Less than 10 years ago, the idea of a small business having its own social media page seemed silly. Social media was a tool meant for college students to send funny pictures to each other and connect with peers. It allowed you to like comments, share group photos, create events and just allow people to see a glimpse of your “life” (even if it was a tad bit fabricated in some aspects). That, of course, has changed. From big corporations like McDonald’s, all the way to the little mom and pop shop selling antiques in their basement online, every business seems to be on social media. If your business isn’t on social media you’re missing out on the easiest leads of your life.
For those who don’t have their heads in the sand and want to improve their reach on social media, here are 15 Facebook statistics that every marketing guru should know.
Facebook Users Access Facebook, on Average, 8 Times a Day.
We are, of course, talking about active Facebook users and not just the ones who use it once in a blue moon to creep on that cute person they just met at the bar. That’s about 1.49 billion active Facebook users you have the chance of reaching. Sure, some may just flick through their feed for a minute or two at a time, but that number averages to about 35 minutes spent perusing Facebook per day.
Keep Them Coming Back for More
Everyone wants a good deal. By using your Facebook to give out things like discounts, codes, and freebies, users will be more inclined to not only like your page but also follow it to try to snag a little something-something for them. That in turn, gets more views from their friends and followers on their page. Huzzah! Free publicity.
Facebook Can Open Your Eyes
As stated earlier, having eyes on your page can increase views. The people who follow their friends are more inclined to follow your business page – or at least check it out. In fact, 78 percent of consumers say they’ve discovered new products on Facebook.
Facebook is The Lazy Man’s Google.
Well, sort of. It’s true though that as time has gone on, Facebook has become more of a tool for people to find information. They search for things such as; news, recipes, and “life-Hacks” to make their lives easier. Having their fellow consumers vouch for a product is an easy way to get the average unfamiliar consumer to trust your product – especially if their friend swears by it!
On The Go? Use Your Phone
Out of the active Facebook users, 88% of them access Facebook through their phones. Out of this number 47% exclusively use the app. Knowing this, you should make sure any ad you have is mobile-friendly, including videos you post. For example, if you post a video, think of the presentation for a user watching on their phone. In this case, you could make a video vertical instead of horizontal.
Everybody’s Doin’ It
While smaller businesses may see advertising on Facebook as risky and too expensive, it turns out, advertising on Facebook is the cool new thing to do. In fact, 93% of social media advertisers use Facebook advertising. If something ain’t broke. Don’t fix it.
Keep it Short, But Not TOO Short
One case study says the most effective length for Facebook ads is four words and a link description of about 15. Think of it like a Twitter post. You don’t want to overwhelm and bore your audience with lengthy descriptions that give away the whole story, but you also don’t make it sound like clickbait. However, some advertisers warn that while this is a good rule – it’s not a golden rule so don’t get stuck on always sticking to that format.
F*#k it! We’ll do it Live!
One out of every Facebook video is a live video. This is a great way to engage with your audience. They’ll be able to comment directly to you and you can show off your company’s personality while also showing off some cool products. Be sure to do it on a regular schedule, so your audience can know when to expect you!
Keep it Down! I’m Trying to Read!
You ever go through your personal feed and suddenly some video starts and a kid or a screaming goat or god knows what just starts going mental through your speakers? Not too pleasant, is it? No one likes to be taken by surprise – especially by an ad. In fact, quiet (with the option for volume) ads with captions on them have an increase of users viewing time by 12% percent! That’s a big leap for some peace and quiet.
It’s Getting Crowded in Here!
Every user has more than 1,500 Facebook Stories vying for their attention in their feed. Of those only 300 get chosen to be shown – it’s kind of got a Survivor feel to it, right? That’s because your ad is more likely to get eliminated if it doesn’t have anything of interest to the user, because Facebook’s algorithm tries to align it with the user’s interest among other things.
The More People Relate To Your Ad, the Better
If you’re a guy who sees a normal tampon ad, chances are you’re going to flip right by it. Why? Because that’s not a product that demographic would normally care about. However, a video ad for tampons that features a dad and daughter bonding over her misadventures of puberty is much more engaging. The more people that engage with your ad, the higher you jump up the ad algorithm, meaning more exposure for you.
Don’t be a Bore.
It has been noted that 7% of users will unfriend a brand for being, well, boring. While you don’t have to be the coolest thing since sliced bread, you should at least make sure you are engaging and interesting.
Make sure to K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid).
A consumer doesn’t need to know your life story. In fact, 23% of simple Facebook posts get more engagement than long posts. No one wants to read the history of leather when you’re just showing off the newest purse in your boutique.
Say Cheese!
This may come as no surprise, but posts with photos get more views. How many more views than plain text posts? Try 179% more. Why? A picture is more likely to catch the eye than just black on white text. However, videos still reign supreme in terms of post reach.
You Gotta Win ‘em When You Got ‘em
The average Facebook user will watch videos for about 10 seconds before they move on. Keeping the previous tips in mind, make sure your video catches their attention in the beginning and keeps them engaged and wanting more.
While Facebook used to be for college kids swapping party pictures and videos, it’s evolved into its own beast – and it will continue changing. Facebook has become less of a Social Media experience and more of an advertiser’s goldmine. Make sure your ads are up to snuff in capturing your audience – and keeping them.
