Facebook still drives real business results when you use it right.
Start by thinking about one clear goal: more leads, more sales, or better brand awareness. Pick a single metric and hang your plan on it.
Your posts must stop the scroll. Short videos, bright images, and single-line captions work best. Try a 15-second clip showing your product in action, followed by a caption that asks a simple question. Questions like "Which color should we launch next?" or "Tag someone who needs this" push people to comment and share.
Use chat tools to speed up content creation. Prompt templates let you make headlines, captions, and simple ad copy in minutes. But always tweak tone and specifics so the voice fits your brand. AI is a time saver, not a full replacement for human judgment.
When you run ads, target behavior rather than vague interests. Use custom audiences from your website visitors, email lists, or video viewers. Test three creative variations per ad set and let the best performer run. Keep your offers clear: a discount, a free demo, or a limited-time bundle.
Measure the right things. Clicks mean interest, but conversion rate shows if your page and offer work. If you get clicks but no conversions, check your landing page speed, headline, and CTA. Small changes can lift conversion rates a lot.
Post consistently but smartly. It's better to post three high-quality updates a week than daily filler. Schedule posts for when your audience is active; for many small businesses that's early evening or lunchtime. Use Facebook Insights to find exact times.
Use Messenger and comments to build relationships. Reply fast, be helpful, and keep answers short. For common questions, prepare saved replies to cut response time. When a conversation becomes a lead, move it to a private chat and ask for an email or phone number.
Leverage social proof. Share short customer videos, before-and-after photos, or a screenshot of a review. Social proof reduces doubt and builds trust quickly.
Don't ignore organic testing. Post different formats - carousel, single image, live video - and watch which format gets the most shares and saves. Then boost the winners with a small ad spend to reach more people who act similarly to your existing audience.
Watch your ad frequency and creative fatigue. If ads stop performing after a couple thousand impressions, refresh creative and update copy. Rotate visuals and offers monthly.
Finally, keep learning from your data. Create a simple weekly report: top post, top ad, cost per acquisition, and one test idea to try next week. Small, steady improvements beat grand plans that never get tested.
Example: run a one-week test with two video ads and one carousel. Set a low daily budget, target people who visited your pricing page, and ask for email in exchange for a 10% off code. Track cost per lead and which creative gets the most comments. After a week, double the budget on the winner and try a new angle on the loser. Repeat this simple loop and you'll improve results without huge risk. Today.
