The 10 Facebook Tips You Need

At this point, you have undoubtedly come to the conclusion that your business marketing plan cannot survive without Facebook. And if you haven't already, take note of the following statistics: according to a survey by AdWeek, there were 2.6 million newly engaged couples that surfaced on Facebook. And according to a wedding survey by Mashable, 45 percent of brides are active on social media when it comes to wedding planning AND 46 percent were influenced by the social media presence of vendors.

Those statistics translate into a huge opportunity for wedding vendors. Actually, you really shouldn't even consider it an opportunity—it's a responsibility. You, as a wedding vendor, have a responsibility to your business and your customers to optimize your social media opportunity. Unfortunately, if you don't know how to adequately leverage your opportunity, social media can leave a bad taste in your mouth, because if you don't do it right, you simply won't reap the results.

Facebook is likely the social media platform that you are the most familiar with but it doesn't help when the guidelines and algorithms are in a state of constant change. The WeddingDay Facebook page is privileged to serve over 3,500 followers so we understand your responsibility as well as your frustration to have to pay for Facebook posts in order for your content to be seen. Therefore, we have compiled a list of some of our best practices that we employ in order to effectively leverage your Facebook page.

Here's what you need to know:

1. Create a social media calendar where you can plan your posts each month, set a budget, and track your engagement results. At WeddingDay, we plan all of our social media content out a month in advance and determine our budget. This saves us A LOT of time rather than staring at our computer screens trying to come up with something to post each and every day. It's better to brainstorm all of it a couple hours each month and then just continually refer to the schedule each day! Of course, adjustments may be necessary.
    
2. Each day, click on your notifications page and note who is sharing your content or mentioning your business. Facebook logs all of that. If someone shares your content, thank them for sharing or click “like” on the shared content. If someone tags you in a Facebook post, interact with them. The entire purpose of business social media is to interact in real-time with your audience.
    
3. Expect to pay for Facebook ads. While I understand the frustration to pay for posts and ads, Facebook should be considered part of your marketing spend. In reality, it's where the brides are and so your business should meet them where they are. If you create really great content on your page, you will find people will share it and engage with it—the more engagement you have, the more people will see your content without you having to spend money.
    
4. Keep your Facebook posts short and simple and always include a strong image that represents your business. The image needs to be strong enough so your audience will read the text. The text is where you give the relevant information and call to action.
    
5. Always check your Facebook insights. Once you are on the Insights page, click on the People section. This will show you the age, gender, language and location of the people who are interacting most with your page. These are the people who you should target when you boost posts and create ads.
    
6. Use your business logo for your profile photo. I know it's tempting in some industries to show off your work in your profile photo, but that's not nearly as recognizable when it comes to representing your brand, especially across multiple social media platforms and when your photo becomes a tiny icon while you interact with others. For example, if you're a florist and you use a centerpiece for a profile photo, that represents your work, but not your brand. Instead, rely on your cover photo to feature your work!
    
7. Make sure to include links to your other social media sites, especially if you have Pinterest and Instagram account.
    
8. If you absolutely cannot think of something to post, share someone else's brilliance! You don't ALWAYS have to be original. If you see a useful article or post that relates to your industry or area of expertise, share it! Just make sure you don't have too many shared posts otherwise you will look like you have nothing of value to tell your audience.
    
9. When it doubt, don't forget to THINK before you post. Ask yourself:
   T: Is it true?
   H: Is it helpful?
   I: Is it inspiring?
   N: Is it necessary?
   K: Is it kind?
   
   Remember, you're representing your business, not your personal thoughts. Don't ever post something without considering the consequences, even if it is easy to quickly hit delete. People tend to screenshot controversial posts.
    
10. If your post or photo has to do with another business, tag them in it! This is an absolutely free way to broaden your exposure. For example, if you're an event designer and your post/photo includes a beautiful centerpiece from a florist, feel free to give them a shout out. If they see that they are tagged, they are likely to engage by either liking or sharing which gives you exposure to many more fans.