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How to Promote Your Directory Website Using Facebook
October 9, 2020
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of ways to market a local business directory website, but one of the most popular ways is social media, especially Facebook. Since it provides instant access to both consumers and local businesses, it’s the perfect way to market a local business directory and coupon website for your area. You can promote your directory site on Facebook anytime from the comfort of your home or mobile device, and best of all: it’s free, making it a very attractive marketing option for anyone just starting out or on a tight budget.
Facebook is the social media platform that Ideal Directories site owners tend to gravitate to most. It’s the #1 most-used social media application in the U.S. as of the time of this writing, and it’s built around the sharing of photos, text, links, and videos. As much as 45% of business owners are active on Facebook * and its user base is constantly expanding. With lots of visually-focused content and tons of local visitors, it almost feels like it was designed specifically for marketing small businesses, which is why it’s so valuable to a business directory owner. Here’s how to approach it:
Create a “Page” for Your Site on Facebook
The first thing you should do is login to your personal Facebook account and find the option to add a Page. Whatever the name of your directory website is, make sure your Facebook Page matches that as close as possible. Then, upload your logo for brand recognition and consistency, along with a relevant Cover Image. You might want to add some photos of familiar places in the community for better local recognition. When you have a consistent look and feel from your site to your Facebook page, it creates an extra level of professionalism, so it’s important to take the time to do this. Facebook also allows you to add some additional content to your actual profile, helping you quickly convey your brand and purpose to anyone who stumbles upon your page. Make sure you add a link to your Ideal Directories website (your site URL) so that people can easily access your site from your Facebook Page.
Engage with Local Businesses
Once your Facebook page is setup, it’s time to engage with local businesses. Since so many local businesses are on Facebook already, it shouldn’t be too hard to find them. Facebook lets you conduct searches to find businesses, so try that first. If you’re not finding the business you had in mind, then try visiting the company’s website to see if they link to their Facebook page on there. Reach out to these local businesses on Facebook, introduce them to your directory website and the benefits of advertising on your site, and encourage them to sign up for a listing to increase their exposure in the community.
Another quick way to build engagement is to use Facebook’s “Invite” feature which will introduce your new Page to your Facebook friends and ask them to Like it. You never know who is connected to a small business owner or potential advertiser. It may even surprise you that some of your friends are business owners that you didn’t realize.
Facebook allows you to have both public and private communications with other users on the platform. You can use “@ Mentions” in posts and comments for a public note that everyone can see, or use Facebook’s Messenger function for private 1-on-1 conversations. Depending on whether you’re casually making an introduction or pitching someone on your services would probably determine how you choose to communicate.
Promote Your Advertisers
One of the easiest ways to get people’s attention on Facebook is to start posting on your Page. There are many different types of posts you can create, all with different purposes. The first thing you might post about are the listings that already appear on your site. It’s as simple as copy-pasting a Listing URL from your site and writing a few words about the business and why you chose to post them that day. By posting links to your directory listings, you’re giving your clients exposure while also giving your brand exposure. It’s the perfect combination! Make sure that you post and mention every new advertiser you get, as well as occasionally spotlighting a local business on your site. One added benefit of doing this is that it could attract the attention of other businesses who are interested in getting that same exposure.
Post Relevant Content
News and events serve as other great types of posts you can make on your Facebook Page. Locate reliable local news sources, and check their websites for content you feel is relevant to the types of consumers who are interested in shopping locally. Any type of content that has to do with local businesses, shopping, saving money, or exploring locally would be perfect to put on your Page.
When it comes to events, your first priority should be posting about the events that already appear on your Events page of your directorysite. The more promotion you do for those events, the more it benefits the business who added that event. However, you can also feature events you find from other sources, and post about those, especially if they involve shopping, local businesses, or the local community. Remember: you’ve now got a local community voice, so the more you do to encourage community involvement, the better it is for everyone.
Run a Promotion
Lastly, Facebook can be a great way to feature a promotion or discount for business owners who want to get a listing on your website. The simplest and most straightforward way to do this would be to create a discount Coupon Code in your Ideal Directories dashboard that business owners can use during the sign up process. Post it – put it out there on social media to offer to any local business who sees it. People love saving money, and if you can reward or incentivize someone to join your site by offering them a discount, then it will probably be well worth it. And since they saw the promotion on Facebook, they are probably more likely to spread the word on their Facebook account, which increases your exposure. It’s a win-win for everyone. Here’s a suggestion: create a coupon code “FACEBOOK40” for 40% off. Create a stir and get people excited to do business with you.
While all of these ideas to promote your directory website on social media are free, you might be able to amplify or accelerate the effectiveness of these techniques by paying to boost any and all of your posts. Costs vary by audience size, demographic, and messaging, but it’s a great way to get more eyeballs on the work you’re doing. Whatever you decide to do on Facebook, don’t forget to link to your Page from your business directory website. It’s very simple to do, and it lets people who find out about your site discover what you’re doing on social. So what are you waiting for? Start promoting your Ideal Directories business directory site on Facebook right now!
* Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/467379/local-merchant-facebook-marketing-usage-usa/
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of ways to market a local business directory website, but one of the most popular ways is social media, especially Facebook. Since it provides instant access to both consumers and local businesses, it’s the perfect way to market a local business directory and coupon website for your area. You can promote your directory site on Facebook anytime from the comfort of your home or mobile device, and best of all: it’s free, making it a very attractive marketing option for anyone just starting out or on a tight budget.
Facebook is the social media platform that Ideal Directories site owners tend to gravitate to most. It’s the #1 most-used social media application in the U.S. as of the time of this writing, and it’s built around the sharing of photos, text, links, and videos. As much as 45% of business owners are active on Facebook * and its user base is constantly expanding. With lots of visually-focused content and tons of local visitors, it almost feels like it was designed specifically for marketing small businesses, which is why it’s so valuable to a business directory owner. Here’s how to approach it:
Create a “Page” for Your Site on Facebook
The first thing you should do is login to your personal Facebook account and find the option to add a Page. Whatever the name of your directory website is, make sure your Facebook Page matches that as close as possible. Then, upload your logo for brand recognition and consistency, along with a relevant Cover Image. You might want to add some photos of familiar places in the community for better local recognition. When you have a consistent look and feel from your site to your Facebook page, it creates an extra level of professionalism, so it’s important to take the time to do this. Facebook also allows you to add some additional content to your actual profile, helping you quickly convey your brand and purpose to anyone who stumbles upon your page. Make sure you add a link to your Ideal Directories website (your site URL) so that people can easily access your site from your Facebook Page.
Engage with Local Businesses
Once your Facebook page is setup, it’s time to engage with local businesses. Since so many local businesses are on Facebook already, it shouldn’t be too hard to find them. Facebook lets you conduct searches to find businesses, so try that first. If you’re not finding the business you had in mind, then try visiting the company’s website to see if they link to their Facebook page on there. Reach out to these local businesses on Facebook, introduce them to your directory website and the benefits of advertising on your site, and encourage them to sign up for a listing to increase their exposure in the community.
Another quick way to build engagement is to use Facebook’s “Invite” feature which will introduce your new Page to your Facebook friends and ask them to Like it. You never know who is connected to a small business owner or potential advertiser. It may even surprise you that some of your friends are business owners that you didn’t realize.
Facebook allows you to have both public and private communications with other users on the platform. You can use “@ Mentions” in posts and comments for a public note that everyone can see, or use Facebook’s Messenger function for private 1-on-1 conversations. Depending on whether you’re casually making an introduction or pitching someone on your services would probably determine how you choose to communicate.
Promote Your Advertisers
One of the easiest ways to get people’s attention on Facebook is to start posting on your Page. There are many different types of posts you can create, all with different purposes. The first thing you might post about are the listings that already appear on your site. It’s as simple as copy-pasting a Listing URL from your site and writing a few words about the business and why you chose to post them that day. By posting links to your directory listings, you’re giving your clients exposure while also giving your brand exposure. It’s the perfect combination! Make sure that you post and mention every new advertiser you get, as well as occasionally spotlighting a local business on your site. One added benefit of doing this is that it could attract the attention of other businesses who are interested in getting that same exposure.
Post Relevant Content
News and events serve as other great types of posts you can make on your Facebook Page. Locate reliable local news sources, and check their websites for content you feel is relevant to the types of consumers who are interested in shopping locally. Any type of content that has to do with local businesses, shopping, saving money, or exploring locally would be perfect to put on your Page.
When it comes to events, your first priority should be posting about the events that already appear on your Events page of your directorysite. The more promotion you do for those events, the more it benefits the business who added that event. However, you can also feature events you find from other sources, and post about those, especially if they involve shopping, local businesses, or the local community. Remember: you’ve now got a local community voice, so the more you do to encourage community involvement, the better it is for everyone.
Run a Promotion
Lastly, Facebook can be a great way to feature a promotion or discount for business owners who want to get a listing on your website. The simplest and most straightforward way to do this would be to create a discount Coupon Code in your Ideal Directories dashboard that business owners can use during the sign up process. Post it – put it out there on social media to offer to any local business who sees it. People love saving money, and if you can reward or incentivize someone to join your site by offering them a discount, then it will probably be well worth it. And since they saw the promotion on Facebook, they are probably more likely to spread the word on their Facebook account, which increases your exposure. It’s a win-win for everyone. Here’s a suggestion: create a coupon code “FACEBOOK40” for 40% off. Create a stir and get people excited to do business with you.
While all of these ideas to promote your directory website on social media are free, you might be able to amplify or accelerate the effectiveness of these techniques by paying to boost any and all of your posts. Costs vary by audience size, demographic, and messaging, but it’s a great way to get more eyeballs on the work you’re doing. Whatever you decide to do on Facebook, don’t forget to link to your Page from your business directory website. It’s very simple to do, and it lets people who find out about your site discover what you’re doing on social. So what are you waiting for? Start promoting your Ideal Directories business directory site on Facebook right now!
* Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/467379/local-merchant-facebook-marketing-usage-usa/