Facebook pages that work

Facebook is the 800-lb. gorilla when it comes to social marketing. With more than 150 million users in the United States alone, no company can afford to not be present on the site. The companies that are really excelling, though, haven’t just created a page and forgotten about it. They’re using the site to interact with current and potential clients to drive new business.

“Facebook is important because it helps me to distribute information to routine Facebook addicts, whereas my website waits for people to come view it,” says Abe Degnan, president of Degnan Design Builders, DeForest, Wisc.

One of the reasons Facebook is so important is that it allows you to integrate all of your social marketing in one spot, says Lindsay Krupa, marketing and social media consultant for Parrish Construction, Boulder, Colo. Companies can link their content from Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, etc., to the site.

“My favorite new thing is to share images from any number of Parrish Built’s 50+ Pinterest boards on Facebook,” Krupa says, noting that posts with images tend to drive more traffic.

Facebook can also be an opportunity to have a little fun. Degnan has found that sometimes the most liked posts are those that are off-topic, such as a post about a group of ducklings that wandered into the company’s office. While not directly related to the industry, it does keep the company on the radar.

Some other advice for building a good Facebook page:

• Be consistent with posts so your fans know when to expect information. In other words, don’t post in bunches or have large gaps between posts. A tool like Hootsuite can help you schedule your posts (and crosspost to other sites).

• Use sweepstakes or contests to encourage people to come back to the page often. For example, run a best kitchen remodel contest, and get clients to have their friends come to the page and vote for their project.

• Pay attention to what people post.w Be sure to quickly respond if people ask you a question.

• Choose a unique cover photo that illustrates the type of work the company does and update it frequently

• Encourage interaction by asking fans their opinions, such as what the’d most like to improve in their homes.

• Post frequent videos and photos to grab attention. PR