At Quaintise, we have been lucky enough to run every kind of advertising and marketing campaigns imaginable for our clients. From full-scale TV commercials, to billboards, clothing, online video, and print promotions to custom built websites and social media. Above all, and throughout all forms of marketing, the brand must remain consistent. There is no difference in brand consistency and marketing when it comes to Facebook.
Facebook is a phenomenon. What began as a small social resource for college kids has boomed into a marketing gold mine for business brands online. From creating a Business Places Page, to adding Deals, to creating custom and unique Landing Pages, adding creative Tabs, engaging the target audience with Polls, Questions and Contests, connecting with brand experts, syncing other social media accounts, and growing your Fan Base, the marketing list for Facebook is enormous. The best part is that the possibilities are equally as enormous, which is why it’s a huge resource for business brands.
Facebook Places
Facebook Places, a new addition to the Facebook Pages category, allows businesses to add a location, a map, and Check In capabilities to their Business Pages. This new feature, launched last summer, has been a huge draw for both local and big businesses, following the growing trend of location-based marketing. Everyone has a smartphone, and everyone loves to stay connected with their smartphones. With GPS tracking, individuals are now able to Check In at nearly any location on the globe, and share where they are at with every one of their social media contacts.
The draw for businesses is that whenever someone Checks In to their business location, it’s basically free advertising. That Check In is automatically shared with every single one of that individual’s Facebook Friends, thus acting like a free shout-out, putting the business name right there in front of everyone, and literally telling all of that individual’s Facebook Friends that they enjoy this business and would recommend it. By Checking In to your restaurant, book store, office building, or gym, that person is giving you two thumbs up and recommending you to everyone else, without really saying a word.
Facebook Places Marketing Money
As the old saying goes, just “follow the money.” And the money is flowing into Facebook Places. According to a recent survey conducted on Merchant Circle, 8,000 local business owners were asked to show how they promote their businesses online.
“Respondents to the latest survey indicate that 32% are using Facebook Places to promote their businesses, with 12% planning to do so in the coming months. That compares to 8.7% who use Foursquare, with 7.6% planning to add it to their marketing repertoire soon.”
According to InternetRetailer.com, the median cost per click for Facebook advertising increased 22% in the second quarter of 2011. The report predicts that the cost per click on Facebook ads will continue to increase at a double-digit pace for the rest of 2011, which could results in a 100% increase in revenue for Facebook’s Marketplace ads.
Do you have a Facebook Places Page? How do you use this Page to market your local brand?