Facebook has gone a long way from being just an online social networking website to the multimedia-online-channel powerhouse that it is today. Although Facebook is still primarily a social networking website, online marketers are realizing the marketing potential of Facebook—from clickable ads to encouraging user-generated content.

At this point, online marketers still have so much to learn. A perfect understanding of Facebook marketing basics will allow you to eventually maximize Facebook’s capabilities and ensure that you get ROI and profit.

Throughout the 3 Facebook marketing tips below, keep in mind that your goal is not to attract everybody. The objective is to get the attention of your niche, so that your hard work will translate to purchases.

1. Make your own account
The best way to find your way around Facebook is to create an account for your brand. You can explore the interface and learn how you can customize pictures and profiles. Marketing begins with this first step. You should already have optimization in mind as you make your brand’s profile and picture captions. Grab this opportunity to increase your credibility by filling out all the fields for your public information sheet.

Dig up your marketing research analyses and determine keywords and cultural icons that your market is into. Use this information to help you fill out fields such as music, movies, and books you like.

There is a space provided for users to put links to homepages and blogs. Use this space for your website’s URL.

2. Build your network
After creating your search engine optimized profile, you can begin building your network. You can start with your personal network of family and friends. As they accept your invitation to become part of their Facebook network, each person’s network will get a notification that you have become friends. To illustrate:

You invited X to be part of your network.
X accepts your invitation.
All the people in X’s network will be informed that X and you are now friends.

Now multiply the notification to how many people are in one person’s network. Now multiply again with how many people you know who has Facebook. All of those who belong to your niche and who see the notification will take interest in your page and visit you, and eventually, follow your Facebook activities.

3. Keep track of trends
Keeping track of the market’s changing trends and preferences is easier with Facebook. There are 2 ways to do this:

a. Applications
Facebook offers a lot of applications that cater to different types of people. These applications are free to use and are made by independent developers or programmers. You can spot a hot application by checking your news feed. You get notified when people in your network add an application to their Facebook page. Check out the hot application and see if you can broker a placement deal with the creator. If not, then the option to come up with your own application is always open.

b. Fans of ____/ ____ joined the group ___
Fan pages and group pages are becoming more popular. Fan pages and groups include pop icons, social causes, politicians, candies, TV shows, movies—everything. When a lot of people become a fan of something, then you might want to consider adding this celebrity/icon to your list of likes.

Check out the fan page or group page and see what makes it work, and then come up with your own. Again, people will be notified when someone in your network becomes your fan or joins your group.