Facebook – not everyone’s shunning it
August 10th, 2012
Facebook's UK user base continues to grow, despite stories of many people deserting the world's most-use social network.
Last week, our lead technology writer Iain Pemberton wrote about how small business social media strategies should consider the growing group of people who choose not to be on Facebook.
And then there was research released that suggested employers might be suspicious of people who do not have a Facebook account (the words that were used were 'potential psychopath' – no offence, Iain).
Perhaps that has encouraged Facebook absconders to sign up for an account? Because new figures from AllFacebookStats.com show a jump of 15.78 per cent in UK Facebook accounts over the last month.
Over 4.8 million people have signed up for Facebook in this time to bring the total of users of the social network to more than 35.4 million. This makes the UK the sixth-biggest country in terms of Facebook user population, behind the USA, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Mexico.
Facebook and small business social media
It is clear that people still use Facebook and with so many people active on the social media channel, it is likely a significant proportion of small businesses' target audiences use it as well.
However, the competition for their attention is fierce. How can small businesses make an impact on people's news feeds?
The best way is to produce the kind of content that will grab their attention, encourage them to engage through commenting or liking, and let them share with their friends.
Posts containing photos, graphics and videos tend to enjoy high levels of engagement, while teasers with a link back to a longer piece on your website could be ideal as a way of driving traffic.
Facebook fans also appreciate perks, such as access to exclusive deals or information, so it is worth considering this when planning your content strategy.
What is your top tip for engaging Facebook fans with content marketing?
Read more about using Facebook in small business social media and content marketing:
Is your content liked on Facebook?
Karen Webber is the head of marketing communications. She joined the team as a journalist in 2005, after working in marketing and media roles in South Africa and in the UK. 
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