In our last installment, we looked at how to create a Facebook page for business and why you would bother. I assigned a bit of homework (get 25 likes on your page) which you'll need at the end of this post when we talk about vanity names.
Today, I want to show you how to write links in Facebook so that they generate business for you. Now you may be saying, "How to write links in Facebook? Are you kidding me?" But there are links in Facebook and then there are links in Facebook that get results. That's the kind I want you to write.
It's All About the Website
Facebook marketing is all about your website. (See, you knew there was an ulterior motive to these posts.) Facebook is a powerful medium and it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that just "being on Facebook" is enough. But you won't experience the real power of using Facebook for business until you start using it to drive traffic to your website. Google Analytics reveals that Facebook generates over 75% of the traffic to my website. That's traffic worth having!
Why Link to Your Site?
Your website is the place you can really sell. A great website shows off your style. It lets potential customers wander around in a virtual store to find out what interests them. It gives prices and shows how your products work together. Facebook offers none of these options by itself, so the real purpose of Facebook posts has got to be to drive traffic back to your site.
Begin with the Blog
No matter what it is that you want to post in Facebook, begin with your blog. This can seem counterintuitive. You just want to post on Facebook, right? But using your blog as an extension of Facebook has two big advantages. First of all, it gives everything you write a permalink, a permanent web address that can be shared with others (even re-posted on Facebook). Long after a Facebook post has scrolled away where no one can see it, your blog page will still be there. My blog post titled Copyrights, Trademarks, and Patents (Oh, My!) has been shared hundreds of times, thanks to its easy-to-use web address. I'm not just relying on a very temporary Facebook post to carry my message.
A successful Facebook post must link to a specific page on your site and have a picture and a brief description.
Anatomy of a Great Facebook Post
A successful Facebook post has four key ingredients: A picture, a call to action, a link to a specific page, and a description of that page. You cannot make a cake without the right ingredients and you can't make a Facebook post without them either, so take the time to get your ingredients together before you post! Remember that you're going to write this on your business Facebook page where impressions will be counted. If you don't include all the ingredients, expect to see far fewer people respond to your post.
The Mechanics
It's not enough to copy-and-paste a web address into your Facebook status. You must switch over to the Link tab before you post, as this is the only method that enables you to write your call to action separate from the link itself. It's also the only way you can choose which picture from your link gets used in the Facebook post. If you're using Facebook on a mobile device, view the site in a full browser rather than using the mobile app in order to be sure you have access to this feature.
Before posting a link in Facebook, switch to the Link tab in order to choose the picture.
Gotta Have a Picture
An effective Facebook post requires a picture. Why? Because the human eye naturally goes to pictures first. Many people will simply ignore your post if it doesn't have a picture. How are you going to get a picture in every post? You're going to add it to your blog. In fact, you should add two pictures because you'll probably wind up posting each blog entry twice -- once on your business page and again on your personal wall. Some of your personal Facebook friends are also going to like your business page and it would be nicer (and more effective) if they didn't have to see the same picture twice. Besides, some folks will respond to one picture more than another.
A Call to Action
The second required ingredient is a call to action. This is an age-old technique from advertising that simply means you tell the reader what you want him to do. Be sure there is an action word in your post. The "Does Your Website Need An Intervention?" post, for example, urges readers to find out how changes in the web business affect them. Please don't write any posts that say "checkout my website." No one has time to checkout your website and, perhaps more importantly, no one cares. The call to action must contain something relevant to the reader. How does he or she benefit from taking this action? If the benefit isn't clearly stated, fewer people will respond.
An effective Facebook requires a "call to action," a reason for readers to visit your site.
Link to a Specific Page
This is a very common error that's quite easily fixed. You've told the reader what you want him to do, but the link that's posted just takes him to your home page. Now he has to click something else in order to do what you wanted. Every action that you ask visitors to take reduces your chances of success. If you only ask one thing (such as, "visit this page"), your chances are good. But if you make visitors click around to find the content you were directing them to... well, forget it. You must link to the exact web page that contains the thing you want visitors to do. Are you asking to buy a ticket? You must link to the Buy Tickets page! Do you want visitors to see your new video? Post a link to the page with the videos.
Don't Neglect the Description
When you post a link, Facebook will automatically grab the first few lines of text from the page to use as a description. This is shown next to the photo in your link and it helps readers to know if your page is something they care about or not. If you're writing a link to your blog, be sure to start the blog post with something short and sweet and to the point with the expectation that Facebook will use your opening salvo in this description area.
Linking Back to Your Facebook Page
Sometimes when you're writing on your personal Facebook wall you want to mention your business. You can help increase the visibility of your business Facebook page by turning this mention into a link. Here's how: Start by typing the @ sign and then the name of your business. To link to the Zimidi, Inc. page, for example, you would start typing @Zimidi. A dropdown menu will appear. Click on your business name and a link to your page appears. This lets readers click-through and like your business from within a link.
Create a link to your business page by starting with @.
Vanity Names
I promised you'd need your 25 likes for something, and this is it: A Facebook vanity name. Essentially your own Facebook web address, a vanity name lets you easily tell people how to find you on Facebook, without saying "look us up on Facebook." My vanity name is facebook.com/zimidi. It's easy to tell people, "Join us on Facebook at facebook.com/zimidi." In fact, you'll see major advertisers use this technique in their recent TV advertising. Why promote Facebook instead of their own website? Because Facebook allows you to create connections with individual users, then use those connections to link to your website. It's the best of all possible advertising worlds. Get your own vanity name at facebook.com/username and use it to promote your Facebook page when you're out and about.
David Bethune is an internet pioneer and the founder of Zimidi, Inc. At Southernmost Radio Network, over 10,000 listeners enjoyed his classes in Facebook and digital marketing. He is Daddy to the world's two best dogs.
