Fact: Today’s consumer turns to the internet before the phone book. We go there for reviews, pricing, hours of operation, contact info, latest happenings, buying, comparison, location, videos and pictures –to name a few. If a small business is able to address even some of these key issues with their website, they will inevitably reach new customers, save time spent on the phone, and have a leg up over competitors.

Fiction: Websites need to be updated all the time. Yeah, it’s great to keep potential customers in the loop about what’s happening with your business, but this info doesn’t have to be posted to your website. If site maintenance is of concern to you, you’re better off omitting time sensitive information to avoid outdated pages.

Fact: Sometimes less is more. If you don’t have the budget or skills to create a site with all the bells and whistles, that’s not a deal breaker. Websites should be clean, informative, and functional. Simplicity in many cases will provide the user with the information they need, and will allow them to take the next step by visiting your business in person.

For more information about how a website might benefit your small biz or to get pricing info, please contact Twelve Oaks Group. It maybe more affordable than you think!

Elizabeth

Elizabeth McPhail grew up learning about the trials, tribulations, and perks of small family-owned business. She creates and maintains websites and blogs, and in her spare time can be found on the water boating!

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Cyber security expert Rick Doten tells Marshable,

“…companies should allow employees to post online about the company in a positive light, but cautions that employees who use social media too carelessly can give away sensitive details about a firm’s internal business.”

“If I see someone tweeting about a conference in Omaha, I can guess what’s    happening there. Social media’s great from a competitive counter-intelligence point of view. I can learn a lot [by] following tweets.”

- 4 Tips to Protect Your Small Business Against Cyberattacks

Twelve Oaks Group realizes that not every company is at extreme risk of sharing counter-intel information via Facebook or Twitter, but it is important to think about what kind of company information is being represented on the internet. Companies that don’t have a Facebook and Twitter account still need to take into consideration how an employee might be representing their business online. In some cases, business that do not have a social media account will find that their business is listed on Facebook and may even have a few “likes”, but the rest of the pages are completely empty. While this does not necessarily pose as a counter-intel threat, it doesn’t help your business put its best foot forward either. Or perhaps you’ve got a product or service on the market that’s loved by customers –loved so much that one of those customers created an unofficial business page for you. Again, not necessarily a counter-intel threat, but it does pose a risk.

If used correctly, Facebook is a very effective tool in helping you connect with current and potential customers. Interested in getting your business on Facebook? Contact Twelve Oaks Group! We can help your business master the perks of Facebook –one of the best values in online advertising anywhere.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth McPhail grew up learning about the trials, tribulations, and perks of small family-owned business. She creates and maintains websites and blogs, and in her spare time can be found on the water boating!

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As the company grew at an amazing speed, it was becoming more apparent that businesses were not having their needs met on Facebook. Facebook has come up with an alternative called Facebook “Pages.” So why is it a business should have a Facebook Page? Let’s take a look.

New Fans

According to Forrester Research -State Of Consumers And Technology: Benchmark 2011, US Report, 96% of the total US adults online using social networks have an account with Facebook. With Facebook ranking as the number one social network of choice, the obvious question might be why isn’t your business on Facebook? (Elkay Corporate Advisors, “Top Ten Benefits of Having a Facebook Business Page,” November 10, 2011)

Personal accounts were designed specifically for individuals – not businesses or brands. A Page allows a business to showcase their work, as well as communicate with fans. And let’s face it – there are a whole lot of fans out there. That means potentially you could gain a whole lot of sales for your products and services. Even if they don’t visit your website or blog, the likelihood of a Facebook user logging into their Facebook account at least once a day has a high probability of success. In turn, that means they just might click on that new post you put out today.

Indexing

By creating a fan page on Facebook, you are increasing your chances that the search engines will index the content that you publish on your page. Hmmm, that means the name of your business and your brand is going to appear in front of more eyes than ever before increasing your visibility tenfold.

Analytics

Who’s visited your fan page? You don’t know? One of the beauties of having a Facebook fan page is that you get comprehensive reporting called Insights. For those administrative representatives (Admins) that you appoint to manage your page or app developers, they can have access to metrics on the performance of your Page or app. Gain everything from user growth and demographics, consumption of content, and creation of content. Admins and developers can use this information to make more informed decisions on how to improve your business with Facebook.

Facebook Places

If you have walk-in traffic to your business and have a street address, you can incorporate Facebook Places to have clients and customers check in. Places is a Facebook mobile application that gives you information as to where your friends are, but it can also let you share your physical location. You can check in to nearby Places to tell your friends where you are, tag your friends in the Places you visit, and keep track of your friends’ comments that they’ve made about Places you visit. Use Places to experience Facebook in a completely new way by connecting with your friends in the real world which can help drive traffic to your fan page.

Price

You won’t pay a better price for a Facebook Page because it’s absolutely free! Now that is sure to fit your small business budget, wouldn’t you agree?

Facebook has been described by some people as “the new web”. Your small business can leverage Facebook pages and ads to connect with customers and potential customers. Why not call Twelve Oaks Group at (731) 337-4330 right now and let us show you why it only makes good sense to have your very own Facebook page. If you’re not marketing on Facebook, your small business is missing out on one of the best values in online advertising anywhere.

Twelve Oaks Group

Tennessee-based Twelve Oak Group is unique in its approach to its customers. Each team member is committed to helping grow small business, making local government more accessible, and enhancing communities with their web design and consulting services expertise. We will not deviate from this approach!

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You can’t “like” the Profile – the owner must “friend you”

Now if I land on a profile and it’s been created as a profile page, doggone it, I can’t tell you that! I’m at your whim as to whether they will friend me or not. With a Page, you can like their wall, their post, their photo, oh my.

You can’t check into the profile

Facebook has a mobile application that allows you to see where your friends are. Not only that, you can share your physical location. The things you can check with your “Place” page is amazing. It gives you a map of where the Place is located, a list of friends who are currently checked in at the Place (if any), and a Friend Activity stream of other friends who have visited the Place in the past. Cool, huh?

Having a place on Facebook provides you with a way to interact with your customers, as well as to promote and grow your business. Give potential customers the capability to check in at your business and you give them the ability to tell all their friends about it.

You don’t get any “Insights” so you have no idea who’s visiting or if they’re reading your content or sharing it.

Here, let me show you. As you look at a the image below, you will notice all sorts of activity for a particular Page.

You can’t get this level of reporting on who is checking out your business if you use a Profile page for your business.

The Profile Name is restricted — first and last name — which makes it hard to enter a business name.

Say for example you did want to set up a Profile for well, Twelve Oaks Group. You can’t have that in a Profile because you are limited to and required by Facebook to put your real first name and your last name. See the problem?

Facebook Has and May Crack Down Further on Non-Human profiles (like businesses).

Now, try as you might, you’re just not going to convince Facebook that your business is a human. If you insist on setting up a profile for your business by skirting the rules, they may just delete your profile without warning. Then where would you be?

Some people describe Facebook as “the new web”. Small businesses can leverage Facebook pages and ads to connect with customers and potential customers. You can target specific target groups based on location, age, and interest. If you’re not marketing on Facebook, your small business is missing out on one of the best values in online advertising anywhere.

Your Dyer, Tennessee-based Twelve Oaks Group has social media marketing experts that can guide you in your marketing efforts with not only Facebook, but also Twitter and LinkedIn. Why not contact us right now while you’re thinking about it by calling (731) 337-4330.

Twelve Oaks Group

Tennessee-based Twelve Oak Group is unique in its approach to its customers. Each team member is committed to helping grow small business, making local government more accessible, and enhancing communities with their web design and consulting services expertise. We will not deviate from this approach!

More Posts – Website

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