1: What are the top two Facebook MUST-DOs for every paint contractor?

Actually, I have 2-1/2 MUST-DOs.

The first is Facebook Live. There’s nothing like live video to demonstrate transparency and develop trust. At this point in time, Facebook Live is the most favored type of post by FB, so they show it to most of your followers. Plus, it gets the most engagement of any type of post.

Second, if you’re not going to do Facebook Live, at least have video on FB. It gets way more engagement than pictures and text posts, and the current FB algorithm promotes video heavily.

And the half of my 2-1/2 MUST-DOs has to do with engagement. Whenever anyone comments on your page, always, always, ALWAYS respond. Say thanks and ask a question. Get an exchange going. If FB sees that, they’ll push the heck out of it.

2: What’s the one thing painters should stop doing on Facebook?

Stop solely posting about services and sales. When you continuously try to sell, it devalues your service and you end up annoying people.

Make your post more about the needs and interest of your followers. Teach them something, show them something interesting—and be entertaining.

That’s not to say you can’t post sales, but don’t overdo it. You want to demonstrate your intentions are good and build trust.

3: What’s the biggest misperception contractors have about the power of Facebook?

That solely posting organically to a FB page will grow your business.

It used to be that if you posted, 50–60% of your followers would see it. Now that number is well below 5%. It’s hard to grow at that rate.

You definitely want to be on FB, but it should be a piece of your overall marketing-dollar pie and not the whole pie.

4: What upcoming changes to the platform should pros be aware of, and how should they respond?

There are two things to be aware of: 1. Right now, FB is really cheap. It’s kind of like when Google started and ads on that platform were cheap. Like Google, you can expect FB rates to rise. So now is the moment to make your mark on FB. 2. A lot of contractors are joining neighborhood groups to promote services. It’s a good place to be, but some members perceive posted promotions as ‘spammy.’ The good news is there’s a lot of chatter that soon you’ll be able to advertise in FB Groups. This hasn’t been formally announced, but all indications are that it’s what’s next. Keep your eyes open, as this could be huge opportunity.

5: What other social media platform should pros be putting some effort into?

Pinterest. This is the platform where people go to look for inspiration related to repaints and renovations.

It’s perfect for the home-services industry, as it allows people to check out your work and visualize what their projects will look like.

If you haven’t already, get on there and create a board—or, ideally, several. Organize them by type of project—interiors, exteriors, kitchen cabinets, commercial, etc. Pick your top projects and post them. Then, when you complete a new project, take some pictures and add them. It’s a great way to show off your work and inspire potential customers to tackle new projects.

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Logan Shinholser is the owner of Full Sail Marketing, an online marketing agency that focuses on helping residential construction companies and contractors build their presence, generate leads, and grow their brand. They specialize in putting the right message in front of the right prospects via website design, SEO and social media advertising. FullSailMarketing.com