Facebook is as ubiquitous today as the television or sliced bread. While most of us grew up in a time before even cell phones existed, today’s youth can contact each other at any time of day, no matter where they are, by posting on each others’ walls. Tap into this constant connection with your customers using the strategies detailed below.

If you are especially shy, you should find a way to overcome that before you start trying to market your business. People will not clamor to do business with someone that seems to have a hard time communicating. If this is not something you can change, you should consider hiring someone to do your marketing for you.

You can build value for your Facebook campaign by using this platform to share exclusive content. Give some specific examples of the kind of exclusive content your subscribers have access to. You could for instance use Facebook to share some coupon codes or let your subscribers know about the new products you have not released yet.

All content that you post online should be linked from the Facebook page. If you publish a blog, configure Facebook to automatically include a link and summary of your post. Your Tweets are posted to your Facebook by simply linking the two.

When you want more people to Like your page, offer them something they can’t get unless they click that Like button. One easy way to do this is by running a contest which only those who Like your page can enter. You could also offer a free ebook in return for a Like.

Use Facebook as a customer service tool. Invite customers to send you questions, comments or complaints by commenting on your Facebook page. This is a great way to display your excellent customer service policies. Answer questions in details and offer refunds or new products right away to the customers who complain.

Never buy Facebook fans to make you look bigger than you are. It may be tempting to throw down some cash to buy your way in to big fan numbers, but it never turns out the way you want. Those hallow fans bring nothing to the table, and people who are in the business can see through this tactic in a heartbeat. It’s never worth it.

If you’re working on building your fan base, consider using “Like Ads”. These are ads that include a call to action to Like your page right from the ad itself. These ads seem to be just as effective in the News Feed as they are in the right column, so play with the placement.

If someone takes the time to comment on your wall, give them the courtesy of a response. If someone reaches out to you, they deserve to be acknowledged. It’s like a phone call: you would never leave it at a message left on your machine, would you?

Consider using Facebook advertising. By paying for Facebook ads, you can reach a larger audience by targeting specific demographics. This can get your Facebook page a lot of attention, and that’s important. Try it out for a while and then cancel it if it does not seem to be working.

Off a sign up option as a part of your Facebook page to get your audience engaged. If you give the audience something when they sign up to get marketing messages from you, it can lead to potential customers becoming paying ones. Run a contest or a sweepstakes, or just offer something that they will be interested in getting.

Use your Facebook business page as a content platform. You can use your page as a publishing platform that can channel your audience and further the reach of your content. If you have a blog that you write on, update your Facebook page to tell everyone about it and allow them to access it. After all, you may not get visitors to your blog on a daily basis. The more you write and publish in various locations, the further your valuable content can reach your audience.

Respond to your fans. Remember Facebook is social! Your fans have begun following you because they are interested in what you have to offer. They want to communicate with you. If they are writing questions or having a conversation, get involved back. Answer those questions and get in the conversation. It’ll build a lot of loyalty among your followers.

Keep your Facebook posts related to your the brand you are selling or at least to the relevant industry. You can discuss a related happening in the news, post a Youtube video that is about your topic or share interesting comments that have been shared by followers of your Facebook page.

The ability to market to your customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is amazing. You can also market to anyone anywhere in the world. Facebook gives you the ability, but it is your job to take advantage of it. Use what you’ve read here to create a campaign which fulfills your dreams.

What You Need To Know About Facebook Marketing was originally published on Spring