At BARQAR we’ve written extensively about the power of Facebook as a marketing tool (in fact, we’ve listed a few can’t-miss posts on the topic below). And with good reason: Facebook is a digital marketer’s dream!
It’s an amazing platform for:
- increasing awareness
- building your brand
- driving qualified traffic to your site
- and generating a response with highly targeted ads…
…but to achieve these goals, your audience must first find you.
Facebook’s popularity also makes it an extremely competitive platform: Businesses must compete for space in users’ News Feeds with posts from friends and family, and organic reach for company posts has been dwindling. But, by applying these basic SEO techniques to your company’s Facebook Page, you can increase its visibility organically (on both Facebook and in search engines like Google):
How to Optimize Your Facebook Page SEO
- Use a keyword planning tool to conduct keyword research. Before you get started with Facebook SEO, you must understand which keywords and search strings are most relevant for your business. As we explain in this earlier post, you can use the Google AdWords Keyword Planner to develop a list of core keywords and phrases. Google also provides clues on how users search right in its search bar (check out the autocomplete results as you type in a search term) and at the bottom of search results pages (searches related to “your search term”). Use what you learn to choose a handful of terms to incorporate throughout your Facebook Page – in the About section, Description section, Headline, and even your photo captions and updates.
- Choose your page name carefully. Once you set it, you’re stuck with it – so choose wisely! Pick a name that will serve your business well over the long-term, using wording that includes a keyword (if possible) and complements your core brand.
- Optimize your vanity URL. Your vanity URL is the custom username you create for your Facebook Page in your Page Settings. For maximum SEO benefit, make sure the username matches your company’s name, is tailored to your brand, and is memorable.
- Boost local SEO with accurate contact information. If your market is local or hyperlocal, potential customers may use Facebook’s location-based search features to find you. Ensure your Page appears near the top of relevant searches by filling out contact info correctly and completely. In the About section, include your address, phone number, website URL and all other fields.
- Build backlinks. A backlink (also known as an inbound link) is a hyperlink that’s created on another site and links back to your own. High-quality backlinks – ones that come from reputable sites germane to your business – are critical to Facebook SEO, because they signal to search engines that your content is relevant and valuable. Here are a few ways to create and earn quality backlinks:
- Add backlinks from your own website to your Facebook Page (blog posts are a great way to do this).
- Share your Facebook Page link with other brands and organizations with which you partner.
- Include your Facebook Page URL in local online business directories, such as the Better Business Bureau, Google My Business, Yelp and TripAdvisor.
- Guest post on popular sites in your industry or niche, and include your Facebook link in those posts.
- Follow and engage with influencers on Facebook. Build a relationship with them over time, and they might start directing their audience to your Page.
Learn more about Facebook advertising:
What Can Facebook Target with Its Advertising?
Are You Using Facebook Ads Effectively?
5 Ways to Use Facebook Ads to Grow Your Practice
Which Would Work Better for Your Business – Facebook Ads or Google Ads?
What PPC Advertising Campaign Should You Go With?
Need help creating a Facebook advertising strategy?
Trust our social media marketing experts! BARQAR can help you build and execute the ideal social advertising strategy for your goals, audience and industry.
