebook page to provide valuable content and your website to do some aggressive selling. Newsletters, contests and giveaways can go onto your Facebook page.

Who’s doing what?

Finally, use Facebook to keep a watch on your competitors and the industry. You’ll get to know of the latest trends; literally what sells and what does not.