Saturday, April 20, 2013

I'm not friends with businesses

There are a boatload of businesses on facebook operating as personal profiles.

Facebook has stated that these profiles are open to deletion and/or banning from the platform.

Real estate agents are often guilty here.

Business pages on Facebook

I am not friends with businesses.  There are many products and companies that I like.  Motorola, Red Bull, Leesha, Chad Hyams.  Some great stuff, companies, and business people. It's easy to just jump in as we know how when some project takes off.

Let me offer a better way.  A way that does not violate the facebook terms of use.  As a business, how often do you go to their store (even if it's their ecommerce store)?  When you need something right?  You don't have a relationship with Southwest Airlines.  I chat with the people sitting next to me, the stewardesses, etc. What if businesses simply did business?

There is a couple of different ways, but the most common is the facebook business page.  I've linked a couple of the above and I think, for the record, that Chad Hyams and Red Bull do it well.

What are the benefits?
First off, we don't get analytics with a personal profile.  We get beautiful charts and numbers with a biz page.

A business page is not limited to 5,000 friends.  I believe Red Bull is somewhere in the neighborhood of 36 and change million fans.  There are a number of folks in my network that simply cannot have more friends.  (They can, however, convert their personal page to a "Public Figure" page like Dave Ramsey.)

Biz pages give access to offers and advertising.  This is something businesses need.  Personal profiles don't need to be advertised.

Do you have a social media team?  Awesome!  They can all have roles to work on the page! The best part of all of this?  The page is now in compliance with FB rules and will stay around.

Connect with Chad Bowman on Facebook, Twitter, or in Real Estate.