Facebook is a social platform that basically suits everyone and anyone. If you are an Irish entrepreneur, you will be surely glad to hear that on Facebook, everybody gets equal chances, even when competing with big brands.
The bottom goal of using Facebook to advertise an Irish business is not only to gather as many likes as possible: it’s to create a targeted audience, to interact with prospect customers and complement the overall marketing strategy. Social networks are widely used in Ireland for promoting all sorts of businesses. Here is a brief insight of the top three social networks used by Irish entrepreneurs to reach an extended number of prospect customers: Twitter 23%, YouTube 35% and an astonishing 52% are using Facebook.
Marketing an Irish business through social platforms such as Facebook usually focuses on actions such as:
- Promoting products and services;
- Increasing customer engagement;
- Communicating directly with customers
- Enhancing brand awareness.
Since every Irish business sets different target audiences and different niches, it is obvious that the approach to Facebook should vary, although the marketing tools are basically the same.
Marketing an Irish business on Facebook can be achieved by means of three effective tools:
1. Pages
Any entrepreneur can create a Facebook business page for his company. It’s free, easy to set up and can smoothly complement the overall marketing strategy. Whenever a visitor “Likes” the page, they will automatically receive updates from your page (unless they opt for not following the page). Unlike regular Facebook pages, a business Facebook page doesn’t have a limited number of friends/followers. It may take a while until you build a fan base and start activating prospect customers, but on long term, a business Facebook page will deliver a constant stream of targeted audience.
2. Ads
If you are willing to spend some money, Facebook ads can attract the interest of an extended number of prospect customers. Again, Facebook is very flexible when it comes to budgets and ad marketing. This is a fantastic targeted advertising platform that enables Irish entrepreneurs to create specifically targeted ads, according to:
– Education levels;
– Geographical area;
– Age;
– Type of device used for checking Facebook.
The main advantage of using Facebook ads is the extremely detailed and powerful targeting parameters. The downside? It’s not free, but it can get you exceptional results.
3. Groups
Any Irish entrepreneur that want to be in the middle of the action can create or join a Facebook group, closely related to his domain of activity, type of business, target audience etc. Facebook groups are similar to discussion forums, but with a bit of extra juice. Creating a Facebook group for your company will provide you with some extra features, similar to the Facebook page – for example, a posting wall, timeline. Creating a group is free and leads to high levels of engagement. Invest some time in creating one and keep close to the prospect customers – you will not regret it!
Ready to delve in the animated Facebook marketing world? Here are a few extra tips for posting on your business Facebook page or Group. Remember that the audience is very selective and has plenty of competition to choose from. Make each post count, provide valuable information and always keep in touch! Plus…:
- Post only link updates;
- Post various images as links – take note that original graphics are way more appreciated than stock photos;
- Post at non-peak times, such as in the evening, after 10 pm.
The number of Irish internet users is huge, so going online is the most logical thing to do. Some big companies focus mainly on their websites and direct marketing strategies, ignoring their presence on social media. The great thing about Facebook is that anyone has a chance to succeed. Are you ready to grab yours? Good luck, mate!