Should My Business Have Its Own Facebook Account?

If you are an entrepreneur, you may be considering whether or not your business should set up its own social media accounts.

If you are, we can't blame you!

After all, Facebook had 1.86 billion active users at the end of 2016 — up from 1.59 billion users one year earlier. 

With that many users, it's tempting to create an account for your business.

But should your business have its own Facebook account?

Let's take a look at some things to consider as you come to that answer.

Benefit to My Business

Arguably the most important consideration for your business is how having an account for your business will benefit you and your customers. 

While the number of Facebook users is staggering, it doesn't mean it is appropriate for your customer base. 

Consider the target market for your product or service. Is this demographic someone that has a personal account and uses it regularly?

If not, creating a Facebook page may not accomplish what you want. After all, one of the main reasons you are considering creating an account is likely to reach people. If you aren't doing that, what are you doing it for?

Take a realistic look at the brand you are developing. Ask yourself whether using Facebook falls in line with your brand image. 

Time to Monitor

Another important aspect of having a Facebook account for your business is the time it takes to monitor it.

If your business' page takes off, are you prepared to react to it? This can be a time-consuming task and will take you or another employee away from other things.

Do you have an employee that is well-versed in the trends of social media to monitor the page efficiently and effectively? Not every business owner does!

For example, one of the ways a business account can be useful is through customer reviews and feedback. But if you can't allow time to review these and react to them, it may do you more harm than good.

Incentives Through Facebook

Accounts are free to set up, which is a nice way for online marketing on a budget. 

But it's free to the extent that Facebook doesn't cost you anything. As a business, you are still devoting manpower towards monitoring and upkeep of the page. 

One thing to consider to off-set some of these costs is how you can utilize your Facebook page to create incentives for your customers.

Some businesses offer coupons for "liking" their page. Others offer certain discounts on different days of the week, which helps to build traffic on your page for consumers bargain shopping for your product or service.

Should Your Business Create a Facebook Account?

While at first glance, creating an account for your business seems like a no-brainer, there is a lot to consider.

You need to evaluate how your account will benefit your business. Will it be something used by your customer base? Can it help broaden your product's target market?

You also need to take into consideration the time commitment and need to be active on the page so that it is up-to-date. 

If you opt to create an account for your business, brainstorm ways to keep traffic flowing on your page. Incentives like weekly Facebook-only coupons or sweepstakes might be a way for you to do just that!

A Facebook account can help your business in many different ways but considering these things on the front end will help you make your decision.

5 Common Social Media Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Ah, the social media scene. Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest. It's a jungle out there for sure. A huge jungle.

Facebook has 1.23 billion daily users and has at least 50 million business pages since the end of 2015.

It's a place where you can keep up with your family, friends, and just about anything else you're interested in.

Including brands and businesses.

Whether you're just now deciding to join the ranks on social media or if you've already been there awhile, anybody can make a mistake.

Especially if you're not aware you're making a mistake.

Here are 5 common social media mistakes to look out for.

Social Media Mistake #1 Posting Whatever You Want

Social media is the digital representation of you.

You show people videos, images, and posts that you relate to. They mean something to you. That's part of social media.

This goes for businesses and brands, too. Social media is the digital representation of your brand.

That's why it's important to separate yourself from your brand.

It's not a good idea to say what you think and believe, especially if it's controversial. It's best to keep it to yourself.

Or at the very least, post them on your private social media, not your business social media.

It can be very damaging to see a brand argue with a customer.

#2 Too Much Self-Promotion

It can be hard to not constantly post about your brand. You can't help it - you want your brand known and you want customers or an audience.

But if you're posting only self-promotions and no other types of posts (i.e. interesting content and engagement), you're not doing your brand any favors.

In fact, you're probably damaging your social media reputation.

Avoid this social media mistake by finding a balance between self-promotion and interesting content.

#3 Posting Irrelevant Content

What do people like? Viral videos, cats, people doing dumb stuff, the list goes on.
There's a lot of content out there and you'll probably feel the urge to share that cat video that has 3 million views.

Unless you're an animal brand, don't.

The simple way to avoid this social media mistake is by posting only relevant content.

If a video goes viral and it happens to be something in relation to your brand (like if you're an animal brand), go for it!

But if not, save sharing that cat video for your own social media channel.

#4 Not Creating a Social Media Strategy

This one can really tie into mistakes numbers 2 and 3.

Social media is a strategy. It's an art.

Before dashing off to Facebook or having someone manage your social media, make sure that you have an adequate plan.

Look over and understand the blueprints of your plan and stick to them.

#5 Ignoring Your Audience

Part of social media is engagement. Engagement is a two-way street. Therefore, you should respond to your audience when they reach out to you. 

Whether it's a comment or a review, make sure to respond. 

This way, they know there's someone there behind the keyboard and that they're being listened to.

Need Help?

Social media can be a difficult thing to manage. As we've said - it's an art. It requires strategy. Sometimes it's best to leave it in the hands of professionals. 

If you are looking for an extra hand in your digital endeavors, contact us and let us help you improve your social media experience for your brand and your audience.

5 Local SEO Tips to Improve Your Business' Ranking

With all the benefits of using SEO, it's no wonder companies are investing heavily in digital content.

High search rankings lead to more inbound traffic, conversions, and increased business revenues.

They also help build your brand. And while online reviews & content marketing win every time, search ranking is also boosted by things you can do locally with your web page and content.

Keeping ahead of the game is an endless chore. It seems like once you have a digital marketing trick mastered the whole game changes. 

The LA Times explains:

“Digital marketing is harder because you have to continually learn new tools and stay abreast of emerging trends, which feels like a never-ending uphill task"

Is there a way small to medium business owners can even compete with the big guns? 

Something inexpensive, easy, and effective too?

The answer is simple: Local SEO tips. 

Master our 5 local seo tips to improve your business' ranking and you'll be feeling the big dogs nipping at your heels in no time.

Let's find out what they are:

1. Reviews

Reviews influence page rank up to 10% and increase website visits 25%.

Making sure you take care of reviews locally will boost you in the rankings.

2. Inbound Links Boost SEO 

There's a lot Google won't tell you when it comes to increasing your rankings. Their algorithms are guarded like national security. 

One thing they are upfront about, though, is this:

Inbound links will boost your site's SEO.

Doesn't sound like a local SEO tip?

The key to getting real inbound links is creating content people want to link to and share.   

3. Write Great Content

Content creates clicks and shares. 

Producing content is one of the best local SEO tips. The more content, the better. 

Why?

Give Your Customers What They Want

70% of people say they’d rather learn about products through content rather than through traditional advertisements.

As long as it's relevant. 

4. Trending Now: Ever Changing Local SEO Tips

Searching for topics to write about? Study the trends.

Google, Facebook, and a number of other tools allow you to study online trends. What's happening right now?

If you have something pertinent to say about the newest trend, get on it. These clicks mean boosting your rankings. 

As long as it is relevant. Take it from The New York Times:

Though traditional print journalists might roll their eyes at picking topics based on Google searches, the articles can actually be useful for readers.

"The problem, analysts say, is when Web sites publish articles just to get clicks, without offering any real payoff for readers."

5. Keywords

The same goes for keywords. Whether you're following a trend or talking about the goods and services, your keywords need to point to content that is relevant.

Putting It All Together

You focus on the goods and services your clients need. We can focus on the rest.

Did you know clients love Reputation Mart? The reasons why are simple. 

We help businesses succeed.

We don't just protect your reputation. We enhance it.

Want your brand name across all online communities? 

Looking to see your product or service above all in Google search results?

Contact Reputation Mart today and we'll boost your brand!

5 Social Media Trends You Should Be Following

Did you know that over 30% of all Internet use is dedicated to social media?

What about that over 50% of Internet users have taken an action to learn more about a brand after seeing it mentioned on Twitter? 

It's clear that staying on top of social media accounts is important, but if you don't know the latest social media trends, you're going to get left behind. 

Here are 5 you can't miss. 

1. Use Live Video

Whether it's YouTube or Facebook, live video on social media is at the top of the list of trends you need to be following. 

First of all, it promotes transparency.

Plus, it's a chance for users to get to know your company better. They can comment on the videos as they're watching them!

Live Video is essentially the new form of TV advertising. Take viewers on a virtual tour of your office, introduce them to your employees, and explain to them the features of a new product in real time - then release it for sale directly after the video. 

2. Let Followers Make Purchases On Social Media

This is one of the most important social media trends for your business! Sure, you want your social media accounts to drive traffic to your website - but sales and conversions are usually your number one priority!

Save your customers time and corner the market on impulse buys and instant gratification (that's what the Internet is famous for!) by letting them make purchases on Twitter and Pinterest. 

They're a lot more likely to buy when they can do it in a few short clicks, without getting off social media!

3. Make Messenger A Part Of Your Customer Service

The reality of today's world? Your customers - current and future - are going to message your "brand" on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. 

They're going to use these messaging systems to ask you questions about products, offer you feedback, and inquire about their orders.

If you leave them unanswered, customers will be angry. Set up automated responses on messaging systems, and always make sure you're combing through and responding to your customers!

4. Get Ready For Virtual Reality

This year, this social media trend is going to explode. Use Virtual Reality in your social media marketing plan to give users a unique experience that totally puts them in your world!

You can make virtual reality videos and upload them to your social media platforms - everyone loves to share them! Also, consider developing a virtual reality app for your company that lets you make in-app purchases.

5. Use Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing has been one of the most popular social media trends in recent months. 

An influencer is someone in your industry with a huge social media following. They could be a blogger, and Instagrammer, or a Twitter user. 

Approach them about working out a deal to promote your products. That way, you'll connect with a market that's already interested in what you're selling. 

You'll also come across as an authority in your industry - people trust this influencer, and this influencer trusts you, so their followers will...you guessed it! Trust your brand. 

Put These 5 Social Media Trends To Work!

Now that you know the most popular social media trends of the moment, it's time to implement them!

If you're ready to work with the best professionals in the social media industry, get in touch with us. 

Let's make this the year your brand gets its highest number of followers ever.

Why It's Important to Monitor Your Business' Internet Reputation

68% of shoppers agree that they read and value the information fellow consumers post online. 

Translation? 

What people are saying about you online - AKA your brand's internet reputation - is important. 

In fact, over 25% of your brand's total market value is determined exclusively by its reputation. 

In this post, we're going to talk about why you need to take your internet reputation seriously - and why looking into reputation management services is a smart idea. 

1. You'll Learn A Lot

We know - nobody likes to get a bad review. However, even negative comments on review sites or your blog can help you to improve your business. 

But if you don't read them, or even know they're out there, you wouldn't know what to improve. 

Plus, if an unsatisfied customer's comment lingers unanswered for long, that's not going to say anything good about the way your brand handles customer service. 

Of course, knowing what people are saying about you also helps you to know what's working, and what people love, about your products and services!

That way, you'll know what your customers want more of, and you can even ask for their feedback and ideas directly. This makes customers feel valued, and it's a great way to develop your next steps!

2. You Can Make Sure Your Employees Are Representing You Well

Of course, internet reputation management isn't exclusive to your company itself - it also extends to your employees' social media accounts. 

If your employees are trashing your brand or company online, that's certainly something you need to know about.

You also need to know if they're promoting your products and services, or if their general "vibe" on social media is in line with corporate policies and culture. 

3. You Can Handle Any Negative Press Before It Gets Out Of Control

Let's get real: we've all seen the kind of dog-piling that can happen online to both brands and individuals who have sent out a poorly-timed or insensitive Tweet or status. 

It only takes one stupid, throwaway comment to drag down your entire brand. 

If you've posted something you shouldn't have, or if hackers have gotten a hold of your account and done the same, how soon you take control of the situation matters. 

A reputation management service can help you to craft an apology that's sincere, and explain to followers how you'll make sure a similar situation doesn't happen again. 

They can also help to approve future postings, so you don't get yourself or your brand in hot water again!

Let's face it: some of us are more in touch with what is "ok" to say and what's not than others. 

Don't let a careless but honest mistake ruin your business - have a professional take a look.

Ready To Manage Your Brand's Internet Reputation?

Now that we've outlined why your reputation is so important, we know you're ready to make sure your customers only see great things when they search for your brand online. 

Stop losing sleep over bad reviews or a careless social media posts. 

Instead, get proactive by managing your brand's internet reputation today. 

We're here to help. 

Get in touch with us to learn more about our online reputation management services.