This is a guest post by Kristen Gramigna, Chief Marketing Officer for BluePay.
Millions of people interact with business pages on Facebook every day, and more than half of them are accessing these pages via a mobile device. Are you taking advantage of this trend – or are you missing out on this opportunity to fully connect with your target audience? Whether you have a mobile marketing strategy in place or have just started to create one, here are four simple mobile marketing tips for companies on Facebook.
Tip 1: Be aware of how your page looks on mobile devices
Your business’ Facebook page doesn’t appear the same on a mobile device as it does via a desktop computer. Because of the limitations created by smaller screens, Facebook automatically creates a “summary” of your page for those who are accessing it from a smartphone or tablet. Mobile users are not able to see your entire Timeline; for this reason, it’s a great idea to create a pinned post that will highlight your content and always appear at the top of the screen. For maximum exposure, update your pinned post regularly with your latest promotion or information. Make sure that the post is visually appealing and engaging for users.
The next thing that mobile users will see on your page is a list of recommendations and check-ins. The results that appear for your audience will be based upon their friends’ activity and engagement with your Facebook page. These two items can make a big difference in your sales; when recommendations from friends and family are visible, consumers are more likely to purchase.
Next, your audience will see a summary of the photos that have been taken at your location. Be aware that these photos may not necessarily be ones that you have uploaded. To take advantage of this space, make sure that you always tag your photos with your business location, and urge your customers to upload photos while they are checked in.
Finally, your summary will display your most recent post or status update. Keep in mind that with mobile users, you have less time and space to grab your audience’s attention. Photos will be scaled down, and text that is too long will be cut off. For best results, your posts should be short, punchy, and engaging.
Tip 2: Make it easy for customers to find you via mobile searches
Take measures to ensure that your target audience can find you on Facebook — approximately 91% of local searchers state that they utilize Facebook in order to find regional businesses online. Always make sure that your business page is complete and current; mobile Facebook users can search by business name, category, or their location. In order for your customers to be able to find you, your category must be correctly entered, all contact information should be accurate, business hours should be listed, and you should check “Facebook Nearby” on a mobile device to verify that the map and directions are correct.
Tip 3: Encourage check-ins
Check-ins can expand your mobile reach even further. Even if you’re not the closest business in proximity to a mobile user, you may be recommended first if your customer’s friends have checked in at your location, or engaged with your page in some way. Urge customers to check in while they are at your business or store, share purchases made, and tag your location in pictures in order to maximize the recommendations to your page.
Tip 4: Go mobile with page management
Finally, take advantage of the “Pages Manager” app to update your Facebook page via mobile device. This free app enables a business to check up on their page’s activity, view insights, and respond to users directly from a mobile device. Not only does this increase awareness – “how does my page appear to mobile users?” — but it also enables you to stay connected with your audience and to understand which posts are inspiring the most engagement.
Don’t be intimidated by the term “mobile marketing.” Follow these mobile marketing tips for companies on Facebook to successfully reach consumers on the go.
About The Author
Kristen Gramigna is Chief Marketing Officer for BluePay, a credit card processing firm that provides mobile credit card reader equipment. She brings more than 15 years of experience in the bankcard industry in direct sales, sales management, and marketing to the company and also serves on its Board of Directors.
