Facebook has been planning to roll out a series of new tools aimed to small and medium scaled business: Automated Ads, Video Editing Feature and appointment booking console.
“With over 90 million small businesses on Facebook, we’re proud to play a role in helping business of all sizes grow and create jobs,” said Facebook.
Automated Ads. The tool has been designed to create six different types of ads that can run across Facebook and their Ad network (Instagram, Messenger and Audience Network). The tool will lead marketers to advertisers through a series ad helping in achieving a business goal, and then suggesting call-to-action buttons, text and creative editing feature benefitting for developing creatives for an Ad campaign.
Although it will offer the same targeting options as earlier, Facebook will offer a suggested budget for Ad if an advertiser wants to set according to its own then, it will show estimated reach and results. Once Ad goes live Facebook algorithm will work in the background to optimize Ad campaign.
Advertisers using Automated Ads receive performance reports on their Ads campaigns that include recommendations to enhance results.
Video editing tools. Facebook’s Ads Manager platform is getting video editing tools with following features: automatic cropping, video trimming and image and text overlays. The features open new possibilities for small & medium scale business marketers in making it easy to create a video Ads without the resources or any additional budget.
Appointment booking. Businesses on Facebook now have access to appointment management tools that allow a business to offer services and providing brief information about that services & pricing if they want to and that we’ll give customers the option to book services on the platforms. Customers can schedule an appointment and once the business accepts it, the online system will send reminders to the customers through Messenger or via a text.
Facebook is also making it possible for businesses to manage appointments on their Pages as well: “You can customize your business’ menu of services, display availability and accept and manage all appointments directly from your business page.”
The 'Appointments' feature
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Find new customers: Attract new customers with ease and convenience so they don't have to call or text to book.
- Save time: Appointments on Facebook makes it easier to manage your business calendar. You can now accept appointments from new and returning customers with less back-and-forth communication.
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It's free: All businesses have access to Appointments on Facebook at no charge.
Manage appointments from your Page
If a Page admin chooses to use Facebook's free lightweight tools, they can manage their appointments directly from their Facebook Page. Features of appointments on your Page include:
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Customization: You can create a customized menu of services unique to your business.
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Availability: Set and publish the times that you are available so customers can book with you at a time that's convenient for them, whether they're Facebook users or not.
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Calendar: View all appointments in an easy-to-view calendar format.
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Sync with Google Calendar: Your appointments will be added directly into your Google Calendar so you won't have to add them manually.
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Facebook calendar: will also be blocked off where your Google Calendar shows you are busy. This prevents a customer from booking you when you already have an appointment or you have blocked off personal time.
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Communicate with customers: Send reminders and confirmation messages for upcoming appointments using SMS and Messenger to reduce the number of no-shows and increase return bookings.
Summary
Whether a business uses Facebook, or Instagram, or both, the platform offer free tools that are specifically geared toward the needs of service professionals. Appointments are easy to use tools that allow businesses to show the services they offer, display their availability, collect and manage requests for appointments, and keep track of their customers to communicate. We use these tools, and many others, here at TPS Technologies ourselves. We know the language we speak ;)
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