Social media marketing can be confusing for the beginner. But once you understand the basics, you’ll see that it can be a powerful, low cost way to stay one step ahead of your competitors when used correctly.

The first step is to ensure that whatever content you produce for Facebook is meaningful and in line with your business goals. Otherwise, it’s just more noise in an already noisy environment.

In the world of Facebook, your goal goes beyond getting likes and shares – it’s to enrich your market and achieve consistent sales.

Be part of the 41% of B2B companies and 62% of B2C companies who have acquired customers from efficient Facebook marketing. With these 5 easy steps, you can ensure your business maximises Facebook’s marketing potential:

1. Integrate Facebook into your marketing strategy.

The key is being sure of what role you want Facebook to play in the marketing strategy you will use to achieve the social media goals you have set for your business. Provide your audience/fan base information and assistance consistent to what your business does. Every single detail in your page – from the design to the content – should prove to your audience that you are the perfect brand for them.

Your social media marketing strategy plan – which includes every detail of your posts – will ensure that you attract the right clients by successfullyf drawing them into your sales funnel.

2. Set up your business’s page.

Your business’s company page will give your clients an overview of what your business does. Make sure you provide them a clear value proposition and links to your website and your relevant services and/or product links. This allows you to optimise not only through your posts but also through your page’s “About” section.

3. Build your fan base.

Seek assistance from your already-growing list of patrons. Your customers, family and friends can help give your page a boost by liking it and sharing its posts. Facebook allows you to build the initial foundation of your fan base through the “Build Audience” section. These fans help start discussions and set the tone of conversations on your page.

Be careful not to lose the fan base you have built by ensuring your posts remain interesting and consistent to your brand’s identity and objectives.

4. Maintain a perfect combination of interesting, informative and consistent.

The goal of each post will determine the type of content and the time and day of posting. Take into serious consideration these three main post types and what each can do for your Facebook traffic:

• Status update: Encourages comments and likes
• Link: Increases click-through rate boost
• Photo and/or video: Encourages likes and shares

Choose the proper format that matches the effect that you want to achieve. If you want feedback or comments, you can opt to post a status update. If you intend to have your post shared and receive lots of likes, taking the photo and/or video post route might be best. However, if you want to increase your site or your page’s click through rate, post a link.

5. Utilise calls-to-action (CTAs).

Business owners know how important it is to maximise resources efficiently. Make proper use of the chance you have in communicating with your clients through posts. Ask them to take action by letting them know what you need them to do next.

Your CTA leads your audience to the next step in the process of registration, application, downloading, among others.

Facebook is a free resource that allows you to connect and transact with your customers virtually. Make sure that the steps you are taking in this marketing operation remains consistent and productive through these 5 easy steps.

To learn more on how you can make your social media marketing strategy better, download our ebook on the Marketing Pillar for SMEs.