With 2 billion users, many marketing eyes are on Facebook to promote their products, services, or destinations. Using Facebook is easy right? Post a picture or type out details of your service and hit “post.” If only. That’s one mistake many make – thinking Facebook is easy. There’s actually strategy and planning involved.

What are others? We’ve compiled 10 of the most common Facebook mistakes.  Correct these and relieve yourself of the social media frustrations.

1. No goal. There are goals for everything we do. We run with the goal of losing weight. We work with the goal of making money. We brush our teeth with the goal of not getting cavities. Why would you not have a goal for Facebook? Attract customers. Retain customers. Branding. Receive donations. Increase volunteerism. There could be any number of goals and there could be more than one goal, but without a goal, you’ll never be able to determine your strategy and reflect if your message is on point.

2. No strategy. Again, it’s simple – just post. What is the purpose of your post? What action are you attempting to create? Drive the “liker” to the website? Call for more information? Simply like or comment?

3. No target audience. “I want all 2 billion users to find my page and buy from me.” Don’t we all but just as your store may only draw teenage girls or your destination only draw senior citizens that love art, your Facebook needs to have a target audience. Posts should be on point to that audience and peak their speak.

4. Not branding the page. Do you have a generic image for the profile and or cover image? Do you even use the cover image? That is valuable real estate that allows you to brand your page in line with your organization.

5. Not consistent with posts. You may post three times one day, twice the next and then “go dark” for five days. “But I get busy.” Facebook allows you to schedule posts so you can keep a consistent presence with daily posts. There are also many services that allow you schedule posts.

6. Always selling. This is where you are too consistent. If you are always promoting your shoes or tax service, you’re turning off your customers. Social media is, well, social. Engaging. Interactive. Dialogue. Heck, fun. Be engaging. Drive interaction and dialogue. We suggest 50/30/20 as a rule. 50% informative posts. 30% engaging/fun posts. 20% selling.

7. Never engaging. You have succeeded in that someone commented on your post. Even better, they asked a question about your bed and breakfast. But you “post and run.” You never check your page throughout the day for interaction. Only thing worse than no engagement is engagement that goes un-responded to. We expand on this with this blog post.

8. Not using Facebook with your other marketing. Do your posts drive traffic to your website? Have videos on YouTube? Are you sharing them on Facebook driving traffic to your channel? Attracting people to sign up for your emails? Social media is not to be operated in a marketing silo. Consider how Facebook can be a part of your marketing campaign and interact with your other channels. We share how social can work with email.

9. Thinking Facebook is your website. Facebook is a website. You are utilizing space on the Facebook website. Facebook has control over your page and everything around it – design, ads, how many people see your posts. Not everyone is on Facebook so if you suggest to a customer, “see me on Facebook,” you may be unknowingly telling them they can’t access you. If, however, you say ‘see more at MyBusiness.com’. They can easily find you. You can control the experience and none of your competitor’s ads are surrounding the page (let alone all the other distractions.) Facebook is a marketing tool. It is not your website. You need to have your own site.

10. Thinking Facebook is free. We post a picture of us on the beach and get hundreds of likes, loves and wows. We believe the same will happen with our business pages. Everything changed in 2015. Reach is down significantly. Less than 2% see your posts. You must start investing in Facebook. Not a lot. $20 here. $30 there. But the days of organic reach are over. Additionally you are busy running your business. You may need help with strategy, creative, posting, or monitoring your interaction. The low expense of social media management that allows you to concentrate on being a plumber will realize a significant return on your investment!

If you would like one of the Back To You pros assess your social media for any of the above and make suggestions, please reach out to us. We would be delighted to chat.

Thanks for reading.