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In this article, we will look at ways in which you can successfully market your food business on Facebook. We will also explore the rules and regulations you need to follow in order to legally sell food online. Whether you are new to the world of Facebook, or a seasoned professional looking to market your business, this guide will have everything you need in order to make your food business a success!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n This article will cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The popularity of social media – and Facebook specifically, is powered by an algorithm that learns each user\u2019s personal preferences and interests. This has forced businesses to rethink their marketing strategies. Facebook\u2019s algorithm also allows businesses to closely target an audience demographic. As a result, purposeful ads are delivered to the people most likely to want their products or services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Of its 2.8 billion monthly active users, 1.8 billion<\/a> of these are users who visit the site on a daily basis. As such, if you market your food business correctly, you have the opportunity to reach an enormous amount of potential customers. Most importantly, potential customers that actively spend time searching through the platform every single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Facebook is the leading social media platform, with eMarketer\u2019s annual statistics report<\/a> showing that it reaches 59% of social media users. Therefore, it\u2019s a platform that you should look to utilise when marketing your food business online.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBack to Top<\/em><\/a>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step to using Facebook to market your business is to create a business page. Just like a personal profile, you can send and receive messages, post updates, share photos and get notifications. The best part is it\u2019s completely free to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To create your business page:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n It is completely free to create and sell your products on your Facebook business page. However, if you want to invest more into it, you can use the paid marketing strategies such as Facebook ads. You can also pay to use sponsored posts, too. These ensure that more people see your products.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBack to Top<\/em><\/a>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another area of Facebook that you might consider utilising is the Marketplace. While it may appear as a place for people to sell their unwanted products from home – similarly to a car-boot sale – Marketplace has quickly become another channel for businesses to use to their advantage. It was, after all, introduced in recent years as a new feature to help entrepreneurs promote and sell their products and can therefore be a useful tool in growing your business – and its’ sales!<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s simple to use, too. To find Marketplace, simply click on the shop icon on either the side panel of your homepage if you\u2019re using a computer, or on the bottom panel if you\u2019re using a mobile device. There you can sync your store to the Marketplace in one or two simple clicks and you\u2019re away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marketplace works by having customers search for products or services within their local area. They can either search for something specific that they\u2019re after, or simply browse through the various categories. <\/p>\n\n\n Facebook doesn\u2019t monitor or police Marketplace, and so, you\u2019ll have to be aware of selling etiquette. You can find out more information here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As you will likely encounter lots of messages from buyers, it\u2019s important to ensure that you have a stock of your products ready to be sold – especially as Marketplace requires you to ship orders within 3 days, and for them to be received within 7 days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you allow customers to pick up the products from you or give payments in person, do so in a public, safe place instead of giving out your home address or going to theirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBack to Top<\/em><\/a>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, Facebook is the most effective social media marketing tool for businesses to use, and this isn\u2019t just because of its popularity alone:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n Before you think about how best to market your business, you first need to identify certain aspects of what you want your business to be. This will help you to understand what kind of strategy will work best for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider asking yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have the answers to the questions above, you can start planning how best to use social media platforms such as Facebook to your advantage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\nBack to Top<\/em><\/a>\n\n\n Facebook has a range of different types of content that you can share with your customers, and we\u2019re going to run through them here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Below are some tips to keep in mind in order to create the most effective Facebook marketing strategy for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is especially true when it comes to choosing what kind of content to put out on your page. If, for example, you\u2019ve decided to market your products to students, do some research. You might find that younger people tend to interact more with Facebook Stories than they do with text-only posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, when you\u2019re creating content, you need to keep this in mind. If you\u2019re aiming to market your product to a high-end, luxury market, refrain from using colloquial terms and other language that doesn\u2019t match the brand you\u2019re trying to create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a free, built-in tool that allows you to view data on how people interact with your page. You can see data on audience demographics and metrics on your posts – which means you can see how many people you\u2019re currently reaching. This information can be invaluable for you going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n If you post a new status or image every day for a week and then nothing for two more weeks, potential customers might think you\u2019re no longer in business. Take five minutes out of every day to post something new, but if you can\u2019t commit to that, make it every other day. Whatever you decide, make sure to be consistent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Facebook is an engaging platform, and as such, you have the opportunity to talk directly with your customers. If it takes you more than a day to reply to their inquiries or orders, however, you could be in danger of losing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s an option on Facebook for customers to leave a review, and inevitably at some point – potentially through no fault of your own – you\u2019ll come across someone who wasn\u2019t pleased with your products or services. It\u2019s important not to simply ignore bad reviews, but be polite and professional when you reply to them and keep in mind that other customers can see, and will judge, on how you handle it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n As every business gets a notification when they receive a \u2018like\u2019, if you reach out to other businesses, there\u2019s a good chance they\u2019ll return the favour – or even check out your page. This is an opportunity for you to build a connection, and potentially gain more customers through this too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\nBack to Top<\/em><\/a>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n With the rise of social media selling, there\u2019s been some confusion about what laws and regulations apply to those who run food businesses from home. Here, we\u2019ll be looking at what applies to you and your business, and how to make sure that you\u2019re adhering to what you need to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Simply put, if you\u2019re regularly selling food through Facebook (or other social media platforms), you must still follow the same laws and regulations as any other food businesses. This means that you must register as a food business with your local authority, and file for a self-assessment tax return with HMRC as a sole trader.<\/p>\n\n\n Registering as a food business is quick, easy and simple to do. On the government website<\/a>, you can use the postcode finder to direct you to your local authority and there you will find clear instructions on where to apply in order to obtain the license. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You must register as a food business at least 28 days before you begin trading. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are already trading and haven\u2019t yet registered, you must do so as soon as possible. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are running a food business without the proper registration then you can receive a fine or face a prison sentence of up to two years. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the government, anyone who is running their own business and is self-employed must register as a sole trader<\/a>. This means that in order to pay the correct amount of tax, you\u2019ll have to complete a self-assessment tax return each year. As such, you should keep a record of both your sales and expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n You can find out more information about your legal requirements and other aspects of business with our comprehensive Starting a Home Food Business<\/a> course.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBack to Top<\/em><\/a>\n\n\n\n While there are many benefits to selling food on Facebook, there are also safety aspects to consider. You need to ensure that you have information about what ingredients you\u2019ve used to make the food – especially when it comes to allergens – and are correctly handling, storing and delivering (or transporting) the food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Selling food online without the proper registration or other legal requirements in place can have dire consequences not only for business owners, but for the health, safety and wellbeing of your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have completed the necessary registration, you will receive a visit from the Environment Health Office (EHO) within 28 days of submitting your registration form. The EHO will ensure that you are compliant with all the relevant food hygiene legislation and are therefore safe to be trading.<\/p>\n\n\n During the inspection, EHO inspectors will assess three areas of your home food business:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once they have completed their inspection, the EHO will issue you with a food hygiene rating. If you\u2019d like to learn more about what to expect from an EHO visit, you can do so in our article, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Food safety is immensely important, and you must do everything in your power to ensure that you follow all the guidelines. By law, all food handlers must have an understanding of the basic principles of food hygiene and know how to protect the food they serve from contamination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n Our Level 2 Food Safety & Hygiene<\/a> course teaches food handlers all they need to know regarding their legal responsibilities and best practice to ensure food safety.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBack to Top<\/em><\/a>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n A vital part of food safety is having a sound knowledge of allergens. We have a food allergy chart<\/a> available for you to print and use in your business. We also have free and downloadable allergen labels<\/a> for you to use. These are quick and easy ways to communicate allergens with your customers and reassure them that you are dedicated to food safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you\u2019re unsure about what you need to do, or you have doubts about your knowledge of allergens, it\u2019s important to correct this. Consider taking our Food Allergens Awareness<\/a> course to make sure that you\u2019re confident in your responsibilities. <\/p>\n\n\n Food labelling is another crucial part of food safety. There are regulations regarding certain information that must be displayed on labels, and also specific allergen regulations for distance sellers<\/a>. Distance selling is the indirect selling of products rather than directly to customers over a counter or face to face. Therefore, if you\u2019re selling food on Facebook, you are a distance seller. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You must be able to provide allergen and intolerance information for your customers, especially with the introduction of Natasha\u2019s Law<\/a>, including any \u2018may contain\u2019 cross-contact allergens which you also handle.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBack to Top<\/em><\/a>\n\n\n\n We hope you\u2019ve found this article helpful, and we wish you all the best of luck with marketing your food business on Facebook. If you have any further questions, please don\u2019t hesitate to get in touch. We offer a variety of training courses and free resources that are written by industry experts, and can help you to make a success of your business!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Facebook is one of the most dynamic and effective marketing tools available. We offer tips and guidance for selling food on Facebook.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":53833,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,16],"tags":[700,66],"class_list":["post-53797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-food-hygiene","tag-food-safety","tag-starting-a-business"],"acf":{"schema_disabled":false,"schema_properties_FAQPage_question_answer":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_tools":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_supplies":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_steps":null,"schema_properties_WebPage_cssSelector":null,"schema_sameAs_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_override":false},"yoast_head":"\n\n
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Setting up Facebook for Business<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nTips for Creating a Facebook Marketing Strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Always keep your brand in mind<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Consider your language<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Use Facebook\u2019s Audience Insights<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nBe consistent<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Reply promptly to customers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nHow to Sell Food on Facebook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What are the Regulations for Selling Food on Facebook?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>\nStarting a Home Food Business?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Food Hygiene Training<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Allergens and Food Labelling<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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