Facebook is NOT Social Media – Here’s Why…

OK, of course Facebook is social media. It’s the de facto standard and the 800 lb gorilla of social media. But what I mean is advertising on Facebook isn’t social media.

Here’s what I mean.

If you’re planning on your post/boosted post/ad to go viral, you can forget it. It’s a rare occurrence and outside of adding cats* to your post, you can’t guarantee a post or ad will go viral, or even that anyone will share it just once.

What Facebook advertising is, is perhaps the best way to target your message.

Facebook can segment it’s 1,500,000,000 (1.5 billion) users by 88 main categories. And it gives that info to you – the business owner. Facebook Advertising

Want to segment by location – easy

How about by Net Worth? Folks looking to move? People who live in apartments? By age? By relationship status? Education? Job title? Life event? Political affiliation? Food or drink likes? Sports? Car? – All available – and stackable! 

That means you can target your ad to someone 20 miles from your store who is a financial professional that rides a motorcycle and has lived in his/her house for 20 years (if that’s who your target customer is.)

So, stop planning on your ad/page/post to go viral – chances are pretty good it won’t. Start planning your ads to hit the target people you’re looking for directly. Done right, it works like a charm.

Of course, if you need help with your lead generation and lead management, give us a call (973/736-3001)

* yes, I’m kidding – sort of.

It’s Dead, Jim…

CellCon Consulting

Yes, I know it’s “Star Wars Day” (May the 4th), but I couldn’t help using an old Star Trek line for today’s headline.

Today, I’m referring to organic views. Whenever you post on Facebook, (or many other social media platforms) people will see your post – without you paying for it – just on it’s own, or as it’s called, organic views.

It’s estimated that only approximately 10% of your followers or “like-ers” will see an organic post. So if you have 100 views, 10 may see an organic post. And if you sell various products or services, it may not even be the right 10.

But it’s now even easier to target exactly those who you want to see the post. Facebook CellCon Consultingalone offers over 100 different target options. Sure geography and demographics but also things like “likely to move” “net worth” job title, “purchaser of business software” and many more.

So, yes, of course you should still post and not only rely on ads, but if you think that alone is enough to get your message across to the right targets, it’s just not. It’s time to expand to the paid side of social media advertising.

What’s the Difference between Facebook Ads and Google Adwords?

What's the difference - Google Ads vs Facebook Ads - CellCon ConsultingFirst, let me say this is really the difference between Search and Social Media advertising – but I’m using the 2 800lb gorillas as examples.

It’s a question I get – a lot.  Before I tell you the differences, let me tell you what’s similar about them:

Both let you highly target your ad so it’s seen by who you want, and who your perfect target audience is. Both let you control the ad budget. Both give you reports on how well your ad is doing, and give you suggestions on how to expand your target audience.

Now for the main differences:

To me, it’s the difference between subliminal advertising and “in your face” advertising. Let me explain:

Facebook advertising from CellCon ConsultingI like to call Facebook ads Subliminal Advertising. Very very few folks go on Facebook looking for a business recommendation. They go on to play games, look at pictures, bitch complain about politics, etc. Sometimes they ask about a business for X, Y or Z.

But the chance they’re asking about your type of business is small. Very, very small. And even when they do, it will take an advocate of yours to (a) see it and (b) take the time to post on your behalf. Does it happen? Sure, but you’re not in control of the response when it does.

However, Facebook ads show up anyway. In your newsfeed, on your wall, in the groups you visit and the pages you like. Not to mention that they show up outside of Facecbook as part of the Facebook partner network.

So, while your customer may not be looking for your product or service while they’re wasting time reading about the latest news on Facebook, your highly targeted ad will appear. Numerous times. And if they’re interested, they’ll click (and if not, you’ll get tons of impressions for free, since you pay for a click, not an impression.)


Google advertising from CellCon ConsultingNow, Google is the exact opposite. When someone goes onto Google, they’re searching for something specific. Your ad appears when what they’re looking for is what you’re selling (and yes, in their partner network as well.) I call it In Your Face advertising. I’m looking for X… You sell X… Done.

And (IMHO) that’s the difference, in a nutshell.

Isn’t Social Media Marketing Free?

Isn't Social Media Marketing Free by CellCon ConsultingNo… No it’s not and it never was.

First of all, it always cost time. Not only the time to write a post or snap an Instagram photo, or write a tweet, but the time to do the followup and do it correctly.  Remember the first rule of Social Media. It’s SOCIAL. It’s designed for you (and/or your company) to create or join a community of people with similar interests.

So, if you walk into a new community and start off with “buy my stuff” – you’re D.O.A.  And, even if you post properly and follow the “rules of the road” if you don’t take the time to cultivate and grow the community, you will be dead soon enough.

So there was always a time cost.

But, now it actually costs money. Cash. Hard currency.

You see, when you write a basic post on Facebook, about 10% of the people who follow or like you will see it. That’s all. 10 out of 100.

Why? Because Facebook makes its money by selling information to advertisers.

You want more than 10% to see it. Facebook says “Boost it.”  – And by “boost” they mean “pay us some money.”

BUT…

It’s well worth it.   Why?? Because using social media you can target your message better than at any time or any other medium in history.  Think 10 years ago you could send a message to only women who are 25 miles from your location who have a child 0-3 months and like soccer?

No you couldn’t.

Today you can.

So, social media marketing is not free. It takes time. It takes money for the ad, and it takes expertise to know how to send a highly targeted message to a highly targeted audience and send them to a very specific landing page.

But done right, it’s sooooo worth it.

 

Just One More Star – 5 Star Reviews Count

5 Star Reviews. Harvard University Study. CellCon ConsultingWhy care about 5 Star Reviews?

A recent Harvard University Study shows that just one more star in an on-line review can be worth as much as 9% more sales.

The question is not only What are you doing to earn that star, it’s also How easy is it for your customers to leave that review?

You know that once your customer leaves your office or store, the chances of getting any review drop. A lot.

So, CellCon Consulting is pleased to announce our partnership with 5 Star Marketing. Quite simply, they make it easy for anyone to leave a review – and even easier to help assure it’s a great one.

Interested? You can learn more here.

Still?

I try to go to a number of networking events a year. It’s a great way to meet people. As a networker and connector, I enjoy meeting new people and seeing who in my “rolodex” would be a good business connection for them – not to mention getting myself some business!

After each event, I send out a quick thank you email, along with a PDF we produced called 10 Tips on Using Social Media for Lead GenerationI don’t want anything in return; it’s my way of saying Thanks and it’s good to meet you. I love the idea and of course, it’s not mine. BNI, the largest networking group in the world, calls it Giver’s Gain. Gary Vaynerchuk wrote an entire book on it called The Thank You Economy.

So, I’m still rather amazed when a brand new connection contacts me and asks “Hey, we met last week. Do you have a good lead for me?” without offering anything in return – or even asking me what a good lead for me is.

To quote the Amazon.com summary of Gary’s book:

The Thank You Economy offers compelling, data-driven evidence that we have entered into an entirely new business era, one in which the companies that see the biggest returns won’t be the ones that can throw the most money at an advertising campaign, but will be those that can prove they care about their customers more than anyone else.

EVERY networking group I’ve been to, or been a member of, thrive on the Giver’s Gain philosophy. It may be those words (BNI) or a similar thought-process, but the idea is the same. Reaching out to me and flat out asking for a lead (especially before we meet 1-on-1, before we have any in-depth conversations, etc.) simply turns me off.

Networking is a great tool – when used correctly. The “me me me” approach doesn’t work – at least not for me smile emoticon.

Next Seminar

Biz 2.0 West Orange Workshops - CellCon ConsultingI’m happy to announce that I’ll be part of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce Biz 2.0 series. These seminars are presented by local business owners and the West Orange Chamber of Commerce and the free workshop series focuses on more advanced topics and challenges common to established small businesses.

I’m up on May 4 and I’ll be talking about:

Generating Qualified Leads: There’s More Than One Way to Identify Them

You can RSVP, for free, right here:

Hope to see you there!

F**K You????

So I’m sitting here in the world-wide HQ of CellCon Consulting, when a call from Waxahachie, TX comes in (214-903-4410) so I answer. It’s obviously a telemarketer call setter telling me my Google results are low and the information is incorrect. Of course, this is bull, because results are based on what people are searching for. But let’s play on.

She transfers me to a “Google Specialist” who tells me my Google Trust Score is way too low and he’s going to fix it. Of course, we come to the question “Well, I see you’re listed as a ‘miscellanous business’ – what is it that you do?

OK – point one – if you’re going to pitch me your services, and especially if they’re web based, look up my damn site first.

Anyway I tell him we’re a marketing firm – and a Google Partner.

“Oh….” he says “OK… I’ve fixed it now” (as I hear him typing.) I say “Great! Please tell me where I can see my Google Trust Score” “It’s ok, I’ve fixed it.” “No, please show me” – he hangs  up.

Here’s the kicker. My web-form notification comes in. I have a new lead. From Mr “F88k you” and “f88k you” company (and yes, it was spelled out.)

Now here’s what Mr. Google Specialist doesn’t know. My system not only records the form information submitted, but also the IP address.

So, I’ve written and tweeted the company (it’s called egumball) and it’s CEO (John Bauer) to ask why his reps are so foul mouthed.  Let’s see if he responds.

 

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