John Haydon

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-18-2022

Facebook's social networking website offers a free, online location to market your business, organization, or individual to the Facebook community. The Facebook page for business is fun and easy to set up, and it provides a powerful set of online tools that lets you fully engage with your customers. But to efficiently market your business in Facebook, it helps to understand the underlying principles that make all these connections possible.

Article / Updated 03-15-2022

There are good marketing reasons to have a Facebook profile with the Follow button activated. If you already have lots of Facebook friends who are more like potential customers or clients, and you haven’t taken the time to create a business page (and probably won’t), this approach is for you! Here’s how to turn on the Follow button on your personal profile: Click the down arrow in the upper-right corner of Facebook. A drop-down menu appears. Select Settings. Click Followers on the left sidebar. Select Everybody from the drop-down menu next to the Who Can Follow Me section. Adjust the settings to your liking for Follower Comments and Notifications. Enabling the Follow button is optional. You can enjoy a profile and share with only friends and family; you don’t have to turn on the Follow button. But a profile’s Follow system offers these benefits: After someone follows you, that person sees your Public updates in their News Feed. People may also discover your profile through the People to Follow box on the right side of their News Feed or through their friends’ News Feed stories. Followers can share your Public posts, which broadcasts your post and profile to a larger audience. You can have an unlimited number of followers (no more 5,000-friend limit). You're still able to block potential followers by adjusting your Privacy Settings Block List. You can connect with people on Facebook who prefer subscribing to a business page to liking it. When your Follow button is open, anyone who requests to be your friend automatically becomes a follower unless you block them. You know they’re getting your public updates; you don’t have to friend them unless you want to also get their updates. When you unfriend someone, they remain a follower unless you block them. You can unfollow a friend. You are still friends, but you do not receive their updates in your News Feed. Personal profiles get more exposure in the News Feed due to Facebook’s News Feed algorithm. You have a better chance of being seen if you’re also using your personal profile to post about your business. For more information about the Follow features, see Facebook’s Help section.

Article / Updated 08-05-2020

You can use Facebook Messenger chatbots to help you stay in touch with your customers. You may have heard the term chatbot and wondered what it is. A chatbot is a piece of interactive software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to respond to chat in a conversational way. If you have created a chatbot for your Facebook Page, your customers will be able to type questions into a chat window and receive preprepared content that answers their questions. The content can include text, video, links, and images. One good example of a chatbot used to educate and entertain a company's users appears on the Food Network Facebook Page. If you click the Send Message button, you see preset text saying that a company representative will instantly respond. It asks you to click the Get Started button. When you click that button, you are asked whether you want fun food facts sent to you; you can also ask for a recipe. This entire exchange is done by the chatbot. Another great example is the chatbot used by 1-800 Flowers. Its chatbot lets customers order right from the Messenger app on their Facebook Page. You can see how this encourages people to make a simple order. Facebook has built-in settings that you can use to provide two-way customer service to your users. There are two Settings links that you need use to configure Messenger: Messenger Platform: Select this radio button to go to the page where you set up how your chatbot will look. Subscribed Apps: The Apps that are connected to your Page will be automatically displayed here. Link Your App to Your Page: You need to enter an Apple ID to connect native apps. Allowlisted Domains: These are third-party domains that you say can be used with Messenger. Discover Settings — Discover Visibility: This setting allows your bot to be searched along with other bots. The default is Show. Unless you have a reason to make your bot harder to find, leave the default setting. Consult your webmaster or developer to ensure that your Messenger app performs correctly. Messaging: This section lets you set up how people can message your business Page and what messages they will receive in return. To set up Messaging, go to Settings at the top of your Facebook Page and follow these steps: Click the Messaging link. Go to General Settings and click Yes or No to the following choices: Use the Return Key to Send Messages: The default is Yes. Leave the default choice if you're used to hitting the Return key after typing a line and want to do this when using the chatbot. Prompt Visitors to Send Messages: The default is No. If you click Yes, Page visitors will see indications that you are responsive to their messages. Go to Response Assistant and click Yes or No to the five choices you see. Send Instant Replies to Anyone Who Messages Your Page: The default is No. If you click Yes, you see a prewritten message that says, “Thanks for messaging us. We try to be as responsive as possible. We’ll get back to you soon.” You can choose to edit this message by clicking the Change button.When you click the Change button, a window pops open, showing you how your message will look on a mobile device. You can refine the message and click the Add Personalization link, which gives you the option to insert the person’s first name, last name, or full name, as well as your Facebook URL into your reply. When you're done editing, click the Save button. (Optional) Personalize the name for each of the following settings.The name is pulled from the person’s profile. Displaying people's real names may make them feel more welcome. Decide what you think your target audience would prefer: Stay Responsive When You Can’t Get to Your Computer or Phone: The default is No. If you click Yes, you see a message that says, “Hi [customer name], thanks for your message. We are not here right now, but we’ll get back to you soon!” You can choose to edit this message by clicking the Change button. If you do, a window pops open, showing you how your message will look on a mobile device. You also see a Schedule link that lets you set up the days and times on which the message will show when you are Away or Available. When you're done editing, click the Save button. Show a Messenger Greeting: The default is No. If you click Yes, you see a message that says, “Hi [customer name]! Thanks for getting in touch with us on Messenger. Please send us any questions you may have.” You can choose to edit this message by clicking the Change button. If you click Change, a window pops open, showing you how your message will look on a mobile device. The greeting message is displayed and then the visitor’s question appears. When you're done editing, click the Save button. Pre-Appointment Reminders: The default is No. If you click Yes, you will see a message that says, “We’re looking forward to your next appointment.” You can choose to edit this message by clicking the Change button. If you do, a window pops open, showing you how your message will look on a mobile device. When you're done editing, click the Save button. Send Follow Up to Anyone Who Books an Appointment: The default is No. If you click Yes, you see a message that says, “Hi [customer name]! It’s been a while since we last saw you. We’d love to have you back!” You can choose to edit this message by clicking the Change button. If you do, a window pops open, showing you how your message will look on a mobile device. If you click the Schedule link, you can choose the number of times and the hour, day, week, month, or year that the follow-up message is shown after the previous appointment is booked. For example, if you're a dentist, you may choose to have the message pop up 3–4 months after a person's last appointment. When you're done editing, click the Save button.

Article / Updated 07-27-2018

The Local report on Facebook shows you the activity going on around your business location. You can see peak hours of action, demographic info, and Ad performance as it relates to people who are near your physical location. To view the Local report, click the Local tab within Facebook Insights. You see a visual of your business location. You can choose to view data within a specific date range (One Week, One Month, and One Quarter) and Region. (All the data is anonymous, so you're not invading anyone’s privacy.) Next, you see a breakdown of age and gender for the people nearby. You also see the hours of the day and the day of the week when activity near your location is highest. This helps you determine what hours your store or service business should be open for business. The Ad performance graph displays the percentage of people who saw your ad on Facebook who were within 165 feet of your business in relation to your ad spending. This shows you which days were high-performing days. The People Nearby graph shows you data concerning people within 165 feet of your location hourly (for a 24-hour period), weekly (days of the week for one week), overall (trend data that shows you people nearby in relation to people nearby who saw your ads) and by check-ins (the number of people who checked into your business). The Demographics graph shows you people within 165 feet of your business within the last month. You can display this information in a bar graph or line graph format depending on which display button you choose. The data is broken out by Age: Gives the percentage of each age range of people nearby Gender: Gives the percentage of each gender of people nearby Home Locations: Shows people who live within 165 feet of your business, or people who travel from 165 feet to get to your business Age and Gender: Shows the aggregate of age and gender of people nearby

Article / Updated 07-27-2018

The Followers report shows you the number of Facebook followers you obtained within a specific date range. You can select a custom range to analyze, or choose one of three predefined segments of time: one week, one month, or one quarter. To view the Followers report, click the Followers tab within Facebook Insights, which also shows you the Total Page Followers As of Today. This graph gives you a big-picture look at the followers you have gained over the most recent period. You can assess whether your current strategies are successful. The Followers report also shows you: Net Followers: Here you see a breakdown of the Unfollows, Organic followers, and Page followers so that you can evaluate such things as whether your paid advertising is effective and how may followers you are losing. The term Organic Follower refers to someone who sees and likes your content whom you did not reach via an ad or other paid content. Notice that for each of the measures for Followers, you can choose to compare your average stats over time using the Benchmark tool on the right side of the chart. This tool helps you see how well you are growing your audience so that you can adjust your choices. Where Your Page Followers Happened: This chart shows you how often your Page was followed and where it happened. The venues tracked are Uncategorized Desktop; On your Page; Page Suggestions; and Search.

Article / Updated 07-27-2018

Facebook is a useful way to engage your customers. Talking directly to your fans and prospects will help you maximize your attempt to build a stronger customer base. Lots of interesting things are happening during your workday, and new products and services are being developed and introduced. Pick something you feel passionate about and stream it live to your audience. To get started, you need to set up Facebook Live. Go to the Facebook Live Creation page. On the page that appears, you're prompted to give Facebook access to your camera and microphone. (Facebook requires this only the first time you set it up.) If you don't use a Chrome or Firefox browser, you see a message that says, “Please try broadcasting on the latest desktop version of Chrome or Firefox to go live with your camera.” Next, a screen called Go Live With Your Gear shows you settings for your broadcast. You can also set up a Facebook Live broadcast on your mobile or desktop from your Page in the section at the top that says Write Something. Click the live video icon and follow instructions. You may want to choose this option as you become more familiar with broadcasting. These settings may look different depending on the entity you are broadcasting from — profile, Page, or public profile. When broadcasting from your profile, follow the three items listed on the screen under Getting Started. Facebook Live set up Follow these steps to select the live streaming software you intend to use: Click one of the three choices, OBS, Wirecast, or XSplit (or your own choice). Follow the instructions to download and install the software and then return to the broadcast screen. Click the Create Live Stream button. Connect with Facebook Live Facebook asks you to choose where to post your live broadcast. From the drop-down menu on the right, the choices are as follows: On your Timeline: You can choose to broadcast directly from your News Feed. In a Group: If you have an ongoing group, you can create a broadcast directly for them. In an Event: Broadcasting live from an event is a great way to generate excitement. It also lets you interview participants and show engagement. On a Page You Manage: If you have more than one Page, you can choose the one you want here: Public: This includes anyone on desktop or mobile who tunes in. Friends: You can choose those listed as Friends on Facebook to show your broadcast to. Friends except… : You can eliminate some friends from the broadcast. Specific friends: You can select individual friends who will see the broadcast. Only Me: You can use the Only Me setting to practice your broadcast. It’s a good idea to give yourself a practice run to smooth out all the wrinkles. Custom: This setting allows you to mix together several of the preceding options. Acquaintances: The acquaintance list is one that you set up separately that allows you to see less from these people but doesn’t unfriend them. Choose this to include them. Next you are asked to add a description, title, and the choice of several icons. The fields are as follows: Say something about this live video: In this field, enter a description of your broadcast that tells viewers what benefit they will get from watching the broadcast. You can edit it after the broadcast if you want. Beneath the description, you see icons to insert an emoji, add a tag, insert your mood, and let people know your location. Don’t overlook tagging as a way to help people find your broadcast. Title: You are required to create a title for your broadcast. Make sure to include keywords that your audience cares about. Video Game: In this field, you can tag the name of a video game, if applicable. Facebook Live broadcast Copy and paste the Stream Key and URL into the settings of the streaming software that you chose previously. After copying, you see a preview of your screen with your choices. You can use that Stream Key for the next seven days. You’ll need a new one if you choose not to go live within five hours of previewing your screen. Make sure that you have a strong signal (Wi-Fi or 4G) before you broadcast because if your signal isn’t strong enough, Facebook will disable the Go Live button. Scheduling Facebook Live streams If you want to schedule an upcoming date instead of going live right now: Click the Schedule button next to the Go Live button. A schedule screen appears with important instructions and tips. Make sure you read them. They include two important caveats: Make sure to verify your live feed 20 minutes before the broadcast to ensure that everything is ready to go. The broadcast starts at the time you scheduled it. If you are not there 10 minutes before the start, your broadcast will be canceled. Choose the Scheduled Start Time by selecting a date on the drop-down calendar and setting a time in the Time field. If you have a Custom Image that you want to use for the broadcast, click Upload Image and choose an image. After you have chosen your image, you see a preview of your broadcast on the right side of the screen. Make sure everything is correct. Click the Schedule button when you are finished. Your broadcast announcement post will be published when the Schedule button is clicked. You can choose to boost your broadcast announcement post as an ad if you want to ensure a larger audience. You can also boost your content after a broadcast. Experiment with your most important broadcasts. Click the Go Live button when you are ready. When you have completed all your tasks, you can click the Go Live button. As noted above, if you have scheduled the broadcast for a later date and time, your broadcast will go live at that time and you need to be there 10 minutes before the broadcast starts.

Article / Updated 07-27-2018

It’s well past the time when online marketers debate about the value of mobile Facebook Ads. TechCrunch reports that 85 percent of Facebook’s ad revenue now comes from mobile ads. The key is to present ads on mobile that load fast and look good. You have several types of Messenger ads to consider: News Feed Messenger ads: These ads are shown in your audience’s Timeline and contain one or more call to action (CTA) buttons. If a user clicks an ad, a Messenger conversation starts. To set up this type of ad, go to Facebook’s Advertising page. Click the Create an Ad button in the top-right corner and choose one of two ad objectives that give you Messenger options. In the Consideration column, you choose Messages; in the Conversion column, you choose Conversions. Sponsored messages: You can set up sponsored messages to communicate with users who have previously held conversations with your business. Again, go to Facebook’s Advertising page and click the Create an Ad button. The objective to choose for this is Messages. Then choose the Click to Messenger button and, from the drop-down menu, choose Sponsored Message. Then input your message where prompted. Messenger home placement: This type of ad is related to placement and can be set for any ad objective. It allows you to set up an ad objective and have it show up in Messenger as one of your choices.

Article / Updated 07-27-2018

Facebook is just one tool you can use to supply a stellar customer experience. As many online marketers look at their newly available customer data from a variety of sources, they realize that their customer experience is sorely lacking. Becoming more customer-centric is the mantra of savvy executives who understand that the companies who make it easy to find and use their products will prevail. One of the best ways to differentiate yourself from your competitors is to provide outstanding customer support. Stellar customer service encourages people to become repeat buyers and sales advocates. Messenger excels in its capability to provide you with easy tools to wow your customers. What can it do for your business? Here are five ways it can enhance your customer service. Messenger is Two-way and real-time: Customers can get immediate answers instead of putting in a support ticket or waiting for an email reply. Private: Customers who are dealing with sensitive matters can opt to make their communications private. An aid to solving problems: Customers can immediately communicate their concerns and get answers. This helps keep the emotional temperature down when things go awry. Self-serve: Customers can place orders or get critical logistics questions answered. Expands channel communication: The website Messenger plug-in allows people to contact you privately from your FB Page. For more information about this plug-in, go to.

Article / Updated 07-27-2018

Did you know that more than 1.3 billion people use Facebook Messenger each month? Also, according to Business Insider, in 2015 the “combined user base of the top four chat apps (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, and Viber) was larger than the combined user base of the top four social networks (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn).” This trend toward using chat apps shows no signs of abating. Facebook added Messenger to its business Pages in 2017 in recognition of the fact that real-time and two-way communication help businesses more effectively find and convert customers. Messenger, with its near instant gratification and self-serve features, provides a more satisfying customer experience than calling tech support or emailing with questions. Most people know from first-hand experience that calling customer support and sitting on hold is deadly. In fact, according to a survey done by Nielsen in 2016, 56 percent of people would rather message than call customer service. Benefitting from Facebook Messenger So how can your business benefit from using Messenger? Here are several ways for both you and your customers to benefit: Offers a better customer experience: Direct messaging gets customers quick answers that make the customer experience more satisfying. Differentiates your company: You stand out when your customer responses are top notch. Competitors with lackluster performance will fall behind. Provides a one-stop shop for purchases: Customer can place orders and you can accept payment right from your Facebook Page, which is great for impulse buys. Supplies better information for customers: Customers can engage with Messenger to get product information when they need it. Understanding guidelines for Facebook Messenger To protect customer privacy, Facebook set down some guidelines for using Messenger to communicate with fans. Here are some things you can’t do with Messenger: Initiate a messenger conversation: You may communicate only with someone who makes a comment, either privately or publicly. Download customer email addresses: When someone communicates through Messenger, you won't be able to download the person's email address. Send messages if your Page is blocked: If someone has chosen to block you or your Page, you can’t communicate using Messenger. Enabling Facebook Messenger To use Messenger, you need to enable it from your Facebook Page. Enabling Messenger is straightforward and takes only five steps: Click Settings at the top of your Facebook Page. Choose General from the list of links on the left. Click the edit link next to the word Messages. Select the Allow People to Contact My Page Privately by Showing the Message Button box. Click Save Changes.

Article / Updated 07-27-2018

The Quote Plugin lets website visitors highlight any text on your Facebook Page and share it with their friends. Users don't need any special permissions to use a quote from your Facebook Page. To add the Quote Plugin to your web page, follow these steps: Visit Facebook’s Plugin Page and click the Quote Plugin link. To see how the Quote Plugin works, click the Try the Plugin button and highlight any part of the sentence displayed (select part of this sentence to see the plug-in in action). When you highlight some of the text, you see a pop-up that says Share Quote. Click the Share Quote pop-up, and you get the screen shown below with a drop-down menu (near the top-left corner) that gives you the following choices: Share on Your Timeline Share on a Friend's Timeline Share in a Group Share in an Event Share on a Page You Manage After you make your choice, enter a comment under your profile picture that you want to make about the quote. Click the Friends drop-down menu to choose who will see the share. Click Post to Facebook.