Are you a local business owner?

Are you on Facebook but thinking of throwing in the towel?

If you are, you’re not alone.

So many businesses are giving up on Facebook because of the seemingly endless changes to the algorithm. I’m here to encourage you to hang in there, though.

The reality is that while Facebook marketing isn’t necessarily easy, it IS worth it. After all, with the 2.19 BILLION people who are actively using Facebook each month, chances are that your audience is hanging out there. You just have to know how to use Facebook for local marketing.

And I would like to share three ways you can do just that.

1. Target the Right Audience Through Advertising.

I’m leading with advertising because, quite frankly, it’s essential if you want to get anywhere on Facebook. Facebook advertising doesn’t have to cost you a fortune though. If you’re just driving traffic or video views, you can get away with spending as little as a dollar per day. The key is to target the RIGHT people.

For starters, make sure that you’re targeting within a small radius of your business. Only you know how far that radius should be. For example, a pizza restaurant is going to have a much smaller radius than a cosmetic surgeon. You know your current clients/customers and probably have a good idea of how far people are willing/likely to travel for your products and services.

If you have a website (and I’m assuming you do), you will want to make sure that the Facebook code (otherwise known as a pixel) has been placed on your website to track those who are landing on the site. You can use that information to create custom audiences for targeting (Facebook can use that data to find the one percent of people who are most like those who have visited your website).

2. Utilize Video.

Video views are incredibly cheap when used in your advertising efforts. And video works!

Start using video to introduce people to your products and/or services, help them get to know you as the face of the brand, and (ideally) entertain them in a way that’s relevant to your business.

Video can be great for pulling back the curtain and helping people get to know you, your staff, and your place of business. Plus, when shooting video locally, since your ads are targeted to a local audience, they’re more likely to engage with the video because of the sense of community.

3. Share Reviews.

Let’s face it, reviews are EVERYTHING these days. When you’re thinking about going to a restaurant, chances are you pull out your phone and look at the reviews. If you’re thinking about buying a product online, you most likely read the reviews before pulling out your credit card.

So start sharing screenshots of your positive reviews on Facebook with a simple thank you or even talking about how you have the “best customers!”

Encourage your Facebook followers to go back and leave you a review for your products/services. Make this process of asking part of your check out process, whether in a customer’s home or at your business.

Lastly, don’t forget to train your employees to make this part of their routine. Consider possibly running contests for your employees that when your company hits certain review metrics that you’ll have a company party or something special. The reviews will pay for this 10X.

4. Don’t give up on Facebook!

Obviously one of the biggest challenges that local businesses face is turning those online browsers into foot traffic. However, one thing to remember is that gaining loyal customers is often just about staying top of mind until they finally come into your place of business or pick up the phone to call you. That might mean they’ll take action on the first ad or possibly the tenth ad, so stay consistent.

Facebook is an excellent way to stay in front of your ideal clients, so seriously, don’t give up on it. Work it right and it will work for you and your business.

About the Authors

Mike Kawula & Sheena White

Entrepreneurs GSD

Online Marketing

Mike Kawula and Sheena White are the host of the Entrepreneurs GSD Podcast and Founders of the Entrepreneurs GSD Coaching program, that shows entrepreneurs how to truly GSD using online marketing strategies. Sheena’s background is as a professional copywriter and Social Media Strategist, while Michael is a serial Entrepreneur with 20 years’ experience in various online and offline businesses.

How to Crush it on Facebook for Your Local Business

September 19, 2018

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