Based on my last post, I’d like to drill down on a few examples of social networks that your clients may be tuned into every day. And love it or loathe it, there is no network with broader pull than the Mothership: Facebook.
By now, most of your know the story of Facebook, and you have seen the evolution… What started as a *cool* place for college kids to connect has grown into a behemoth that boasts it strongest growth today in the 50+ demographic. That’s right – grandparents are driving the current dollars flowing thru Facebook.
On the other end of the spectrum is your teenage child who not only does NOT have a Facebook account, but doesn’t want one either. Don’t believe me? You will be hard pressed to find 3 out of 10 kids entering high school this fall who have or care about a Facebook account.
What do these trends tell you? Hopefully, a LOT.
If you are currently using Facebook, why do YOU use it? Do you log in to keep in touch with friends? Do you go there to receive advertisements? Do you go there to “like” company pages? Do you go there to participate in contests or play games?
My point is not to judge *why* any of us log in and troll the Facebook feed, but the fact is: we log in for a reason. And if your target market is tuned in to this social channel, then you had better be engaged, present, and relevant. And your posts, comments, photos, and everything else you do better be tailored to the audience you have tuned in with – or they will tune you OUT.
Here are some best practices:
Avoid connecting with random people – if a person is not your *friend* in real life, why would you use that term online? Don’t ever make the mistake of “marketing” on Facebook – that strategy has already failed. Facebook users overwhelmingly want a personal network, ideally with people they know, like and trust.
If you decide to use Facebook to keep your personal network up to speed with your business, set it up carefully. Use a Facebook Page and make sure you focus on delivering value to consumers – that is your typical Facebook audience. Invite your friends to follow, but don’t push it. Remember, you want them to be “raving fans” and that won’t happen if you turn into a spammer. Keep your posts limited and valuable. Use more graphics and less text. If you use video, keep the clips short. Make everything easy to share. This is your most valuable network, so don’t abuse them.
There is much more to add here, but I’m already too long for one blog post. Why not add your comments and best practices with Facebook below?
Coach Michael Regan 