You might think it strange that I’m asking a question about whether your business should be on Facebook. Many businesses just assume that they should be on Facebook because everyone else is there. While that may seem like a good case for being there, it’s certainly not the only thing you should consider. As popular as it is, Facebook may not make sense for every business. Here are some things to consider when deciding whether it makes sense for your business:
Are Your Customers on Facebook?
Yes, anyone might be a customer, but who are your customers, really? Try describing them in general using job descriptions. Also think about what they’re passionate about (no, it’s probably not your products). Now do some searches on Facebook to see if there are groups or pages where your customers (and potential customers) might hang out. Also try creating a Facebook ad just to see how many of your target demographic are on Facebook (play around with it a bit, getting the right interests can be tricky).
Do You Have Time for Engagement?
If you were to use Facebook for your business, do you have time for engagement? Using Facebook effectively for your business requires more than just posting occasionally to your wall. You need to devote time to talking with people and having conversations. You also need to devote time to regular content … whether created or curated. And you need to spend time outside of your company page in order to interact with people. If you don’t have time to devote to engagement, Facebook really isn’t going to work for you (nor will any social media).
Will You Be Able to Connect to Your Audience?
Just because your audience is on Facebook doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to really connect with them. People go to Facebook to interact with their friends and family. In order to really be able to connect, you have to be able to engage by having conversations and providing information and content that your audience finds value.
Are There Other Ways to Use Facebook?
Based on the needs and interests of your audience, it may not make sense just to create a Facebook company page. Maybe it makes sense to connect on a personal level through other groups or associations. Maybe your audience is already interacting on a fan-created page. Check out what’s out there and see if those places make more sense.
It’s Not a Numbers Game
Everyone gets caught up in the number of followers or likes or fans that they have. But just because you have a large number of people who at some point connected to you, doesn’t mean that you have an engaged audience. Quantity is not the same as quality. You want to connect to the right people. People who may have some interest in what you’re selling. People who you can have conversations with and provide value to. So just because Facebook has “everyone” doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for your business.
Thoughts?
(image by Vinoth Chandar)