What ARE you doing with Your Facebook Page?

Exactly one year ago today, Nick O'Neill published an article on Allfacebook.com titled "How To Develop a Facebook Page That Attracts Millions of
Fans".  He outlined "10 Facebook Page Strategies Every Brand
Should Know" and after spending the past several months delving deeply
into “things Facebook” I think it would be prudent to review those steps, and
bring them up for discussion as they relate to the automotive world.  I’m interested in how far you’ve gone in
customizing your Facebook presence, what successes you've had, and what has
flat out failed.

1. Develop Custom Tabs

Are you aware that you’re not stuck with the default tabs FB gives you when you activate your Fan Page?  You should hide those you
don’t use, and either customize or pay someone to customize tabs based on the
facets of your company’s “personality” that you want to promote.  Tabs with themes such as Community, About Us,
Sales, Service, Finance, Specials all offer you framework within which you can
develop your particular brand.  What are
some cool custom tabs out there? 

2. Don’t Let New Users Land on the Wall

You should change the default landing tab to one of your custom tabs.  This enforces brand and encourages interaction (as long as your tab has an interactive element – HINT)

3. Create a Unique Page Image

Your 200x200 digital image is kind of a big deal.  If your logo is oblong, have you done something different?  This is the icon everyone will see first –
make it pop.

4. Integrate Applications To Increase Engagement

There are all sorts of applications out there, and if you want to pay, you can have some developed specifically for your dealership. 
I’m curious to know if anyone out there has paid for a custom
application.

5. Join the Conversation, It’s Not Optional Anymore

You really do need to participate.  It's a two way conversation for sure.  Do you have someone designated to do this? 

6. Publish Interesting and Relevant Content

This part is easy.  There are all sorts of sources you could “drip” onto your Wall, or you could grab interesting articles and
tidbits from blogs and news sites you subscribe to.  How do you keep your content fresh and
interesting?

7. Repost Comments By Other Users

Quite often I find my friends to be excellent sources of material.  What are your fans saying that other people might want to hear?  And how does this
reinforce your relationships all around?

8. Update Regularly!

This means something different to everyone.  How often do you update?

9. Post and Tag Users in Photos and Videos

Not so sure that this would be easy in a dealership setting, unless you get your customers to “Fan” you while they’re waiting for F&I and the photograph them and/or
video them upon delivery.  How are you
bringing your customers into your page?

10. Leverage the Power of Facebook Events

I’m seeing a lot of dealers “get” the power of this.  Creating and promoting Events that are meaningful to your fan base is
one of the best ways to leverage the communication power behind your Page.  This past week I was invited to at least a
half a dozen dealership events ranging from Blue Tooth training to Fund Raising
to a Special Sale.  How are you using
this feature?

The fact that Nick O’Neill wrote this article a YEAR ago and that we’re just now seeing these steps put into motion by dealers across the country (other than you savvy early adopters out there) kind of bums me
out.  On the other hand, I’m happy to see
dealers eagerly and actively adopting some of these ideas.  It’s invigorating to me, after spending much
of my career begging people to listen to “what’s coming”, to see dealers and
their personnel spending more time than ever implementing marketing strategies
that have been proving and continue to prove themselves outside the automotive sector. 

I look forward to hearing from you all!