Facebook has taken over the world. Mark Zuckerberg’s dorm room start-up has grown into arguably the most recognizable brand in the world. With 2.8 billion worldwide accounts, as well as 1.9 billion active monthly users, Facebook is an incredibly powerful tool for businesses and one that you should be taking advantage of.

Facebook is continually adding new features to their systems to ensure that they are offering the most cutting-edge technology to their users. What is enjoyed by their users can also be useful to your business if optimized efficiently. Facebook Place Tips and their accompanying Bluetooth Beacon are two such features.

Facebook Place Tips allow you to grow your business and engage with customers on a whole new level. Marketing in 2017 is so much more than simply paying for a newspaper ad. Inbound Marketing is the strategy of choice for the most successful companies. The idea of engaging with potential customers both new and old to prove your worth to them and illustrate why they should trust you with their service. Place Tips allows you to do that.

Place Tips act as a quick and easy guide to your business. Each person’s Place Tips are unique and based off their friend’s recommendations, check-ins, and interactions with your business.

For example, at a restaurant, Place Tips can show the menu, reviews and frequently mentioned information about the establishment, like a signature cocktail or popular table. Place Tips for a retail store can help customers find business hours, locate popular items and learn about upcoming events.

The potential for business growth and consumer engagement is immense!

How can you take advantage of this opportunity? Bluetooth Beacons.

These Beacons are smaller than an iPhone and have a battery life of around 2 years. They are incredibly easy to set up (like ridiculously easy) and offer the best route to engaging with people via Place Tips. With the Beacon set up, anyone with Location Services and Bluetooth activated on their phone will instantly see your businesses Place Tips at the top of their Newsfeed.

Using these Beacons alongside more tried-and-tested inbound marketing practices means that you can run constant trials to see what works best in getting your customers engaged. However, here are some quick tips to help you get started:

1) Offer Free WIFI

This may go without saying, but obviously, the best and easiest way to get your customers to check their Facebook app whilst at your business is to offer them free WIFI! There is nothing more irritating than asking your server for the WIFI password only to have them respond “I’m sorry but it’s for staff only.” You could literally be losing business for the sake of sharing the password. Ask not what your WIFI can do for you, but what your WIFI can do for your customers!

2) Have an active Facebook page

Facebook has said that they will be prioritizing businesses with already active Facebook pages. What does that mean? Get posting. If you’ve been following our blog then you must’ve followed our advice and have already got a bustling Social Media presence, right? If you need a reminder for some reason, check out our social media guide here.

3) Train your staff

There is no point in investing in a new Cappuccino machine if you don’t bother to teach your staff how to use it. Within many small businesses there seems to be a trend to simply hand off anything social media related to a millennial and let them focus on it. Although that method does have its benefits (as a millennial I have to believe that) it is not the best approach. Teach your staff the best ways to interact with Place Tips and Facebook because then you can ensure that they…

4) Train your customers

That’s right! Don’t just serve your customers, have your staff train them to use the Facebook Place Tips feature to help grow your company! Have your staff encourage visitors to publicly check-in to your business, post photos and write reviews when they leave. Show them how they can interact with what their friends have said and how they can help future friends. This approach nearly always guarantees increased user interaction. Build it and they will come!

5) Have fun with it!

Finally, have fun with it! This is a (relatively) new feature that you can get on the cutting-edge of. There are no costs to your company, and the potential benefits are huge! Continually test out new methods for engagement such as offering in-store only promotions and bonuses for reviews or check-ins! Let your creative side out!

Finally, I’m sure you’re now sold on the idea, can see the infinite positives but you’re asking how much this is going to cost you...

Facebook is offering Beacons to businesses at no cost. That’s right, they are entirely FREE! To request your free Bluetooth Beacon, click here.