Does your business know as much about Facebook as it should?
It’s a bit of a shock when Facebook suspends your business page. When you have no idea why, getting answers from Facebook is nigh on impossible and you are losing business opportunities every day.
This happened to a small business in Derbyshire which found to its horror that Facebook had suspended its page for breaking its rules on photos. What rules, you may ask?
Facebook is a complicated beast. Rules on competitions, covers and advertising; complex algorithms which run your newsfeed, hidden features to attract customers. A complicated beast which businesses insist on diving into unaware of the dangers and opportunities.
So how much do you know about Facebook? And do you need to know more to save you wasted time and business disaster? Answer these questions and find out. Answers at the end.
1. Are you allowed to include your website address or phone number in the (cover) photo at the top of your page?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Yes, as long as you don’t say ‘call’, “go to our” or other call-to-action words.
2. How many of the fans of your business page see your page updates?
a) All of them
b) About 16% at a rough guess
c) Hardly any of them
3. Who chooses who you are friends with on Facebook?
a) You
b) You and your friends
c) Facebook
4. How often should you post on your Facebook business page?
a) Once a day
b) When you can be bothered
c) Between 3 to 8 times a day
5. Which of the following types of competitions are NOT allowed on your Facebook business page?
a) “Like our page and you will be entered into our competition”
b) “Change your profile photo to our logo and you could win a prize”
c) “Share this status on your page and you could win some free stuff”
6. When someone complains about your business on your Facebook page, should you…
a) Delete it immediately
b) Debate the issue with them so they see your point of view.
c) Ignore it. Their message will disappear in time anyway.
7. You have a well-designed Facebook business page with lovely applications encouraging people to buy. How often will most of your fans see your page?
a) Once or twice
b) 2-5 times
c) 5 times plus
Answers:
1 a Yes, you are now but you couldn’t in March 2013. Facebook regulations then said your cover photo should not include “contact information such as a website address, email, mailing address, or information that should go in your Page’s “About” section”. Facebook removed some pages which broke these rules. It has since relaxed its restrictions but still says your cover photo cannot contain more than 20 per cent text.
2 On average, 16 per cent of your fans see your updates so (b) could be the right answer but if you’re not using your Facebook page properly, it’s more likely to be much lower. Which makes (c) the more likely answer.
3 c Facebook decides who are your friends, at least they decide which of them are your ‘real’ friends by posting only their content onto your newsfeed. Whose updates go on your newsfeed depends on how you engage with them, if you look at their profile and the types of content they produce. You have little say about it. The same goes for your business page so it’s important to know how Facebook decides who sees your content.
4 c If you want to reach your audience, you need to be posting when they’re using Facebook. That could mean up to eight times a day if you’re trying to reach an international audience.
5 a, b and c None of these competitions are allowed on a Facebook page. In fact, you’re not even allowed to run a competition on your page without using an application.
6 There’s no right or wrong answer with this one because it depends on the nature of the complaint. What is important is understanding the options, how you can use Facebook to handle it correctly and being prepared.
7 a According to Facebook statistics most people will only ever visit your Facebook page once – so you have to work hard to get them to come back.
Want to learn more about how to use your Facebook page properly – and get business? Then click here.
About the author
By Mark Saxby. Mark is one of the directors of Status Social, the East Midlands’ leading social media agency. To find out more about what Status Social does, click here.
Read MoreUK Eurovision failures could result in an independent Scotland
The campaign for an independent Scotland has strengthened after it emerged Scottish people are more likely to experience Eurovision joy if they dump their next door neighbours.
A poll* carried out by Status Social has revealed that people north of the border are more likely to vote to go it alone if they no longer get lumbered with ageing no-hopers like Englebert Humperdinck and Bonnie Tyler.
And Europeans have ALSO revealed they are more likely to give points to Scotland than the ‘roast beefs’ of England.
Tania McVesty, whose mum is Scottish said: “Hoots mon, everyone thinks the Eurovision voters hate the United Kingdom but we all know it’s just the English that they cannot stand. I’m prepared to say ‘yes’ to leaving the union if we can have an independent Scottish entry in the competition.
“It’s just a shame I live in Nottingham so I won’t have a vote,” added Ms McVesty.
Franka Rudolph is a genuine German. She has not voted for the United Kingdom’s Eurovison entry since Scooch in 2007 – and that was only because she misdialled.
“I would vote for Scotland,” she confirmed. “Everyone in Germany loves Scottish music, especially the Proclaimers. Just the sound of bagpipes makes most Germans weak at the knees.”
Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmon said the Status Social poll had given the independence campaign a real boost. “To be honest, I thought we had no chance of winning the vote but after Bonnie Tyler was selected to represent the UK, the tide seems to have turned. This year’s entry is so bad that apparently even the chancellor George Osborne has decided to go against the PM and vote for Scottish independence.”
Eurovision chiefs have not confirmed that an independent Scotland would be allowed to compete in the competition but an insider said: “At least they would do better than the Netherlands.”
* Poll sample audience made up of three people – Tania McVesty (half Scottish), Mark Saxby (1/8th Scottish), Kerry Saxby (eaten Scotch pancakes).
See our Status Social Eurovision infographic.
Read MoreStatus Social director shortlisted for IoD East Midlands Directors awards
Status Social director Mark Saxby has reached the final of a prestigious regional business competition.
Mark is up for two East Midlands’ Institute of Directors’ Director of the Year awards – in the Young and SME categories.
He is one of only three Derbyshire directors to be shortlisted.
Below is a news release issued by the Institute of Directors:
Twenty of the region’s business leaders have been named in a shortlist for the Institute of Directors’ (IoD) East Midlands Director of the Year awards.
The winners will be announced at a presentation lunch on Thursday 16 May.
Ron Lynch, IoD East Midlands Regional Director, said: “We are always impressed by the standard of applications for these awards but this year’s entries have identified some particularly interesting stories of entrepreneurial success, achieved in a challenging economic environment.”
Nottingham Trent University are the main sponsors of the awards lunch which will be held at the Nottingham Conference Centre and. It will be compered by BBC East Midlands Today co-presenter Dominic Heale. The overall winner will be named East Midlands Director of the Year. All category winners will be submitted to the IoD’s UK Director awards later in the year.
The regional shortlist – selected by a panel of regional judges following interview – includes eight Leicestershire entries, six from Nottinghamshire, four from Northamptonshire, three from Derbyshire and two from Lincolnshire. Some are shortlisted in two different categories.
The categories are:
Young Director (sponsored by Lloyds TSB Corporate).
Director of the Year (small and medium company) ( sponsored by Duncan and Toplis).
Director of the Year (large company) (sponsored by Lloyds TSB Commercial).
Family Business Director of the Year (sponsored by Nelsons ).
International Director of the Year ( sponsored by The Phoenix Partners).
Director of the Year (Public /Third Sector) (sponsored by Ruddocks).
How can restaurants use social media to get customers?
Restaurants could be using social media so much more. That’s the opinion of top consultant Stuart Baddiley from The Restaurant Inspectors. He believes that most restaurant owners are still struggling to get to grips with social media and those that are using it, are often not using it well. Status Social’s Mark Saxby spoke to Stuart, who also owns Derby’s 2013 Restaurant of the Year, Restaurant Zest, over a live Google+ Hangout. Take a listen below…
Want to find out more about how we could help you with your restaurant social media marketing then contact us.
Read MoreEurovision Song Contest: The Facts You Need to Know
We are big fans of the Eurovision Song Contest here at Status Social. So much, in fact, that last year we (us and the marvellous Pictographik) produced an infographic especially for the occasion. To celebrate the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, we thought we would dig it out of our archives. Always worthy of another viewing (unlike Englebert Humperdinck’s performance, unfortunately)…
Connect with us
Listen to our podcast
Each episode will teach you something about social media in under 5 minutes!
