I am becoming more and more skeptical over the use of Facebook fan pages for contractors. Not only will most people never return to your fan page after maybe liking it the first time, but they forget you even existed the second they hit the like button. Watch the video for more proof Facebook is over-rated as a marketing tool for contractors! Can’t see video, click here.
8 responses to “More Proof Facebook Fan Pages Are Useless?”
Nah, that’s not it. Readers who read an actual magazine, like to see numbers….and we both know numbers don’t matter much…but for some reason, other people thing so. It just makes a good story to say they had 3 million+ likes or whatever……instead of saying “Our revenue increase ___%” or “We’re still seeing revenue growth from it”, for some reason, people think they want to hear/read that…but really its not entertaining enough for them.
Don’t forget that it gives you another publishing tool. People who “like” your page will see everything you post on your page in their news feed. The key is to leverage that with great and useful content.
I don’t look at Facebook as a marketing tool, but as more of a networking and branding opportunity, just part of an overall plan. I agree you need to have your other ducks in a row first!
I disagree that FB is not a valuable tool for a contractor. It’s certainly not the ONLY place you should be investing your time online–but it does support an overall online marketing and branding effort in a number of ways.
What’s difficult to track, and thus difficult to quantify (something that makes ME skeptical when looking at places to invest my time and money, certainly), is all of the various ways prospects interact with you and your brand before they end up calling you. We all know that it can take a number of touches/impressions before folks will remember and call you when they have need of your product or service. To me, FB has a place in an overall marketing program–just like my yard signs, business cards, networking events, blog articles, magazine appearances, etc. etc. etc.
Getting your clients to interact with you online is difficult–but when they do it is an incredibly powerful credibility multiplier. It also extends the reach of your content, on Facebook, to their personal networks. Those are impressions with a kick.
Each and every time I have someone come to me asking for a job, I go looking for what their FB activity says about them. I do the same for prospective clients as well. Many of our prospects are doing the same thing–they go searching online for feedback wherever they can find it. They want to know more than just what you’re saying about yourself on your own website. TO that end, FB is a place that can generate a positive discussion about you and your company.
With search becoming increasingly influenced by social media, it is more important than ever to cast a wide net online–with your website, of course, in the center. Recency, interaction, and “share” factor are IMO the keys to search engine dominance. FB definitely supports that.
This year, FB has been the #6 source of traffic to my website. I’ve had media folks contact me about doing articles based on posts to my FB page and I’ve been able to find out about other PR opportunities through participating and reading other folks pages as well.
I can’t tell you a dollar figure for what my FB activities have brought in. But there’s no question in my mind it has been of benefit.
Hi Chris,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. You make great points, and to qualify them a bit, I want to say this:
That is all I am saying as well. Problem is, too many companies stop at the waters edge and don’t focus on the only place on the web they control…their own site. Secondly, realize that FB is still a walled garden in that unless someone is searching specifically on FB, there are no FB results in general search. And so I pose the question to you: have you developed new business directly from your FB efforts? No one has ever said to me they found me on FB, they have said they found me on RemodelCrazy.com, Google, ContractorTalk and Twitter, but never FB. I think what Chris Haught said says it best, she said “I don’t look at Facebook as a marketing tool, but as more of a networking and branding opportunity, just part of an overall plan.”
Well, you inspired one of our members at Blogging Painters Darren! Read what Heidi has to say! http://bloggingpainters.com/2011/08/28/i-love-facebook-but-does-facebook-love-me/
Hey Chris,
Thanks for the heads up! That is a hell of a lesson Heidi learned. I have commented on her post and hope to hear from her! Thanks again!
I am sure you will, if you take a look at her blog and site, she is very creative and enjoys learning about how to improve it, and your site is a great place for that.