How to Use Facebook to Grow Your Business

By: Bailey Gerber & Jake Hreha

Through the advent of new social media platforms and the fluctuation of digital trends, Facebook’s identity as a top social outlet has remained constant. One report in the third quarter of 2022 recorded 1.98 billion daily active Facebook users, a number that has consistently increased for more than a decade.

Not only is Facebook used for connecting with friends but Facebook business pages are a major part of the platform. When businesses decide to create a Facebook business page they unlock the opportunity to connect with a whole new audience. Users in other parts of the world may see your business page in their news feed. This is why Facebook presence is a valuable step in growing your business.

Facebook helps business owners build awareness and rapport with audiences, creating a pathway for followers to become dedicated supporters and brand ambassadors. If you want to get the most out of Facebook, here are a few important best practices to keep in mind.

Be Responsive

Comments, reactions, and direct messages allow businesses to interact directly with their audiences. By opening the flow of communication, you can create a strong reputation and make people feel valued – which results in a higher level of trust in your organization. One Facebook study found that 66% of people feel more confident in brands that allow them to send messages. Someone's personal Facebook account has the power to help expand your audience by recommending your page to their friends. Interacting with their accounts will help build a following on your Facebook page.

Responsiveness is crucial to an effective messaging strategy. Using Facebook Messenger will help you organize and respond to messages. If you make a habit of getting back to messages within a few hours, Facebook will reward you with a “Very Responsive to Messages” badge, which shows your followers you’re dedicated to answering their questions and meeting their needs. You can use automated messages for general replies or after-hours messages, but you should also be intentional about engaging with customers personally to maintain a positive reputation.

Engage with Other Pages & Groups

Build awareness by liking, commenting, and interacting with various groups and pages. Join a local Facebook group in your community or relevant groups within your industry to see what dominates others’ conversations – and jump in with your thoughts and ideas to make your voice heard.

You can also tag entities your business works closely with, whether it’s a partner company or a non-profit organization you support. This widens your potential audience and increases sharing opportunities. Similarly, focus on sharing other pages’ content to your page; it will help you build a rapport with other organizations in your industry or community.

Post Compelling Visual Content

Even if your content is engaging and interesting to your audience, no one will take a second look if you don’t grab their attention with a good image or video first. One study found that photo posts on Facebook account for 87% of total interactions. Consider the images you use on social media – are they enough to intrigue your audience? Are they quality photos, or just quick shots taken on an iPhone? Building a library of compelling photos will help you generate more likes and comments, which will result in your post reaching a wider audience.

In addition to using high quality images on your Facebook posts consider using those same quality images for your background image and profile photo. Your Facebook audience will take note of the quality of content you share and make judgements about your business. Make sure your business details are accurate and up to date as well to maintain a quality Facebook business page.

Engaging images and content can also be shared on Facebook stories. Facebook stories are a great way to share daily information and provide followers with important business updates.

Use Analytics to Understand Your Audience

Facebook offers a wealth of information on both your page data and your audience demographics. Facebook Insights allows you to see the types of people who engage most with your page so you can create content that continues to resonate. Demographics include location, gender, age ranges, interests, and more. Page Insights provides analytics exclusive to your page, enabling you to determine which posts have been most compelling. With this information, you can develop a library of posts that, based on past data, are sure to engage your audience. Facebook’s analytics tools also prepare you to develop effective ads.

Take Advantage of Facebook Advertising

Once you’ve generated a buzz around your page, you can start to run Facebook ads to increase awareness. The first step is boosting a post. This consists of choosing a post you’ve already made and spending money to reach more people. With Facebook’s tools, you can target specific age groups, genders, locations, and more – depending on who you think will resonate most with your message. Use Facebook analytics to determine the best demographics.

Once you’re comfortable with boosting posts, you can create campaigns in Facebook Ads Manager. The platform enables you to promote events, content, or even new products or services – all within Facebook. You can set a campaign target (link clicks, page likes, etc.) and a budget, then create ads with various photos and messages. When your campaign is up and running, you’ll have a diverse set of ads designed to connect to specific audiences you’ve created.

If you’ve already started your own business – or if you have dreams of starting one someday – it’s important to build a foundational knowledge of digital marketing best practices. Facebook is one of many tools that can jump-start your success. For more entrepreneurial tips, read this advice from two IWU alumni who successfully launched their own digital platform.

Bailey Gerber

Content Creator, IWU-National and Global

Bailey Gerber is a vocabulary geek and grammar enthusiast at IWU-National and Global, so she spends most of her time writing and reviewing webpages, video scripts, flyers, and – of course – blog articles. She loves all things involving words, and in her spare time you’ll find her buried in a book (probably with a cup of coffee in hand).

Jake Hreha

SEO Copywriter, IWU

Jake Hreha is a graduate of Ball State University, where he majored in advertising with a concentration in media presentation and design. He is passionate about design, and in his free time he enjoys cycling, traveling, and reading.