Focus on Facebook First

Context for Your Content – Stay Relevant.

For several years, your Facebook feed has been cluttered with messages by advertisers who are spending pennies on the dollar to place their content in front of you.

However, updates to Facebook’s algorithm are placing precedence on relevant content, and less importance on posts that solely push people to buy a product or to enter promotions and sweepstakes with no real context.

In light of the changes for businesses on Facebook, one thing that remains true as it does in more traditional forms of advertising is the importance of relevant content.

Whether it’s content related to your industry or updates on what your business is doing, use short, fun-to-read copy and eye-catching images to garner attention. Your posts can include special offers, invite customers and prospects to events or share live video of special events.

You can extend your reach beyond the followers of your page by boosting your post. For a relatively minor budget ($30-$75), your message can be placed in front of the audience you select including the friends of your followers. You can apply demographics, including age, location, interests and geographical location.

While the medium is different, the same principles of marketing and advertising apply to Facebook as they do to more traditional media like TV, radio and print advertising. You need to craft your message directly to the people you want to reach with the information they can really use, instead of applying broad strokes to your marketing.  You then need to make sure you drill down and target the right people with the right message, who will ultimately benefit from your product or service.

Whether you do it yourself, bring on a consultant, or hire an agency, understand the importance of relevant content to make the best decision for your business.

John Houle is the president of JH Communications, a marketing-communications agency in Providence RI specializing in the insurance industry. He can be reached at 401.831.6123 or at john@www.jhctesting.com.