As you may know, we are taking the month of August to get back to the basics. Last week we went over how to begin building your targeted audiences on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter with your current clients and ideal prospects. This week will will be talking Facebook.
Now that you have created a Facebook Profile and Fan Page, and have established a small, but targeted audience. It’s time to start connecting. Facebook is the largest social network with over 1.3 billion users active monthly. But what about your target audience? Studies have found that 57% of all American adults use Facebook, 60% of internet users age 50-64 use Facebook regularly, and some 45% of internet users age 65 or older now use Facebook (PewResearch).
Facebook is one of the main areas online where your target demographic lives, connects, and builds relationships. It’s not only simple and user-friendly, but it’s a great, inexpensive vehicle for promoting your brand to millions of people. And it really works! Check out our short case study at the end of this blog to see the results you can achieve.
Here are a few best practices that financial advisors should keep in mind when beginning to communicate on Facebook:
1) Make that profile pretty!
You only have seconds to grab someone’s attention when they come to your Fan Page. A simple way to do this is with an intriguing and informative Cover Photo. Learn more from our blog, “Financial Firms, Optimize That Facebook Page!”
2) Post High Quality Content.
In last week’s blog, we discussed the importance of quality over quantity when evaluating your online audience. Now is the time to consider that audience and what they want to see from you online. ONLY SHARE CONTENT that your target market will find valuable, informative or intriguing. Depending on those interests, this might be helpful information about retirement, a schedule of local upcoming events or a funny comic that relates to your industry.
3) Be Personal.
Facebook is the platform where it is acceptable, and often encouraged, to share some personal information to help give your brand a little personality. Share pictures of client events, post a video of your new office or post pictures of employees.
3) Stay Active.
You don’t want your page to turn into a ghost town. Idle Facebook pages are just as unattractive as ghost towns and don’t encourage visitors to come back. Be diligent and consistent with posting and engaging no matter what. And remember: it’s better to have no Facebook page at all than an abandoned, unused Facebook page with outdated or incomplete information.
4) Differentiate Yourself & Be Patient.
Contrary to popular thought-the Facebook world won’t stop in its tracks once your business page is up and running. There are millions of businesses competing for your audience’s attention, and you need to differentiate yourself from the crowd. There are several steps you must take to be successful: set goals, organize and plan, and then define success and establish key performance indicators. Keep in mind that it takes about six months to start seeing results, so strive to remain persistent and optimistic.
CASE STUDY: PROVEN SUCCESS FOR ADVISORS
One of FSM’s clients is a provider of fixed-rate, equity-indexed and immediate income annuities, and he uses Facebook (along with other digital media) to market his firm. He started using Facebook regularly for his firm about 18 months ago, and has seen tremendous success. His network has increased from under 200 fans to just under 4,000 fans today. Not only that, but he also sees incredible engagement, which is a great indicator of actual interest and quality of your fan base. This post from June received 44 Likes and 11 Shares! This Facebook post drove traffic to his site, increasing his brand awareness and credibility, and encouraged these interested viewers to contact him personally for more information.
Are you interested in using social media and digital marketing to expand your reach & grow your business? Contact FSM and we will help you get started today!
Amy McIlwain
@amymcilwain
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