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By now you should have realized how important it is to use social media to your advantage when it comes to establishing online presence and promoting your brand online. And you should also have realized that regardless of what industry and niche you belong to, Facebook is one social networking site on which you should maintain a business page. It is still the world’s most popular social networking site, which is why it can be a very useful platform for your business.
When you get your social media team together, it is indeed a good idea to make them focus much of their energies on your Facebook business page. But this doesn’t just mean posting status updates several times each week and responding to comments and questions from your followers. They also need to make sure your Facebook page is properly optimized so it can truly contribute to your overall online marketing campaign. If your social media team isn’t that SEO-savvy, here are a few tips on optimizing your Facebook business page. This should get them on the right track.
Choosing a Name
Once you choose a name for your Facebook business page, you can no longer change it. That is why it is very important to choose very wisely. Keep in mind that Google considers the FIRST WORD in your Facebook page title as the most significant. Make sure the name truly represents your business and reflects the personality and image you want for your brand.
Customize Your URL
Facebook automatically generates a URL for you when you sign up. But if you really want to optimize your business page, you can’t just settles for a generic URL. The good news is that Facebook allows you to personalize your URL so you can make sure it coincides with or complements your brand name. Make sure your URL is unique and easy for people to remember. Better yet, match it with your page name for better brand recognition.
Complete and Accurate Profile
Your profile picture, cover photo, profile info, and bio should all be complete and the information you provide should all be accurate and up-to-date. Be sure to provide your full address, phone numbers, email address, and website address. Complete and accurate information on your page is a sign of your professionalism and the fact that you keep the info up-to-date tells your followers you are highly engaged in social media.
The “About Us” Section
First time visitors to your Facebook page are likely to check the “About Us” page for information about your business. Use this section to tell people as much about the business as possible without being boring and long-winded. Emphasize the benefits of your products and services, be sure to choose the right category for your business, and don’t forget to add a link to your website within the description of your business.
Use Keywords Wisely
Keywords are just as important for Facebook optimization as they are for website optimization. Keep in mind that the About, Mission, and Company Description sections can all be indexed by Google, so it is best to use targeted keywords in these sections. Be careful, however, not to overuse keywords. The general rule is to choose six relevant keywords and then incorporate them naturally in the text.
Location
Facebook has recently made updates to the “Nearby” feature, which points to the fact that it is giving more importance to local search. This means users can now easily search for local businesses on their mobile phones. Considering the increasing number of people accessing the Internet via mobile devices, you definitely want to be found in mobile local searches. Make sure your complete address, phone numbers, and hours of operation are all listed on your Facebook profile.
Facebook Updates
If you post only once or twice each month, your followers will likely lose interest after just a few months. You should update your Facebook page once or twice each day. Of course, you also have to make sure your Facebook updates are properly optimized. Note that the first 18 characters of a Facebook post serves as the Meta words on SERPs. It therefore pays to include targeted keywords within those first few characters.
Your primary objective for being active on Facebook should still be to provide valuable content and engage your followers in productive conversation. While you’re doing that, though, who says you can’t work on getting your Facebook page to appear on SERPs at the same time? If there’s a way to keep both your followers and search engines happy, why not take it?
