Milk Your Facebook Business Page’s Profile Image for All It’s Worth

You already know how important your Facebook Business Page’s profile image can be when it comes to building and maintaining brand loyalty online. But are you taking full advantage of your chosen image? You might be wondering, after optimizing your profile picture for both mobile and web formats, if there is anything else you can do to milk every ounce of value out of your image? The answer is, of course, “yes.” Your Facebook business page’s profile image offers an underused opportunity to enhance your marketing strategy, the image “description.”

As you already know, when curious customers click on your branded profile image, they open a new window that features the full, expanded image. This new window also allows users to share the image via their own Facebook accounts, or to leave comments relevant to the image in question. What many Facebook business page managers don’t realize is, this window represents a valuable opportunity to further promote the business, the “description” tab.

By using this space to provide a detailed description of your product or service, you can easily relay and/or reinforce critical business information to potential customers. Since they have clicked on your profile image, they have already demonstrated an interest in learning more about your company. Be sure to give them a generous helping of what they’re looking for!

As is the case with your Facebook business page’s “About” tab, the image “description” tab is a valuable–and free–opportunity to advertise on Facebook. As there is no word limit assigned to this particular stretch of Facebook real estate, you needn’t hold back. Smart page administrators often include a version of their company’s “story,” and/or links to all associated web properties. Current promotions, accolades, and other relevant awards belong here as well.

Give your customers a pleasant surprise. Visitors who click on your profile image are not necessarily doing so with hopes of learning more about your business. Perhaps they clicked on the image merely to take a quick glance at the “comments section.” In many cases, they may only be gauging your level of customer interaction and professionalism or making sure you haven’t, over time, accrued a slew of negative reviews. They are not expecting to see well-written, relevant copy detailing everything relevant about your business.

While you cannot control what your customers say about you, you can certainly leave visitors with a certain degree of confidence regarding your level of professionalism. Most importantly, you should respond to any and all comments in a timely and professional manner. But this is common marketing sense and most companies are already doing this. Go one step beyond the norm. Give your visitors a pleasant surprise via the inclusion of professional, informative copy in your image description. Show that you are at least one step ahead of their expectations.

Don’t pass up on this easy opportunity to give your potential customers exactly what they didn’t know they were looking for: more information about your company. Your Facebook business page’s profile image can sometimes be the first and last interaction your customers make with your account. Be sure to leave them with a helpful, memorable mental snapshot of who you are and what you have to offer.