Facebook. To some of us it has become a “been there, done that” social media avenue, however when it comes to building brand recognition, Facebook is still one of the best viral market spaces. As a writer, I have seen a lot of articles claiming to “know the secrets to Facebook success.” As a writer, I have also scoffed at these articles, because while they do ring true with certain wise tidbits of advice, when it comes to Facebook no one as successfully opened Pandora’s box.
Many businesses seem to be caught up in the rat race of obtaining more likes, shares, follows, etc. However, how often do these new likes turn into actual clients? How often do we actually follow up with possible social media leads? The real beauty of Facebook lies in the aforementioned ability for a business to build its brand recognition. And yet, in the hope of achieving more likes, and thus more potential clients, all too often companies turn to Facebook gimmicks rather than true branding. For example: throw back Thursdays, cat GIFs, posting items about how to “be a good friend” or (perhaps my favorite) “share with your friends to see what they really think about you.” The latter gimmicks are just a few examples of the popular trends on Facebook. Unfortunately, while the trends may gather numerous likes, shares, follows, etc. they all too often don’t effuse a company’s true branding.
Company branding should be consistent across all mediums. From Facebook to printed brochures, a company needs to stand by its branding. With this in mind, the only advice that I have when it comes to Facebook is to never trade true company branding for a few additional likes. Stay true to who you are as a company and social media success will follow – not in the number of likes, but in the number of people who are loyal followers to your company and brand.
Written by: Laura Parker
Laura Parker is a full-time freelance writer and marketing guru. For more marketing tips or consultation advice please contact her at laura@laurapparker.com.
www.laurapparker.com