The advent of Facebook’s third decade is fast approaching. Is your Facebook marketing game on point for 2020 and beyond?
Before you answer, review this list of Facebook “musts” for 2020 and figure out precisely how many you’ve already got in the bag. Some are oldies-but-goodies, best practices for years and years. Others are new, the product of recent Facebook updates that may (or may not) have changed the calculus for marketers on the world’s most heavily trafficked social media platform.
20 Things You Must Do on Facebook in 2020
Here’s the list. Use it wisely.
- Ask a Question Every Day
It doesn’t have to be the most incisive question in the world. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be about one of your core business lines. All it needs to do is engage your audience. Use your analytics suite to assess which types of questions earn the most organic engagement, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
- Connect With One Influencer Per Month
Precisely what constitutes an “influencer” is up to you. Generally, these are people or organizations in your industry or sub-industry with higher name ID, followership, and thought leadership quotients than you and yours. You’ll need to learn to take “no” for an answer, but you should still find some willing to partner up.
- Tell Your Story Through Catchy Images and Memes
Take a hint from this top-rated insurance company’s Facebook page and add some life to your profile. Start by using catchy images and memes to tell a story and draw organic responses from your followers.
- Share One Amazing Video Per Week
It doesn’t really matter whether it’s yours or someone else’s, as long as you give proper attribution. Bonus points for videos relevant to your industry, but don’t pass up the opportunity to share unrelated viral content (provided it’s audience appropriate).
- Cross-Post YouTube Content, Too
Speaking of video: Cross-post your YouTube content once it’s run its course over there. You’ll draw new viewers on Facebook.
- Get (And Keep) Your Contact Info in Shape
This isn’t a boring housekeeping recommendation. It’s the best way to ensure your Facebook page is actually useful for high-quality prospects. If your competitors can keep their addresses, websites, and phone numbers current, why can’t you?
- Learn How to Interpret Engagement Metrics
Can’t tell a “like” from an “impression”? No problem. Review this crash course in interpreting Facebook analytics and call your marketing team in the morning.
- Time Your Posts for Maximum Impact
Use a post scheduling tool to time your Facebook updates for maximum impact. Generally, consumer-facing posts do best in late afternoon on weekdays, but you may find different patterns in your Facebook data. Keep close watch on those metrics and be prepared to adjust your scheduling, too.
- Get the Messenger App on Your Phone (If It’s Not There Already)
In 2020, the best way to respond to prospects and customers on the fly is via the Facebook Messenger app, a free communication tool that works on pretty much every modern smartphone. When you’re away from your desk, it’s your company’s lifeline to its follower community.
- Respond to Outreach Within Minutes (During Business Hours, At Least)
Thanks to Messenger, this shouldn’t be a problem. But don’t be shy about leaving queries received outside regular business hours to the next day — as long as you set expectations in advance.
- Update Your URL
Two words: custom URL. Your Facebook page needs one, no matter how low key your organization. It’s not about getting prospects to navigate directly to the URL itself; no one does that anymore. It’s about top-of-mind status — leaving the impression that only a good URL can create.
- Use a Call-to-Action Button
Use a custom call-to-action button, too. The shorter, the better: “Sign Up” or “Join” work great.
- Customize Your Tabs
Facebook gives you a handful of sensible tabs to work with, and you’ll definitely want to keep universal options like “About”. But don’t be afraid to add or delete tabs, either. You want your Facebook profile to work for you, not the other way around.
- Keep Overtly Self-Promotional Content to a Minimum
It’s not as difficult as it sounds. Limit overtly self-promotional content to no more than 15% of your total posting volume, saving the rest for original value-added content (like blog posts) or third-party shares with attribution.
- Hide In-Post URLs
Don’t leave naked URLs hanging in posts with links. It’s tacky and distracts from the impact of the post, especially when it’s built around an arresting visual.
- If a Follower Shares Something Awesome With You, Share It With the World
Give loyal followers a bump by sharing awesome posts in which you’re tagged, especially if said posts say something nice about your organization.
- Go Live Once Per Week
Hold a Facebook Live chat at least once per week. Consider pairing with an Instagram Live session, as well.
- Experiment With Paid Advertising (But Stick to a Budget)
Facebook is a great place to run cost-effective paid advertising campaigns. But, like all campaigns, your Facebook run will only be as effective as you can afford it to be. Set a strict budget and don’t budge from it.
- Localize Your Ads
For even more cost-effective Facebook ads, target local audiences. This is especially important for businesses with defined trade areas, of course, but it’s also effective for e-commerce platforms looking to reduce marketing costs by targeting, say, five major metro areas.
- Make Sure Prospects and Customers Know Where to Find You
Last, but not least: Advertise your other social and web properties on your Facebook page — the de facto funnel to the rest of your digital footprint.
Start the New Decade Off on the Right Foot
Sure, the Roman calendar is an arbitrary means of organizing time. But we live and die by it, literally. Which means the start of a new decade is actually a pretty big deal, symbolically speaking. Why not start it off on the right foot, even if you’re not prepared to read too much into what that means?
With these 20 Facebook “musts” for 2020, you can do just that in one small (if important) corner of your life. Now, about all those other life “musts”…
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