Small Business Marketing with Facebook Search
by: Karen Scharf, Small Business Marketing
ShareIf you want to improve your small business marketing, there’s just no way you can ignore social media any longer. And if you’re not sure how to get started integrating social media into your small business marketing plan, I suggest heading over to Facebook.
Facebook (FB) is so much more than a “chat session” as one of my clients recently described it. Facebook marketing has become an excellent tool for getting your content in front of millions of web surfers and for driving traffic to your website.
In fact, according to comScore’s recent data, there were 621 million Facebook search queries preformed in June 2010. That’s a 63% increase from the number of FB search queries performed in January 2010, and it’s almost half the searches performed on Bing. Facebook users are actively searching for specific content and information; why not make sure your content is presented?
There are more than a half billion registered FB users around the world, which presents an obvious opportunity for spreading your small business marketing message. And, with just a little bit of effort, the information you present on Facebook can actually appear on the “real” search engines, such as Google, Yahoo and Bing.
Ready to add this marvelous (and growing) tool to your small business marketing arsenal? Here are a few tips for optimizing your Facebook efforts for the best possible search results:
When creating a Facebook fan page or business page, put some serious thought into your page name and URL. Remember all that keyword research you did for your website? Well now is the time to pull out that file folder and review the words that are relevant to your target audience and your service offerings. You’ll want to incorporate these keywords into your About Me box and the Overview section of your page.
By utilizing the relatively new Facebook Markup Language (also known as FBML) you’ll be able to add your own images, graphics, and text that also make use of your targeted keywords. (Not familiar with FBML? This might be a job you want to pass on to your web master.)
Keep your list of targeted keywords handy. You’ll want to refer to these every time you add photos, create a discussion topic, even write status updates. And when linking to your FB updates from off-site pages, you’ll want to incorporate these keywords into your anchor text.
Be sure to review the new Facebook Questions feature. Here’s another chance to rank well in FB search for your chosen keywords, as well as present yourself as an expert (which, after all, should be part of your small business marketing plan). Popular questions are ranked more highly, so put some thought into the questions you create; make them alluring and engaging. And remember, there’s no rule against answering your own question; just be sure to use your keywords.
Want to get your “regular” website listed in the FB search results? Make sure you’re listed well in Bing since the Bing search engine powers Facebook search. Don’t forget to add the Facebook LIKE button to your website; early indications show that this technique does affect your Facebook search results.
And remember, it’s OK to link to your Facebook page from external sites. Be sure to use relevant anchor text, and give off-site users a reason to take the extra step of visiting Facebook to see what you have to offer. Keep in mind, for many web surfers, having to log into FB with a username and password may be a drudgery that just isn’t worth it at the moment, so be sure your linking efforts are extremely enticing.
Optimizing your Facebook efforts for better search performance is very similar to optimizing your website for better search engine rankings. It takes a little time, a little know-how, and a little work, but in the long run your efforts will surely pay off.
You might also be interested in:
- Improving Facebook Ad Performance
- SEO Link Building – Share the Wealth
- What is Search Engine Optimization
- How To Optimize Your Website For Ask
- SEO Techniques – Easy On Page Elements You Can Optimize Today
Tags: better search engine rankings, bing, business pages, effort, facebook, google search, internet search engines, online social networking, optimize your website, optimizes, search engine optimization, search engine rankings, search engines, search performance, search query, Small Business Marketing, web 2.0
August 16th, 2010 at 10:40 am
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Small Business Marketing with Facebook Search @[link to post]
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August 16th, 2010 at 11:28 am
If you have a business you need to be on Facebook. Period. End of Story. Facebook can be a great marketing tool, but only if you use it the right way. You’re thinking “what’s so tough about using Facebook? Just fill out a profile for my company and I’m done right?” No. That’s the wrong way to use it. Sure, you want to have all of your company’s relevant information on its Facebook page, but that’s not all you need to be doing with it. You gave an awesome example of how to properly use this great tool and I thank you for that.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Sites like Facebook and Twitter do take a lot of work but it is worth it because they aren’t just social hang out places anymore, they are places to grow your business.
August 16th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Neat! I just love all the new features Facebook added, the Facebook Markup Language is positively the best so far in my honest opinion. Its great that Facebook also recognizes its tole in network marketing and had been coming up with add-ons for small business utilizing the site. I hope they would continue with this move.
August 17th, 2010 at 12:50 am
With the millions of Facebook users walking the face of this Earth, one could easily justify on how great of a marketing tool it really is. And further incorporating it with search engine via Facebook search, wow! Now that’s a great idea right there.
August 17th, 2010 at 1:09 am
Social Media has no ceiling, the sky is the limit with what you can do via Twitter, Facebook, Digg etc. Yes, there is work involved here, just like everything else in life, but with time, work, and patience you can make a very good living from social media. Facebook is not just a place to talk to your friends anymore.