Facebook for Business: Building an Online Community

Developing an effective online marketing strategy includes the incorporation of social marketing to increase your following and expand your reach. With careful planning, utilizing a Facebook marketing strategy for business will build an online social networking community that will help you meet, or exceed, your audience goals.

Facebook for Business: Building an Online Community

* Members only. Although you wish to reach as many interest parties as possible, you may not want the entire Facebook population joining your group without a legitimate reason. Facebook offers the following three options for creating groups and establishing privacy:

(From Facebook.com) When you create a group, you have the option of making it as open or exclusive as you wish. There are three different access levels:

o  Open: For “global” groups, everyone on Facebook can view the group and join. If the group is exclusive to a specific network, only the people on that network can become a member. The Wall, discussion board, and photos are all visible to anyone viewing the group.
o  Closed: For “global” groups, everyone on Facebook can see the group, but the administrators must approve all membership requests or personally send invites. If the group is exclusive to one network, only people on that network can see the group. Only group members can view the Wall, discussion board, and photos. If you are not a member, you will not receive News Feed stories about closed groups.
o  Secret: These groups cannot be found in searches or viewed by non-members. The name of the group will not display on the profiles of members. Membership is by invitation only. Non-members will not receive News Feed stories about secret groups.

* Group considerations. Aside from the suggestions from Facebook regarding the creation of groups and the setting of group privacy, consider these tips for conveying a clear message of your group’s intentions while staying true to your social marketing goals:

o  Type. Categorize your group appropriately (e.g., business-marketing & advertising) to attract those with similar interests and improve your online social networking capabilities.

o  Description. Provide potential members a concise yet accurate description of your group to ensure your members are not only joining out of sincere interest but will also be in a position to contribute to the group’s discussions.

* Keep it up. The clear-cut way to boost your visibility and increase your following is to ensure your group remains both active and current. Employ some of these online social networking tips to make sure using Facebook for business is working for you rather than against you:
o  Hanging by a thread. Create discussion threads that stimulate discussions and encourage participation. Include open-ended questions that center on relevant subject matter and promote a desire to contribute.
o  Be direct. Periodically contact your members directly and offer them exclusive access to a new product or video. With a regular schedule for releases and updates, your community will develop a loyalty to your messages and will likely pass them on through the social networking communities both inside and outside of Facebook.

Using Facebook for business can be a challenge to online marketers. Once you have defined your target audience and established your marketing goals, you are in a position to take advantage of the features of Facebook’s social networking communities to help you reach the largest audience possible with your online marketing

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