Facebook Content Strategy – 5 Ideas for Online Sellers

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Over 4 million businesses have their own pages on Facebook today. If you’re reading this post, you probably administer a page for your own online store (don’t forget to tell me about it via comments). Regardless of how big or small you are, content you post on Facebook is as important as the content you’re publishing on your website.

It’s a good time to remember that the end goal here is to make your Facebook presence an engaging and effective part of your sales funnel. Emphasis on part of, you cannot expect to make significant sales on Facebook that can rival your eCommerce store. However, you can use Facebook to influence your brand’s reputation, customer service, and market affinity. So what type of updates can yield these results?

We asked our community and here are 5 Facebook content ideas for and by online sellers:

1. Post something that’s not related to your business

– this sounds radical but many online sellers find an increase in engagement (read: Likes, Shares, and Comments) whenever they take a break from posting about their products. Ruth Thomas, owner of Room31.co.uk says “we use FB to build relationships and let our customers see our personality, we are friendly and upbeat. We discuss fashion (obviously) but include anything that we think will interest our customers/readers”.

In most countries, we love talking about the weather. So why start by posting about the weather condition where you are and ask your fans how it is in their neck of the woods?

One of our community members, Paul Brown who runs a British men’s clothing brand likes posting pictures of his dog Penelope once in a while.

Content like this is refreshing and shows an interesting other side of yourself and your business.

2. Highlight your buyers

– don’t hog the spotlight, your Facebook page should give a chance for your fans to be recognized. Did someone from your Facebook community write a review for your product? Did you get a referral from one of your buyers? Was a buyer so easy to work with? Take this chance to say thank you creatively and recognize their importance in your business.

Ruth and her team do a fantastic job in highlighting their customers, including photographs of their patrons who wear their apparel. Featuring your buyers not only makes them smile but also show your products in a different light.

3. Take a video

– videos and tutorials are not only for gurus to explore. For starters, you are the guru of your own brand and website. Videos are sometimes the best method to educate your buyers when it comes to new website features or even how to use your products properly. Our community agrees that this format attracts lots of attention.

You can even take it further by using videos to tell a story or provide advice to your industry peers just like what our member Andy does in his experimental series.

4. Ask for feedback and let your fans tell a story

– I recently encountered this quote from Socialnomics, “I have discovered from my travels that everyone has a story - the greatest gift you can give is to let them tell it”. I cannot agree more!

Being listened to is fast becoming a luxury these days when everyone is busy and focused minding their own business. According to Vicky who sells wholesale toys online, “I find that people engage my page when I ask them direct questions like - what do you think of these toys? and how would you pay for this”.

Ultimately as an online seller, you want your fans to realize that you care about their feedback and take it seriously. One of the advantages of small businesses on Facebook is that they have the time to listen and respond.

5. Personalize your updates

– here’s a fun project you can try on your Facebook page. A month ago, we thanked our Facebook community for helping us increase our reach. We all know that in social media, every Like, Comment, or Re-Tweets can make a huge difference!

One disadvantage in connecting with Facebook is actually the sense of disconnect from the real world. So when someone takes extra effort in thanking their fans (just like we did above) it certainly stands out and grabs our community’s attention.

Experiment with different types of content and take inspiration not only from your products but from your own experiences, community, buyers, industry peers and even competitors to create your own strategy.

Ultimately, remember that your Facebook fans are real people who want to be informed, entertained, and recognized.

 

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Jason Acidre

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6 Comments
  • Werner Gaidosch 22nd of February
    Thanks for the info. My FB page is not published yet. Will keep you posted;
  • Carol Koussaya 22nd of February
    I often post non product related news. Living in a cold climate many of my fans appreciate when I post about basking on the beach. I also love sharing stories that my customers experienced using our products. It's a lot of fun. I also play scavenger hunts on my FB page which they really like. I must say, though, getting someone to like your page is like pulling teeth. People more often like your status rather than liking your page! My facebook page is www.facebook.com/thewishpearl
  • Diana Parker 23rd of February
    I have 2 facebook pages for my web sites. Dreamalildecor.com and Onceuponabed.com. I really appreciate the tips you have given here. They were things that I haven't thought about. I'm new at this and am really grateful for new ideas. Thanks!!
  • Maria Mazari 24th of February
    Great ideas. I will definitely try some or all of them. Thanks.
  • Alice Delore 24th of February
    Great post Lace! I love the take home tips you provided, I think we all learned something. I like what you said about sharing content that is beyond your niche - I've seen some top brands do this and it appears to work very well.
  • Lace Llanora 27th of February
    Just love how SaleHoo members are open to new ideas and generous with theirs too! :) Thank you Alice for the guest post opportunity, not to mention for always connecting with our community via social media ^_^ Lace