The latest revision of page terms for the social media mega-giant Facebook makes it even easier to draw in consumers for your business. In the past, page owners had to follow stringent rules on cover photos, which meant avoiding calls-to-action, contact info or references to price/purchase information, and images with no more than 20% text. Yep, Facebook was definitely not an inbound marketer's dream. But alas, the lead generating Gods have smiled upon Facebook business users and changed its strict guidelines. Now, the rules have changed and it's time for all you inbound marketing geniuses to reap the benefits from your Facebook marketing strategy.
The newest Page Features rules simply read:
All covers are public. This means that anyone who visits your Page will be able to see your cover. Covers can’t be deceptive, misleading or infringe on anyone else’s copyright. You may not encourage people to upload your cover to their personal timelines. Covers may not include images with more than 20% text.
Facebook has opened up a spanking new avenue that now allows brands to take advantage of the visual media platform that has been staring at them the whole time. Businesses can now truly use Facebook to participate in the visual marketing trend that has dominated social media sites. According to a 2012 study by ROI Research, forty-four percent of respondents are more likely to engage with brands if they post pictures than any other media. Like we've said before, visual content, like your Facebook cover photo, can increase your brand's reach and take your marketing efforts to the next level.
So how do you leverage Facebook to drive more results for your business? Don't worry, we've got your back!
1) Convert Your Page Visitors Into Leads
With the updated cover photo guidelines you can now convert those Facebook visitors into real, live leads! That's right, you can now market to the masses without getting banned from Facebook. We recommend using images that include links to your ebooks, guides, webinars, coupons and offers. Your call-to-action will be the very first thing that your Facebook followers see upon visiting your page, and a sure way to get some serious conversions.
2) Use Other People's Newsfeeds
Encourage others to share your offers with their followers. Don't be shy, use other people's newsfeeds to shamelessly plug your beautiful call-to-action buttons. Of course, we don't recommend being spammy, but we do recommend creating conversations. The more people that are commenting on your images means the more your page appears on other people's newsfeeds. Promote your business offer, then help create a buzz around it that gets people really talking.
3) It is Time to Invest In Great Visuals
If you really want to attract leads, then you need to include visuals that will capture your audience. Now is the time to think of creative, mesmerizing and intriguing visuals for your cover photo. According to Simply Measured, photos and videos tend to drive positive brand engagement on Facebook. On average, photos drive almost 23% more likes and comments than simply inserting a link onto Facebook's timeline. One can assume that Facebook's cover photos will generate that same interest. Fan engagement is on the rise, and leads are drawn in by amazing visual content. So go make something beautiful!
Have you updated your Facebook cover photo to include your awesome call-to-action yet? Now is the time to go forth and use Facebook to help make your business rock! In the meantime, download our guide to hiring an inbound marketing agency and learn more about what it takes to get your business leads.
