This article is a guest post from the incredibly wise Jackie Muscat of Craft My Success.If you have a Facebook business page and a Facebook store that you use to sell your products or promote your Etsy store, the reach and engagement of your posts is extremely important. [sc name="etsy ebook"]If you're struggling to increase these stats, then there is one very simple and free tool you can use which guarantees a boost in these two super duper relevant areas.Video.And if you’re not using Facebook video regularly as part of your social media marketing, I have a question for you….are you “the petrified” or “the sporadic”?

• The petrified. Video feels waaaay to exposed for you. Your inner critic raises begins to scream  “You can’t make a video!!! You’ll look stupid/foolish/ugly. No one will ever watch it and you’ll look like a total fool!!!” You don’t have any idea what to say or how to say it or even understand the tech fully. It all seems far too complicated and far too terrifying and so you just avoid it and keep posting photos instead.
• The sporadic. You’ve done a couple, entertained the idea of using a video editor tool such as iMovie or Movie Maker but you always forget to make them and weeks go by between your streamings. You also feel uninspired by what to make a video about and sometimes the effort just seems too much.

I was listening to Michael Stelzner, the brains behind Social Media Examiner, one of the largest sites for social media help for businesses, and he claims that “If you’re going to make 5 Facebook posts next week, make 4 of them video”. He knows his stuff when it comes to social media so I trust him when he makes this sweeping statement. That is the power of video.In case you need a bit more convincing here are a few more facts…

• Facebook live video is watched 3x more than pre-recorded video
• The Facebook algorithm LOVES Live video and pushes that in the newsfeed more than a standalone photo post
• Facebook live video receives on average 135% more organic reach than a photo post
• 4x as many consumers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it

(source: buffer.com)So what's the one thing you should take from this article?People will watch Facebook live videos longer than they will native videos.So, now you understand the importance of Facebook video, we're going to discuss how to properly sell on Facebook and to use it to engage your followers better. By the end of this mammoth blog, you'll know how to

• Use Facebook live to keep your followers engaged and entertained
• My favourite Facebook live tips & tricks
• Advertise to people who have watched your videos
• Create a Facebooking branding strategy for your arts & craft brand

How to go live on Facebook

You need to use your phone, or iPad or laptop and the Facebook Pages app. Mac users will need to use a third party app like OBS which is a tad more complicated. Simply go to your Facebook business page and when using the Pages app, you’ll see a button right at the top which says “Live”. Add your title for your live and a hook for why people should watch, you can even have a play around with filters, flip the camera forward and add a flash, and then once you’re ready, hit the red camera button at the bottom and you have a 3...2...1…countdown to prepare your beautiful smile welcoming your fans to watch. you make your next fabulous debut today.

5 Facebook Live Ideas for your next video

1. Craft show & Facebook Live - I know it's hectic before a craft show but it's a great idea to go live before the doors open to show your stall, what you have on offer and entice people to "come on down". Great to also do a quick Live at the end of the show thanking all those customers who bought and viewed and chatted with you and to talk about your best seller - huge for social proof.
2. Behind the scenes - People are SO nosy. What you may think is unimportant or boring will be fascinating to your ideal customer. So use Facebook Live to show your workspace, how you organise yourself, how you source your products or why you use that material over another material. It is a fantastic way to build authority and professionalism with your business - plus people genuinely want to know!
3. Sale / Coupon announcements - Get in front of that camera, be super energised and get excited - what a great way to promote a sale and generate some hype. Also, a great way to build some momentum for stock you’re just wanting to get rid of.
4. Address feedback or questions - Do you find yourself answering the same questions time and time again and even having the answers in a pinned post isn't working? Use a Facebook Live to talk through those and any feedback (good obviously) you may have had recently from a product.
5. Tease new products - Use Facebook Live and again your great energy and passion to tease at new products. Show only the materials, not the finished product. Or show a corner of the item but not the full image. Talk about the inspiration behind. A great way to build anticipation for a product with a combination of videos and standard posts.

Still struggling for ideas? Over on my blog, I've thrown together my own course for DIY social media videos (that don't look DIY). Head over and check it out.

Facebook Live Tips & Tricks For Your Next Video

Make the first few seconds count. Lead with a question which will hook them to keep watching such as "Have you left it late to order that birthday present for your best friend? I've got you covered!"Use the header to hook. Again don't just type "going Live about my products" - make it interesting and exciting for someone to click and hear it (not just watch it on silent)Repurpose them. If you're making them make sure you're using them to the max! Download the live as an HD video and upload to your blog, website, email list, youtube etc.Have fun! There are filters and stickers on FB live and they are there to use to add some fun. It's not just for the kids y'know.If you're shy - start off behind the camera. As a maker, you have a huge advantage of being able to show your hands only! So if you need to build up confidence to talk to the camera, start off showing your hands making whilst you talk using a tripod and your phone pointed at the desk (you can pick up bendy desk phone tripods for next to nothing)Smile before it starts. When you hear that 3..2....1.. countdown put on your biggest smile so when it goes live you're looking amazing and super welcoming. Use the emojis. Ask for people to hit that like button if they like what they see or ask for people to show you some love. Again have fun with it! (extra tip - this is also good for a reach point of view as when people hit an emoji it will pop up in the newsfeed that they’re watching your Live) ? ? ? ?

Running A Facebook Ad To People Who Have Watched Your Live Video

Now, this little gem of advertising magic is one of the many reasons why I love Facebook. Using Ads Manager you can create audiences for your Facebook adverts based upon who has watched one, several or ALL of your Facebook videos. How great is that!? Not only do videos get the most reach you can also then retarget these people to see more of your business and products!!! KERCHING!Ok so here is how you do it and just to note, these instructions are for desktop Facebook (not mobile). Anything to do with ads I would suggest you use desktop as the full functionality will be there (unlike mobile).First, click on your Ads Manager by clicking on the drop-down arrow at the top right of your homepage. You’ll see “Manage Adverts” towards the bottom and click on there.Click the expanded menu which is the 3 horizontal line button at the top left of and click on “Audiences”.Click Create an audience / Custom audience / Engagement / VideoYou should see this on your screen….

From here you can choose your content type, so in this case, we are choosing one, several or all of your Facebook live videos. You can and should create several video audiences based upon all the variables you have at your disposal.  Once you click on “choose a content type” you’ll be asked to choose one of the below options.

It’s time to put on our common sense hats here. If you have a video that lasted 5 minutes, advertising to an audience who watched at least 3 seconds is going to be wider and more expensive and potentially less engaged than an audience who watched 75% of your video. You can only pick one of these content types at a time hence why I create an audience with 50%, 75% and 95% and test my ads.Once you’ve picked your content type you then can pick your videos by clicking on the browse button.Note - that you need to be going in regularly and updating this audience if you are using them for ads as when you create new videos they won’t automatically be included.Choose a date range, again I tend to keep this reasonably relevant at 60 days rather than a full calendar year (who remembered what videos they watched 10 weeks ago let alone 52?) to keep my audiences relevant and as cheap as possible.Give it a name (I’m Captain Obvious when it comes to this y’all…..“50% watched ALL Videos”) click create audience and in 20/30 mins you will have your populated lists ready to use for adverts.So there we have it! Now, we're going to discuss getting your Facebook Page in tip-top shape to help you sell more!

Optimize your Facebook Business Page to Sell More

“You can’t make a first impression twice”I’m not sure who said that originally, but this is never more true than in the online world. On average, adults today consume 12 hours of media a DAY. That includes social media, newspapers, TV, movies, music and radio. Majority of those 12 hours are on our mobile devices or desktop.So it’s never been truer that as business owners we need to make sure our messages are clear, concise and easy to understand. Attention spans have reduced rapidly over the last few years. You’re probably even skim reading this post to some extent.That's why every sentence is a new paragraph -our ability to consume information in bite-size micro chunks has become more prevalent in the 21st Century.So, how do we ensure that we are not fighting against this with our Facebook pages for our businesses?That we are grabbing attention quickly and promoting our businesses clearly and not leaving any ambiguity at the door?

Setting up your Facebook “shopfront”.

When a new visitor lands on your page they notice 3 things within nanoseconds.

• Your cover image
• Your profile pic
• Your business name

Those 3 need to be a cohesive collaboration. Think the Supremes. All singing in harmony to create a beautiful memorable song.If you get this wrong, your ideal customer could bounce off your page never to return again. So it’s SUPER important to spend time getting this right.

Facebook Cover Image Tips

This is the biggest real estate on your Facebook page. You will never have another opportunity to show your products or business in such a large way on your page again. Post pictures and videos are half the size.So how do we use this to our advantage?The job of your cover image is to clearly showcase your business or products with a mix of pictures and words.Tips for creating a cover image that POPS!

• Use a beautifully shot HD photo/s of your products. Your best sellers. Or what your business is known for.
• Add your elevator pitch statement or emotive words to convey who the business is for

You can use canva.com to create this within minutes. They have the up to date sizing for the cover image and also examples you can tweak to suit, for free.TIP - did you know you can use their “paid for” designs for free if you swap out their stock image for one of your own? Try it!Here are some fantastic examples:

TIP - make sure you put the focal point for the cover image in the centre as on mobile the left and right edges will be cropped.

Facebook Profile Picture Tips

There are a couple of standard options here. Use your logo, another product picture or if you’re a key feature of your business, a picture of you. Be mindful with the last option to make the photo of you, not a face on a photo as this may confuse people that they’ve landed on a personal page. Instead try an artistic photo of you making, or creating, or at your workstation with a cup of java.

Tell a story in your About section

When I review crafters & artists Facebook pages I always make sure I look at the About section. Why? Because this is a perfect opportunity for you to humanise your business and tell the story about your business. It’s a great way to connect with your viewer and build your know, like and trust factor with them, and become memorable. Your business is more than just your product. Don’t believe you have a story? Oh, my creative one of course you do!Perhaps you’re a stay at home Mum of 3 kids and you needed a creative outlet from the washing and the cooking and the taxi driving to gymnastics and the Maths tutor. You remembered you used to love painting when you were at school so you created a space in the spare room where you can let your inhibitions go and just be.Perhaps you work in a dull corporate job and you dream of creating wedding stationery full time. You stumbled upon your talent during your own wedding planning where you couldn’t quite find the perfect boho design so you created it. And you received compliments and orders from friends and family and then your business was born and it’s the fire in your belly.If you click on the “edit” button on your about section and complete the “long description” section you can write your story there.

Make it easy for people to buy.

We are all so so lazy. And always so busy. Along with our attention span, our patience for purchasing has become shorter and shorter. Call it the eBay age where with 3 clicks we can buy a new bed or a new outfit.Another common mistake I see on Facebook pages is creative people feeling scared or worried to “sell”. They talk about the product, show a photo but either expect people to click send a message to buy or to find it somewhere on their website or Etsy store.Sadly, this could be losing you sales and it’s such a quick and easy fix. 3 ways to make the sales process more seamless

• Create a Facebook shop (it’s free) and then you’ll have the ability to link your products in your posts

• Use a bit.ly link to direct people to your Etsy page or website to purchase in the post.
• Ask people to comment “I want this” in the comments and you reply with a link (great for the algorithm, but risky if no one comments!)

Now go forth and revamp that Facebook page so you can sleep at night assured that you’re not leaving money at the Facebook door.

Branding your business for social media

Have you given much thought to your brand?And no, I don’t mean your logo and colours.I mean your brand. The footprint you leave with people after they interact with you. Your business ethos. The feeling your business elicits.Building a brand that lasts and works has to be a combination of a few things

• You
• Your products
• Your ideal customer

For my business, Craft my Success, I went through this process with a fine tooth comb and I hit some challenges.Because I am quite different to my ideal customer. I am more confident, more bold, more loud. I have the mouth of a sailor at times and enjoy my own jokes far too much for a normal person. My ideal customer is under-confident, fearful at times, unsure how to navigate social media and the kind of person who sits in the corner at the party next to the sausage rolls whilst I’m the drunk one on the floor busting bad Beyonce moves.So how can I find a middle ground that appeals to me and appeals to them whilst also promoting my business in the right light that doesn’t alienate or intimidate?I started by coming up with 3 words or feelings I want my business to stand for. Things I’m proud to be known for. Things I’m passionate about. Things I want people to feel when they find me. What I would love people to associate with me. They were creative, confident and clear.I also like alliteration.Then I began to search for photos that would appeal to the more feminine and soft side of my ideal customer whilst also ticking my boxes. My audience is creative souls, mostly handmakers and artists and I am a huge fan of flatlay (don’t judge me, I know it’s everywhere these days but I do love it!). So I found these images on creativemarket.com and I purchased them to be my brand images.

The clean sharpness of the photos ticks the clarity box, plus the staged items show that my business is for creative people. The soft feminine tones don’t make me turn my nose up either! So how can you create a brand that speaks to your ideal customer whilst also ensuring that it’s you and your products?What would be your 3 words or emotions?I asked people in my monthly free challenge group to do the same...but I banned a couple of words from their list.

• Handmade
• Unique
• Personalised

Why? Because those words are used so often they have lost their meaning. Every handmaker and artist is saying the same thing. What more impactful words could you use to describe the feeling you wish people to feel when they buy your artwork or your jewellery or clothes? How does this translate into your product photography and props? How does this seep into your copywriting? How does your brand seep into everything you do?Let’s think about coffee.Take any street where there are several coffee shops. Small independents and the big boys. What would you notice? The Starbucks has a consistent line of customers. The independents have a trickle of sales. Why? Is it because their coffee is superior? Maybe, but maybe not. I would put money on it being because their brand breeds familiarity. You know what you’re getting with Starbucks. You’ve bought the coffee in another town or street and you liked it. If you buy coffee from the small independent you may not like it. You also buy into the experience. The smell of the ground coffee. The rustic tubs of ground coffee for sale. The dark wood. The friendly baristas. The efficiency. The European feel. The friendliness.

How can you as a maker and artist build your brand into your social media?

Consider a few key points

• Your photography. How would your fan notice it was your business in their newsfeed when scrolling? What are the easy identifiers? What style of photography would entice new ideal customers to stop and read? What props can you use to help elicit the core emotion/feel/ethos of your business?
• Your website / cover image / background images. Much like my creativemarket.com photos, what can you use as a backdrop to your business that showcases your brand and lures your ideal customer?
• Your messages. If you are passionate about using sustainable packaging and materials in your business and sustainability and environmental factors are important to your brand - talk about them! Shout it from the roof top!
• Your voice. Always be writing to connect to your ideal customer. Use emotive language and stories to get your point across and make it memorable. Use your personality (yes you have one) to be unique. To stand out.
• Be consistent across platforms. Don’t have a different feel or brand across different platforms, make sure whatever style you choose suits all social platforms.

None of this happens overnight, not a brand worth building anyway! So it’s okay if this takes you days, weeks or even months to build. But once you’ve nailed it, it becomes second nature. Good luck!