One of the first questions clients will ask me about their marketing strategy is whether they should have a Facebook page. My answer, which may surprise some, is not always “yes”.

Facebook is a wonderful social media tool, and it’s free! We love free! But the simple fact is that it’s not for everybody. When should you plant your flag on Facebook? Some factors to consider:

Question 1: Do you have a secret?

Sounds scandalous! If you have that kind of secret Facebook is probably the least of your problems.  More to my point: are you ready for the public eye?

One company I work with was developing technology for a fun social app. But they were mid-registration, hadn’t yet launched the product in the public space – they were still tweaking the code and handling a few other important housekeeping measures. So for them, jumping on Facebook would have been a flat-out mistake that early in the game. Yes, by putting themselves on Facebook they would have been gaining a few hundred fans, but at the risk of exposing their IP before it was well-protected.

As with every decision you make at your business, consider the costs versus the benefits before creating an account that shines the public spotlight on you and what you’re doing. Ask yourself whether you’re truly ready to walk the cyber catwalk of Facebook just yet.

Question 2: Do you have the resources to fully participate in Facebook?

Social media is not just about staking your claim to cyber real estate. Social media depends upon an unwritten agreement to participate in a social circle that has been created. So before you create a Facebook page, you owe it to yourself and everyone else on Facebook to determine whether you have – or are willing to commit – the resources to not only update the page but interact with customers… or will you just be taking up space?

The best social media evolves for businesses when they are able to strengthen brand by interacting positively with their customers online. If you set up a page just to plant your flag in the Facebook space, people will notice. Don’t believe me? Time for a cautionary tale:

Katy Goshtasbi, is CEO of Puris Image, a personal brand consulting firm in Southern California. Katy’s work with her clients, who are often high-level executives in various organizations, can often involve her reviewing their personal brand through the lens of how they dress. She noticed she had created a habit of taking clients over and again to Stein Mart, where she often found what she needed to complete a client’s image.

So Katy took to Stein Mart’s Facebook page. They have a page, so they must care about interacting with their loyal client, no? Emphasis on “no”. Katy tells me:

My clients spend on average $500-$2000 per trip AND always go back for more. So last year, I started posting my success stories on the Stein Mart FB page and asked to speak to their marketing person (on their FB page). They completely ignored me! Not even a FB posting of “Thanks”…

When Stein Mart created a Facebook page indicating they wanted to interact with customers and then not actually doing so, they loss some of the good faith you’d like a customer to have in you. What sort of business has a FB page but doesn’t respond to fan letters? Not a good one, that’s for sure. Be a good one!

Question 3: Is Facebook right for your type of business?

While you’re hearing that “eeeeeeveryone” is on Facebook, that’s not entirely true. For some offices or types of businesses it just might not make sense to create a page; in other cases it might be downright tacky. If you run an STD testing service, chances are your clients are gonna be a little shy about giving you the thumbs up on the same page where they swap messages with Aunt Jane. I’ll go out on a limb here and say I doubt many mortuaries are trying to curry your favor on the site where you go to get away from it all in the middle of a workday.

Caveat: Some organizations aren’t concerned with market demographics – they consciously use Facebook as a billboard. They know that, with great dedication, they can use it to build general awareness.  This is not problematic so long as you are vigilant throughout your marketing strategy that you’re using your time and resources in the best way for your business. You can have the best, most active Facebook page and 1 Million teenage fans, but if you’re a government contractor, you may be spinning your wheels and losing valuable time. Ultimately, your marketing strategy needs to invest in whatever will pay your bills.

Before I let this point go, I should say that Facebook could be even more useful than you realize at first. A senior care supply company might think 90 year olds aren’t trawling Facebook to “like” their latest post— and they’d be right.  But a presence on Facebook would impotantly raise awareness with the children or caretakers of your target audience, who are often in fact the decision makers.

This is why it’s important to be thoughtful about what your approach is before making decisions one way or another. Don’t just get on Facebook to say you have a page. 

Pass Go: Times to Use Facebook, Regardless —

    1) To grab your URL; if your plans down the line will allow you to meet the time and energy requirements
    2) If you will be using other tools within Facebook and want to anchor them to a page on Facebook
        Examples:
                      -You have an event coming up
                      -You are establishing a location for “check ins”
                      -You want fans, clients, and success stories to be able to share images
    3) If you have an intern and need to keep them busy!

Where Facebook is freely available and offers so many dynamic services within its setup, it’s tempting to dive in. You owe it to your company’s long-term health and brand integrity to take a thoughtful approach to your media strategy. The simple rule: Only step in when and if you will be able to put your best foot forward.