I’m bored.

It seems everyone is talking about Google+. Apparently, Facebook is dead, long live Google+.

Really? I don’t think so. Why? Because practically everyone and his dog has a Facebook profile, using it to easily catch up with friends and family members around the world, storing messages, photos, videos – entire life histories are there.

 

The peeps at Facebook would have to do some serious, long term damage to sink the biggest social network on the planet, and that’s not going to happen anytime soon. In fact, they’ve recently hit another record breaking milestone of over 1 billion active users. So, really it’s stronger than ever…

With that in mind, isn’t it time YOUR business was there? Here are 5 reasons why your business needs a Facebook page.

Accessibility

Setting up a Facebook page is free and anyone can do it. OK, you might want to invest money in customising it, planning a strategy, learning how to use it like a marketing ninja, or have someone manage your page for you. Even considering all of this, we’re talking peanuts compared to traditional marketing costs. Plus, most of these things are a one-off cost.

Your customers are already there

Think about this a minute: when you research for new goods or information, where do you go first? The internet maybe? Guess what – chances are your customers do too!

2 billion internet users worldwide are looking for recommendations, help and inspiration online. Facebook has 1 billion+ users logging on every month, spending more time there than any other website. Even if you catch the eye of just 20% of users (dogs included), that’s a massive audience. No other website is that big.

If you’re not reaching out to your customers on Facebook, then they’re probably having fun with your competitors who are.

 

Talking of customers…

We’ve established Facebook is where your customers are hanging out online. Not only is being there good for building loyalty with them, but also for getting customer feedback, influencing and raising your profile with their friends. That’s a whole new audience of people who probably have the same interests as your customers, which means they’re going to be interested in your service or products too.

It’s word of mouth on steroids. Woof!

Personality

It’s the perfect place for people to get to know the personality of your business – your fun side, for you to demonstrate your company values, and what makes your business unique. Use Facebook as an extension of your website so potential customers can fully understand what you do, what you offer, and get to know YOU because people like to do business with people and brands they like, know and trust.

Facebook pages are indexed by Google

Did you know visitors don’t need a Facebook profile to see your page? Anyone can see it – just like they can see your website. If you’re regularly posting updates relevant to your audience and have used the right keywords on your page it’s going to do wonders for your search engine results. Remember, Facebook is the biggest website in the world so it’s got massive klout.

Love or hate it (and I do hate it sometimes), you can’t argue that Facebook has been a game changer in the way we communicate with friends, family and increasingly in business. Ignore it at your peril or talk to me about getting your business on Facebook.