You may have a strong factoring business built on solid networking.
Sooner or later, your efforts are going to turn to the Internet to find ways to leverage new clients.
In the beginning you will be faced with two big options…FACEBOOK® or GOOGLE+1™.
There seems to be a lot of confusion out there on whether your business should be using Facebook or Google+1 as a way to bolster up some marketing efforts.
Although both Facebook and Google+1 should have a place in your efforts (you don’t have to pick just one), most likely, one outshines the other as a good fit.
Here are a couple things to pay attention to when marketing your factoring company online.
If you are looking for interaction, you want Facebook.
But this assumes TRUE interaction. In other words, just because you have 3000 Facebook fans doesn’t mean they are reading anything you are putting up.
Are they leaving comments?
Are they sharing your posts?
If they are leaving comments, hitting the “like” button, and interacting, Facebook may be well suited for you. You just need to find a way to convert them to clients. If there is not a lot of interaction, you may just be wasting your time.
Fans work well when the “page” is a product or celebrity – not so much a company. A “company” is just too broad.
For example, how many raving fans would there be if I had a fan page on “Farms?” I am sure I would have some. Now, how many fans would I have if my page were the subject of “bacon.” – lots I imagine (who doesn’t like bacon) – and it is way more targeted.
The other downside on Facebook is that your efforts are limited to your ability to keep the content coming – and it won’t, for the most part, help you in the search rankings.
So, if you have interaction, go with Facebook. Otherwise think of Google+1.
Are you looking for “hands off” marketing?
Google+1 has two big advantages over Facebook when it comes to increasing your Internet exposure (and hopefully factoring business).
One, it does not require an ongoing amount of content from you. If people click the “+1” button their additional “circles” will be in on the action. It doesn’t require more content from you or more people “sharing” like Facebook.
Secondly, that little plus button can help you in the search rankings. Although Google does not formally release all the ins and outs behind their programming, one thing is clear: the more people “+1” your site, the higher up you may get in the search rankings.
As popular as Facebook is, it has yet to make a big “business” impact. Many Fan Pages are dead on arrival and do nothing for actual business.
Google +1 seems more in the thick of it when it comes to business. If someone is searching for your company the +1 can give you some extra credibility (Facebook can’t really help you there).
(Note: FACEBOOK is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc. and GOOGLE is a registered trademark of Google Inc. This article was written based on research and professional experience. This author, company, and website are not endorsed by or affiliated with either FACEBOOK, Inc. or GOOGLE Inc).
So, who is right for your factoring business?
As we mentioned in the beginning, we really thing you need to keep both on your radar…but for now, we give the edge to Google +1 if you are talking about getting more business.
Facebook is personal. But until users can separate business from personal on Facebook (as in two separate accounts) the business side just seems to be an after thought.
Thank for the guideline.
Great article. Helps me make my decision. I was thinking about this over the weekend.
I agree that for business purposes Google +1 would be much better
than facebook. FB users are there to social network not to look for
B2B services.