With 96 percent of small businesses on Facebook, it’s obvious that the business world understands the value of social media. But what percentage of these companies are actually generating business from Facebook?

Knowing the ins-and-outs of promoted posts and ads is the best solution for generating business on Facebook.

Here are five ways to ensure Facebook activities for your business get results.

Budget

Social media is gradually becoming to a “pay-to-play” arena, which means you need to consider allotting a portion of your budget to online marketing. The good news here is that you can expect a decent return on what you pay for.

The helpful tools on Facebook, combined with creative marketing services from an agency, will guarantee the best results. But you can also achieve some success through trial and error, learning the types of content your social fans are most interested in.

We’ll give you a hint: discounts, coupons and promotions are a good way to start.

Go Mobile

Did you know that most Facebook users access the site through their phones?

There’s a Facebook plugin for Google Chrome called Power Editor that gives you the option to send ads to mobile users only. Simply add the plugin, view Facebook using the Google Chrome browser, and it will help you manage where you place your ads, whether they’re on desktop or mobile news feeds.

Studies show that mobile ads earn up to 2.5 times more than desktop ads, but results may vary depending on your audience. Learn more about Facebook’s Power Editor here.

Create Offers

One of the most successful ways to increase your online following is by posting giveaways or special offers that entice your followers to interact with you. Facebook has a great tool for creating and distributing offers that can help generate leads and expand your reach.

The advantage to using the Facebook tool over simply posting an offer on your company page is that the tool will guarantee greater distribution, and your fans can redeem the offer with the click of a button, which will then automatically advertise your offer on the person’s news feed. Before you know it, your business is everywhere!

When creating your offer, keep in mind that free giveaways go a long way with most audiences. Learn how to use this tool here.

Customize Your Audience

When you create ads on Facebook you get the option to select who you want to see your ad. This works particularly well if you already have an email list of customers. You can upload that email list to your Facebook page and then send them updates whenever you want. This tactic has proven successful in generating more sales. Some companies have reported a 25-time return on their ads. To learn how to customize your audience, click here.

Follow the 20-Percent Rule

A picture is worth a thousand words, so let your images speak for you. The 20-percent rule means that when you post about a product, an offer, or an event, only allow 20 percent of the space for words, and let the remaining 80 percent of the post show your audience what you’re talking about.

This is a proven method for getting people to pay attention to your company. If your images are engaging, it will entice your audience to share them with others, which will help build your presence online.

If you’d like to point your business in the right direction on Facebook, we can help.