Facebook Marketing: How to Stand Out from the Crowd

Facebook has recently changed all pages to the new timeline look and feel. Businesses now need to learn to adapt to this new format with more creativity than ever before. Though Facebook has become one of the leading avenues for social media marketing, the Facebook landscape is crowded with brand choices for the end user.

In order to be successful, businesses must stand out from that crowd. One way to do that is to employ different and more creative strategies.

Stand Out Cover Photo

Facebook now offers brand pages the ability to capitalize on the featured photo section. A large, but awkwardly designed, area is offered up for you to customize. With some creativity, however, this prime area could be used as an incredible opportunity to feature your brand.

Consider methods to make use of this space to your benefit. Facebook prevents businesses from including totally obvious calls-to-action within the image. Sales pitches are not allowed as part of the highlighted image, nor are contact info or any other reference that might be construed as promotional.

Try changing photos on a regular basis to raise fan interest and keep them coming back. Have contests, where you allow your fans to contribute of choose the featured photo.

Photo Stories

Use your ability to add photos to your page as an opportunity to tell your company story visually. Use tagging, commenting and highlighting to feature important milestones. This creative history showcase shows some of your company personality and allows you to connect better with your fans.

For example, if you have evolved from a business that deals with plastic surgery Harrisburg, to a company that now only deals with breast implants Harrisburg PA, then show that in your history timeline.

Feature Posts

Try highlighting, expanding or promoting fan posts. Most people love a little recognition and that possibility encourages participation. Giving preferred status to a rotating group of fans, which places them at the top of your timeline, is a very creative way to make your brand fun and compelling.

Try this with videos as well. Fans love to share videos, especially funny or inspiring ones. Highlight the ones that strike a nerve or get a good reaction from a large number of visitors. Pay attention to the “Likes,” not just the comments. Many users do not leave comments, preferring to use the “Like” feature, but they are visiting and reading your page nonetheless.

Cross-Promote

Don’t be afraid to cross-promote. Let your fans see that you are involved in a positive way with other companies in your industry, even competitors, maybe especially competitors. This practice shows good will and demonstrates that you are confident in what your brand has to offer. It shows that you are not afraid of the competition. For instance, x company collaborated with y and promoted their mission.

These are just some of the ways to use your creativity to build customer loyalty and a healthy fan following. Use the new timeline design to your advantage. Don’t be put off by the constant evolution of Facebook, embrace it and make best use of it instead.

 

 

Now that you’re well versed in how to use the new Facebook design, whether you provide plastic surgery Harrisburg or sell designer handbags, you’d probably like to learn more about Twitter. Guest post written by James.

Image Credit:  Alexander Smolianitski,  2,  bhima @ flickr,

 

Posted on: May 14, 2012