6 Facebook Mistakes That are Ruining Your Brand

Social Media UniversityMilwaukee

June 11, 2014

Decline in organic reach(Um, what’s organic reach?)

Organic reach is the total number of unique people who were shown your post through unpaid distribution.

Simply, the total number of people you reached without advertising, both fans and non-fans.

HEY, WHY AREN’T PEOPLE SEEING MY POSTS?

According to Mark Zuckerberg, 63 percent of Facebook’s 1.28 billion users log into the site regularly.

The proportion of users who log in at least six days a week has now surpassed 50 percent.

That’s a lot of content.


• On average, there are 1,500 stories that could appear in a person’s News Feed each time they log onto Facebook– For people with lots of friends and page likes, as many as 15,000

potential stories could appear each time they log in

• News Feed displays approximately 300, determining rank by looking at thousands of factors relative to each person using a proprietary algorithm


Huh?

(Relax. It’s not rocket surgery)

WHY AREN’T PEOPLE SEEING MY POSTS?

As Pitbull would say, break it down:

• Interest of the user in the creator of content being shared This is determined by engagement: the number of visits to the brand's page, likes, clicks, comments, shares

• The post's performance with other usersIf no one is paying attention, the post is less likely to be displayed in newsfeeds

• CreatorPerformance of previous posts

• Type Type of poste the user prefers: status updates, photos, videos, links

• RecencyThe newer the post, the more likely it is to be shown

“Blame is easier than change.” -My Dad

Change.Adapt.

Improve.Get over it.

WHAT DOES FACEBOOK REALLY WANT?

• Questions

• Shared links

• High quality images

• High quality content

How Facebook itself defines “high quality content”

• Is this timely and relevant content?

• Is this content from a source you would trust?

• Would you share it with friends or recommend it to others?

• Is the content genuinely interesting to you or is it trying to game News Feed distribution? (e.g., asking for people to like the content)

• Would you call this a low quality post or meme?

• Would you complain about seeing this content in your News Feed?

WHAT DOES FACEBOOK REALLY WANT?

• Like-baiting

WHAT DOES FACEBOOK WANT, ANYWAY?

• Like-baiting• Spamming


• Like-baiting• Spamming• Text-only posts


Anyone can establish a Facebook page; but are you doing your brand more harm than good?

1. NOT HAVING A STRATEGY

“If you don’t know where you are going,

All roads lead to nowhere.

-Henry Kissinger

STRATEGY

A structured strategy will help you to define your goals for Facebook and approach marketing the right way.

Strategy is the thread that weaves together, supports and amplifies the brand experience.

STRATEGY


• Create distinct and measurable goals

STRATEGY



– Build brand awareness

STRATEGY



– Build brand awareness– Drive website traffic

STRATEGY



– Build brand awareness– Drive website traffic– Increase sales

STRATEGY



– Build brand awareness– Drive website traffic– Increase sales– Generate leads

STRATEGY



– Build brand awareness– Drive website traffic– Increase sales– Generate leads– Engage with local community

STRATEGY• Know your audience


– Use analytics to determine:• Who you are engaging


– Use analytics to determine:• Who you are engaging• What type of content they respond to

STRATEGY

• Develop planned and scheduled content that drives organic engagement.

– Create an editorial calendar• Schedule and forecast posts

– Plan ahead– Time posts correctly– Source quality content in advance– More heads are better than one

STRATEGY

• Measure your success

– Facebook analytics are your friend

• Conversion measurements• Insights

– Likes– Reach– Visits– Activity– Engagement

STRATEGY• Measure your success

– Google analytics

2. STOP TRYING SO HARD

2. STOP TRYING SO HARD• Know yourself – avoid the identity crisis


• What’s your brand personality? Be true to it.


• What’s your brand personality? Be true to it. • Develop your brand voice


• What’s your brand personality? Be true to it. • Develop your brand voice• Use Facebook as a telephone, not a megaphone

» Two-way engagement


• What’s your brand personality? Be true to it. • Develop your brand voice• Use Facebook as a telephone, not a megaphone

» Two-way engagement• No one wants to be sold anything

– Users want authentic interaction; to identify with a brand on a personal level– Draw them in with who you are, rather than chasing them away with what you are

selling









3. TREATING SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE A 9-TO-5 JOB

• Social media does not exist in a 9-to-5 world– Alerts and monitoring– Why do you need to know what’s happening with your page?

3. TREATING SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE A 9-TO-5 JOB

• Social media does not exist in a 9-to-5 world– Alerts and monitoring– Why do you need to know what’s happening with your brand?

• You get out what you put in– Users personify brands; they are looking for one-on-one interaction– It takes 10 seconds to respond and create a brand ambassador for life

4. MORE IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER

• Fewer organic page likes are far more valuable than thousands of paid likes.

• A like has zero value without engagement. In fact, it can hurt you.

• Your goal is to build your audience organically. Be genuine.

5. BURYING YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND• Address and acknowledge all posts by users to your page; good, bad and ugly.


• Responding to posts, thanking consumers for commenting and addressing complaints helps consumers feel more connected to your brand.


• Responding to posts, thanking consumers for commenting and addressing complaints helps consumers feel more connected to the brand.

• Not every comment needs a response, but responding to followers helps build trust and camaraderie between brands and consumers.

5. BURYING YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND

• Address and acknowledge all posts by users to your page; good, bad and ugly.

• Responding to posts, thanking consumers for commenting and addressing complaints helps consumers feel more connected to the brand.

• Not every comment needs a response, but responding to followers helps build camaraderie and trust between brands and consumers.

• Deleting bad comments instead of turning them into an opportunity to make things right.

– Unhappy customers, when satisfied, are 10 times more loyal to your brand than happy customers. In fact, they often become vocal brand ambassadors for the company.

6. NOT FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES

VISUALSUse photos and graphics. Lots of them. All the time.

– Smart phones, we all have them; capture real-time moments


VISUALSUse photos and graphics. Lots of them. All the time.

– Smart phones, we all have them; capture real-time moments– Custom graphics


VISUALSUse graphics. Lots of them. All the time.

– Smart phones, we all have them; capture real-time moments– Custom graphics– Stock photography– Professional photography– Size images correctly

(keep a cheat sheet)


VOICE

• What is the personality of your brand?

• Ensure consistency among posters – singular voice

• Be positive and upbeat

• Always be engaging– Ask questions

– Make people curious

– Use calls to action carefully

BEST PRACTICES

BEST PRACTICES


EXECUTION• Less is more


EXECUTION• Less is more

• Read, read and re-read; proper spelling and grammar are crucial

• Post consistently; don’t abandon your page

• Be relevant– Pay attention to current events, weather, holidays, news – look outside the box for creative

content and figure out how to make it relevant to you


EXECUTION

• Less is more

• Read, read and re-read; proper spelling and grammar are crucial

• Post consistently; don’t abandon your page

• Be relevant

• Stay current on Facebook policies and changes

• #HashtagsGoneWild(#I #cannot #stand #it #when #a #brand #hashtags #every #word #because #they #think #it #will #help #them #be #seen)

• Always follow brand standards – social media is an extension of your brand;

treat it as such

In its most simple expression, a brand is an idea.

An experience.

It can't be touched or placed on a shelf, but it can be felt, often

with great intensity and emotion.

A brand can be brought to life in many ways, most importantly by the

people who must bridge the gap between brand promise and brand

delivery in every day human interactions.

The best brands evoke elegant simplicity, clarity, and

a sense of purpose - they inspire.

be inspiring.

Technology

6 Facebook Mistakes That are Ruining Your Brand