Facebook Tips for Busy Business Owners

Facebook is hot, hot, hot in the social media marketing world right now. If your business isn't on Facebook, it basically doesn't exist. Even if you hardly post on Facebook [which we don't suggest], your company should at least have a company page with basic information. We know that you are super busy, which is why we compiled this list of helpful Facebook marketing tips:

1. Add basic information. [Time spent: 20 minutes]. It takes less than a half hour to get a professional Facebook page up and running. At minimum, add your business location, hours of operation, and a little about the company. Update the cover and profile picture with something unique. 
2. Create a clear "call to action."[Time spent: 5 minutes]. Facebook allows you to customize your profile with a "call to action" such as "reserve now" or "buy here." No matter what your product or service is, you want to convert lookers into buyers. 
3. Schedule weekly posts in advance. [Time spent: 30 minutes]. Scheduling posts for the week can take a little as 30 minutes, if you are really focused. Taking the time to sit down and plot out what you wanted posted for the week will save you a great deal of stress in the long run. 
4. Boost posts. [Time spent: 5 minutes]. Facebook is a business and it wants to make money too. Unfortunately, in order to get your name out there, you may have to pay to promote. Don't spend money randomly, boost important posts that are likely to give you a return on your money.
5. Expand your reach. [Time spent: 15 minutes]. The amount of shares and likes your post gets is certainly important, but the scope of the reach is more relevant. Facebook is all about community and the algorithm loves when your company shares posts by other people. Whenever you come across a relevant post by a fellow page or business, share it to your own wall and watch the views rise!  

Still sound like too much time? Don't worry! eMarketing247 would love to help your business achieve social media success on a budget!

Why PPC?

If you find yourself asking "why PPC"... eMarketing247 can help! 

We’re sure you have noticed sponsored advertisements, strategically located at the top and right side of every major search engine, such as Google and Bing. These ads are known as Pay-Per-Click, or PPC, ads. PPC is an internet marketing technique that requires you to pay a small fee for every click on your ad. Your company is then placed on the results page of a search engine. 

A Pay-Per-Click campaign is the quickest way to have your company listed on the first pages of Google and Bing, where customers can be directed to your website. A well-written and managed PPC advertising campaign can instantly bring customers to the exact page of a query through a bidding process. More often than not, it increases the chances of a potential sale. 

Don't you want to increase your chances for making money? Contact us today! 

Questions and Answers about Social Media Marketing

Do you feel like everyone is talking about how social media is important for businesses? Have you always wondered why? Is it even worth the effort for smaller companies? eMarketing247 is going to answer all of your questions! So, let's get started:

•  Why is social media marketing important?Well, first off, social media is FREEE and it offers businesses increased exposure! Sure, having great SEO and content on a business website helps, but creating a social media page on Facebook, twitter, Google+, Instagram etc., helps get the word out even more! Who knows when a customer might stumble along and find the company!Social media is also extremely helpful as an avenue of communication. Instead of having to call or email a company when customers have a problem, they can simply comment directly on a social media page, such as Facebook. These comments may even spark conversations with other customers as well, who may have had a similar experience, or who are interested in the product!
• So if customers post a negative complaint about the service/product, what should the company do? The first thing is to RESPOND! We cannot begin to stress this enough! If there is no response on the social media site, then it just proves that the company doesn’t care about their customers. The customer who posted the negative comment looks “informed” and the company looks like it isn't on top of things. Even if the company DOES care about customers, actions speak louder than words! If a company catches a comment in time it is best to respond immediately. Normally there is a 24 hour “grace” period, but after that it looks like the company does not care at all.
• Well, can’t the company just respond privately to the unhappy customer?NO! If the company responds to the customer privately, they still have to put something on the social media site acknowledging that. If other customers/potential customers see that a company did not respond promptly, they will take notice! Responding quickly and effectively to customers is key!
• Hopefully, not everyone who posts is going to be unhappy though! Right? Exactly! Social media is perfect for building a loyal fan base for businesses. Potential and returning customers are able to follow the business on social media and interact with the company on a daily or weekly business. By simply having a social media presence, a company becomes more “real” to a customer who will see it almost every day. Once a company has loyal fans, it is going to want to reward them!
• Reward them how? Like with free stuff? Sure! A company can use social media as an avenue to present special offers to loyal followers and fans. Maybe this special offer is a discount or a buy one get one free coupon. The options are endless! 
• Okay, but is it really worth the time for small businesses to do social media? Yes! It is totally worth it, especially since creating social media profiles is totally free! As I explained above, customers will be able to interact with a company on a daily basis, be first in line for “secret” rewards, and have the option to contact the company right from their Facbeook!
• What type of content should small businesses post on social media? eMarketing247 likes to post links, videos, blogs, and articles related to the businesses that we manage. For example, when we manage social media that is related to cruising, some days we will share our own blog posts or videos, and some days we will share, for example, “Time Magazine’s 10 tips for better cruising.” Businesses should share whatever they think is applicable to their business audience.
• Okay so only business related stuff! Got it.Well, not exactly. Business related stuff is great most of the time, but companies don’t want to bore customers with posts ONLY related to one thing. Throw in some “thank goodness its Friday” pictures and interesting links for a change!   
• What are some ways that businesses can gain more followers on social media? Well, simply posting consistently will help drive exposure! If people like what a business is posting, they will share it with their friends or retweet it to their followers. In addition, People love free/discounted things. Businesses can make special offers only on social media or do drawings or competitions on social media. Current followers may share or retweet to their followers, who may love the content and BAM you just gained another follower. There are so many possibilities! The company just has to be creative!

We hope that we were able to answer some of your frequently asked questions, and hope that we provided you with some insight about social media marketing! Please visit our website for more information about our social media marketing services!