We move in a largely digital world, making everything within reach. There’s practically nothing we can’t do online. Information is literally at our fingertips. As long as you can type ‘Google’, you’re all set. With all these means for connectivity, you’d think there’s be no room for detachment. Ironically technology also created a whole new divide between consumers and brands.
That’s where strategy makes a difference.
One of the best operations strategies in the market today is creative process outsourcing. Many companies, big or small, find this highly beneficial as it offers more bang for your buck. Outsourcing to countries like the Philippines for example, comes with its own set of advantages. If you partner with the right service provider, you won’t need to look anywhere else.
Here’s a list of 4 Facebook activities that the right service provider can do for you:
Pimp Your Page
First impressions last so it’s imperative that you make the right one. But making the right first impression could take a lot more time than you can spare
Take your Facebook fan page as an example. Facebook is constantly evolving, adapting to new users, user requirements, and trends. In order to keep your brand or company relevant, you need to update the look of your Facebook page, as you maximize exposure within your community. To do this, you’ll need to keep up with the changes that Facebook makes - like the redesigned homepage Timeline format and the cover photo space they’re now providing alongside the space for profile pics. Done correctly, the cover photo can serve as a banner while the profile pic represents your brand. So you should be creative but also be aware of Facebook’s rules.
You should also explore using custom landing pages or welcome tabs for Facebook using third party applications. According to Social Media guru Mari Smith, this can help you convert netizens into fans at a rate of 47% (Mari Smith, Develop Raving Facebook Fanbase, Webinar). And then add features that give you more control over the use of Facebook like those that highlight certain events or posts on your timeline so they get positioned on your page more prominently.
Keeping your fan page in top shape can be time consuming. If you have more important things to do you could hire a service provider with resident specialists on social media monitoring to execute your vision for your fan page.
Keep it Fresh
One of the great things about the internet is that content is everywhere. Your page should be a 50/50 mix of information—half of it directly about your company and the other, something more indirectly related to it (Mari Smith, Develop Raving Facebook Fanbase, Webinar). Content coming from your company could be advertisements, announcements, job openings and the like. Your complementary content should be something of a broader spectrum, but still touching on your company’s area of expertise. For example, if you’re a car company, your complementary material could be about tips on how to maintain your car, how to change a flat tire, or the best way to save on gas.
Complementary content helps keep your website fresh and provides your community or fan base with additional information that doesn’t give them the feeling that they’re constantly being sold to. In exchange for their loyalty, you give them reasons to stay - to keep visiting your page - with content that has more to do with them than with you.
Regularly posting engaging updates will keep your fans interested in following your page. So if you must, outsource this job to a service provider who can come up with a well-thought of editorial calendar and coherent content to upload every day.
Cover your Away Time
There is no better way to show how much you value your customers than having an efficiently run forum where they can voice out their concerns and get a timely response. If you hire the right team to monitor and administer your Facebook fan page, you’ll be able to provide your customers with real time responses even when you’re asleep on the other side of the world.
Brainstorm New Promos
Ok. So no one knows your audience better than you - or at least no one should. But even then, it helps to have other creatives thinking of new ideas to engage your fans and promote your business. Your Facebook strategy should be to maximize your reach by timing your offers, promotions, and contests. Facebook, with users predicted to reach a billion by the end of this year could very well be the best marketing channel you’ve got; not only because of its wide reach, but because it gives you the ability to hypertarget. In the end, the most important thing to remember about using Facebook as a social media marketing channel is the word ‘social’. While you need to stay on top of such things as your Facebook fan page’s look and feel, tone and personality, there are a number of activities you can outsource to keep your fan page alive and fresh while freeing you up to do other things.
So go ahead and explore that option. And really benefit from an all-around stand-out Facebook presence.
For a comprehensive guide to outsourcing your social media work, click here.
