Today, Facebook essentially doubles as a business directory. It provides businesses with their own pages to display contact information, details about products and services, photos, and more. In this sense, Facebook pages aren’t much different from Google My Business listings. That’s why a growing number of people aren’t even using Google for local business searches anymore. Of course, Google is still dominating local searches, but Facebook is increasing in prominence.
Most small business owners like you are taking steps to be visible in search engine results. But what are you doing to make sure you get in front of consumers who never even make it to a search engine? What are you doing to get noticed on Facebook?
In this blog post, we’ll talk about why you can’t afford to ignore your audience on Facebook. Then, we’ll discuss some of the basic things you need to get in front of that audience. Let’s dive in!

Why You Can’t Forgo Facebook

Why isn’t a presence on Google enough? Because people are crowdsourcing their needs on social media, particularly on Facebook, like never before.
Think about it: The generation that came of age with social media is now the generation that makes up a large portion of first-time home buyers (the median age of first-time home buyers is 32). As they enter the world of homeownership, they’ve got a lot of questions. Whereas older generations might have called their parents or relatives for advice, the younger generation is turning to a space they’re more comfortable with—Facebook—to poll multiple friends simultaneously.
These days, it’s not uncommon to see Facebook posts like:

• “Our water heater broke last night. Does anyone have a recommendation for a repairman?”
• “Our dishwasher is clogged. Has anyone ever dealt with this before? Is it something we can fix ourselves?”
• “Anyone know what might be causing our grass to keep turning brown? Should we call a landscaper?”
• “Has anyone installed new windows recently? Ours need to be replaced and we’d love to get a quote.”

Beyond crowdsourcing, Facebook is simply the go-to platform for many members of this generation. Because they’ve been using Facebook for well over 10 years, it’s woven into the fabric of their daily lives. Virtually everyone they know has a Facebook profile. They expect businesses to have Facebook pages, too.
So, if lots of people are searching for topics related to your business right there on Facebook, and they expect you to have a Facebook page with all your info, why would you opt not to have one? Why not make it as easy as possible for them to find you? If you’re not on Facebook, they’ll likely find your competition, instead.

How to Make People Notice You on Facebook

Now that we’ve established how essential a Facebook page is for your business, let’s look at some ways you can get in front of the right people.
1. Flesh Out Your Page
Go through all the “About” sections on your Facebook page and fill out every detail you can. Make sure you include the correct phone number, street address, website URL, and business hours. Also, make certain your business category, i.e. what you do, is crystal clear from the moment someone lands on your page.
2. Don’t Forget About Photos
Include as many photos as possible! High-quality profile pictures, cover photos, and photos in your gallery are crucial in appealing to the visual nature of social media. Keep in mind, shared photos also perform better (reach more viewers) than written updates on your news feed. Overall, photos are a crucial avenue to get noticed on Facebook.

READ: “Why You Need High-Quality Images on Social Media to Build Trust”

3. Get Lots of Customer Reviews
People are constantly seeking social proof when considering a new place to visit or company to hire. Have other people used this company? Did they enjoy the experience? If people don’t see customer reviews on your page, they’ll assume you’re not particularly well known, which, in their minds, equates to you not being a reputable business. Therefore, you need to get as many customer reviews as you can.

READ: “How to Get More Customer Reviews Just by Asking for Them”

4. Boost Your Posts Regularly
With the way Facebook works for businesses these days, it’s difficult for your posts to reach a wide audience unless you pay to “boost” them. Sponsoring your posts is par for the course now. Doing so allows you to target your desired audience according to details like age, location, and interests. Then, Facebook gets your content in front of the right people.
Sharing an update without boosting it is like whispering into a noisy crowd. Boosting an update gives you the megaphone you need to rise above the constant din and get noticed on Facebook.
5. Engage With Your Audience
Facebook isn’t just about sharing your own updates. You also need to reply to people’s comments, like other people’s posts, and generally interact with your audience. This demonstrates to your page visitors that you’re active and involved and that you care about others.
6. Respond Quickly to Messages
Our last tip is very straightforward. When someone sends your business a private message on Facebook, respond ASAP. They’re probably asking you a question about your services, products, or business hours, and they require a prompt answer (or else they’ll move on to a competitor). Moreover, Facebook will actually do you a favor and let people know if you have a fast response rate. Next to the “Send message” option, your page will say, “Typically replies within an hour” or something similar. Facebook won’t display anything if you have a slow response rate, but you want to accrue these little selling points to make your business stand out.
Using these recommendations, you’ll sharply increase your chances of being discovered by local customers, even if they never search on Google. Good luck! And don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.