Picture your ideal customer’s first impression of your business. What’s the first thing they see? Do they walk through your front door, or catch a glimpse of the perfect impulse buy through the window? What if their first impression of you was your Facebook page? Would you capture their attention? Read our guide to Facebook Search Engine Optimization for more!
Using Facebook like a search engine is becoming more and more popular. The number of people entering search queries on Facebook rose 33.33% in 2016, from 1.5 billion to 2 billion. This is an exciting opportunity to build brand awareness with a new group of people! Read on to learn how you can optimize your page for people conducting “near me” local searches for businesses on Facebook.
4 Tips for Better Facebook Search Engine Optimization
#1: Update Your Facebook Page Information
When was the last time you opened up your page’s “about” tab to make sure the information was complete and up-to-date? It may be time to give that a look.
Updating your page information is one of the most important ways you can update your page for good Facebook Search Engine Optimization. Check to make sure:
- Your profile image and cover photo are high-quality, on-brand, and properly sized.
- Your address and phone number are correct.
- Your business name and username on Facebook match your brand name.
- Your hours are accurate.
- You’ve provided as much information as you can. Fill out sections you may have overlooked like parking, price range, and menu if applicable.
- Don’t forget the story and short description, you want people to know what you’re about!
- You have a call-to-action button selected. You can choose from options like “contact us,” “sign up,” “call now,” “shop now,” and others. This button will show up on your Facebook page as well as next to your business name in search results, so choose wisely!
#2: Make Good Use Of Categories
Part of making sure your page is up-to-date is making sure you’re using plenty of accurate category tags. This lets Facebook know what kind of business you run so that people can find it. You can choose up to three categories. For example, on Facebook we’re categorized as an “advertising agency,” “web designer,” and “professional service.”
Note: this helps Facebook categorize your page, but that doesn’t mean these categories are the only keywords your page will come up for. For example, we also show up in the results when you look for “marketing in Rocklin, CA.”
#3: Start Monitoring And Engaging With Reviews
You can’t remove a negative review, but you can do everything in your power to address customer concerns and demonstrate to future customers that you care about the kind of experience they have. Did someone express concern in a review they left you? Take the time to leave a response. If it was a 5-star review, responding to say thank you goes a long way!
Another great way to cultivate a good rating is to simply ask your customers to leave a review! Next time one of your customers lets you know that they think you’re the cat’s pajamas, ask them nicely to leave a Facebook review with their feedback.
#4: Engage With Customers On Social Media And Encourage Them To Check-In
Facebook knows that people value the opinions of their friends and the opinions expressed in public reviews. Users will see reviews for your business and check-ins from their friends first listed in your search result when they search for you on Facebook. You can cultivate a better first impression by engaging with your customers and inviting them to check-in, leave a review, or leave a comment.
Try putting a sign up in your business inviting people to check-in on Facebook, or inviting people to check-in when you hold special events.
The end result of good Facebook search engine optimization? When people use Facebook to search for a business like yours…
… you’ll pop up in the search results! The first thing they’ll see will be your average rating, which of their friends have visited, and the call to action button you set up so they can get in touch! Beautiful!
Your company’s Facebook page is a huge part of the first impression you make with future customers, so it’s important to invest time in a professional, on-brand social media presence.
Ready to invest in your social media marketing and generate new leads? Let’s chat!