Have you heard of this little social media platform called Facebook?
*insert giggle here…
Facebook is a giant, we all know that, right?
Over the course of the last few years, the platform has been deep in scandal from major censorship to data breaches and much more (don’t get me started…lol).
For the sake of this blog and business, let’s focus on what the platform can offer a small business.
It has proven to be a great marketing tool for equestrian businesses that use it correctly and consistently. Consistency is the KEY word here.
You may already have a business page established, and if that is the case let this blog be a friendly reminder to you on how to continue loving on your audience through creating consistent content.
If you are a brand new business or someone looking to launch a new business, you will find an easy-to-follow roadmap of a few items to check off your list in order to get started with a good foundation.
Facebook makes it easy for any business to promote online. With helpful simple features for content creation, scheduling posts, and insightful analytics, you will have a solid place to start sharing your business.
So, let’s find out how to make the best out of equine marketing on Facebook with these five key practices.
Optimize Your Facebook Account
To market your equine business, you need, you guessed it, a Facebook business page. First, you need to create a business page and fill in all the required fields.
Chose Branded Photos
Next, set up a high-quality profile and cover photos that are representative of your equine business. You want to be easy to recognize when customers look for your Facebook page. Incorporate your logo or professional headshot and other specific equestrian brand elements in the photos you use for your profile and cover photos.
Pick a Username
Ideally, you want to use the name of your business as your username. To follow the logic we applied for the photos, the user name should also help your consumers to find you through a quick, simple search on social media. Your account should exude credibility and professionalism, so customers could trust that it’s your official business page.
Fill in Relevant Information About Your Business
Don’t miss filling in your contact information. Let your followers know your address, contact information, website, your business schedule, and last but not least, add a description of your business.
A great practice is to use keywords in the description to let both your target audience and Facebook know what you are all about. You can go beyond a paragraph to tell the story behind your brand and give your customers all the needed information about your business.
Make Your First Post
Now you can create your first post. And why not make it a cause for celebration. You can post a welcoming message or even take this opportunity to share a coupon or offer that will get your future followers excited and set your account on the path to growth.
Invite, Invite, Invite
There is only one more thing to do. Invite people to like your page and start building your Facebook presence.
You are now ready to start your Facebook journey.
Post Regularly
To be successful in any industry, you have to be consistent. Posting on Facebook is no exception. Find a balance to make sure you are an active online presence without spamming your followers. If you have ever watched any videos of mine or attended a training you have heard me say that consistency is key! You cannot post twice a month and expect to grow. It takes hard work and dedication!
Keep in mind that you are posting for your target audience. So, consider the time frames in which they are online and the content they would prefer to see. If you are not sure, just begin posting at different dates and times and look at your analytics at the end of the month.
Facebook Insights is an excellent feature that evaluates your equine marketing strategy. You can see your top-performing content, in terms of reach and engagement. Based on this information, you can constantly improve your content to surpass your previous results.
Get Creative With Your Content
Facebook allows users to post lengthy texts, images, videos, and links. Experiment with these options and see what your audience prefers. Here are some ideas of content you can post on your Facebook page:
- Post images and videos about your products and services
- Share posts from your blog
- Post about relevant industry news
- Reshare older posts
- Share ongoing promotions
- Promote your events
- Provide a behind the scenes glimpse into your business
- Make celebratory posts about holidays
- Create posts about trending topics to stay relevant
These are only some ideas you can try. The more diverse content you post, the more data you will have to review and see what resonated with your audience.
Use These Three Facebook Features to Post Your Content
To keep your content more interesting, consider these features as a part of your overall Facebook strategy:
Facebook Live is a great way for you to engage directly with your audience. Answer questions, go live during an event, or give them a virtual tour of your business. Another advantage is that the live stream is still available even after the live session ended, so your audience will still be able to see it and interact with it.
In addition to this, Facebook Video is the most relevant feature on the platform. Video formats are significantly more efficient when it comes to reach and engagement purposes. So, make the most out of videos and add a promotional video for your business, create a video testimonial from one of your clients, or just make a cute video of your horses, and your audience will most likely stop to admire them.
Facebook Stories is a feature that can help you increase your reach. After all, some posts tend to get lost in the feed. But when your followers click through their stories, they will get to see your content.
These three suggestions, at times, get lost in the shuffle and one of the main reasons is…
You guessed it.
FEAR.
Don’t let fear of being on video or fear of technology when it comes to stories, cripple you and have you leaving them out of your strategy. You want to conquer the fear and be bold to reach your audience!
Maintain a Posting Schedule
Running a business can be stressful, and sometimes other duties stand in the way between you and your Facebook presence. Using a social media scheduler like Later.com can help you schedule posts ahead and stay on top of your social media game.
While scheduling your posts, you have to consider the frequency of your posts. For the best performance, it is recommended that you post at least once a day. If that has you stressed out, remember social media is about RELATIONSHIPS. The more you talk to others and share with your target audience, the more you become a trusted source to them. That is the goal, right?
If you do not want to post each day, you can sit down and batch your posts by creating and scheduling 2-4 weeks of content at a time. It is not as hard as you think once you make it a part of your regular work schedule!
{if you are still feeling stressed about consistent content creation, we can help!}
Engage with Your Followers
So, I just mentioned building relationships through marketing, right? If you are not talking with your audience and responding to their comments and questions, what good are your posts, and for that matter your entire business page? That may sound a bit harsh, but to make money and build a business you MUST build relationships. You cannot just create a post, post it, and expect your business to flourish and grow.
Join Relevant Facebook Groups
Aside from engaging with your customers, you can also network with potential partners and discover new business opportunities. How you might ask. Through Facebook groups.
There are various equestrian Facebook groups that you can join and start networking online. Such a great way to make yourself known as a prominent figure in your industry while promoting your business to audiences passionate about your niche activity.
Make sure when you join a new group, you look at what you can add in a way of value, and NOT just join to sell and direct message people. In this day and age, people can spot “that” person in a nanosecond! Please don’t be “that” person. Be the person who adds value, uplifts people, participates in conversations, and truly networks.
You are invited to join my FB group, the Equine Business Strategies group.
Make the Most Out of Facebook Ads
If you don’t achieve the desired results through organic content, you can always count on Facebook ads to do the trick.
With specific targeting features, you can reach your ideal customers in no time and make the most out of Facebook marketing. Facebook ads show your ads to people based on age, gender, location, and interests you choose from their platform.
As a result, you will reach the right people without wasting money on clicks that don’t have a lot of value. Facebook ads can be confusing, but there are lots of resources for the beginner to ensure you know where and how your money is being spent.
Now Back to You
If you are reading this, then you are ready to conquer Facebook. I have great faith in you!
With so many simple features at your disposal, the ball is in your court to do the work and let people know about your equine business. We would love to hear from you. If you need help with your social media presence, contact us, and we would be honored to help you grow your business!
