Aware of how important Facebook has become for broadcasting lessons in the absence of meeting in person, the social media site has upped the ante in teaching online.
They’re now offering what they call a “new and improved event experience to host classes online”.
Have you noticed this banner for Facebook Classes pop up in your newsfeed?
Aware of how important Facebook has become for broadcasting lessons in the absence of meeting in person, the social media site has upped the ante in teaching online.
They’re now offering what they call a “new and improved event experience to host classes online”. Whether you’re a Pilates instructor, wine taster or florist, this format is a fantastic way to showcase your skills and increase brand awareness. Classes are also perfect for nurturing a loyal audience who could well turn into paying customers for a long time to come!
Our very own Siân at Pick & Mix Marketing knows the importance of this having taken dance classes on Facebook throughout all three lockdowns. Because of this, she is still in touch with her instructors and primed to pick up where she left off once real-life events resume.
If you work with a community centred around human interaction and shared learning, making the shift to Facebook classes instead of a huge hiatus in gatherings could be the lifeline you need.
Below, we walk you through this new feature and share a few insider secrets on making these classes work well…
Creating your Facebook event
Once you click “Create Class”, you’ll be asked to select whether your lesson will be free or paid. Complimentary tasters can be a great way to grow your potential customer base, while paid lessons can generate valuable income.
Make sure you’re viewing the event as the correct business page in the left-hand panel before you click through to the next screen.
After choosing your event type, you’ll find yourself on the familiar “create event” screen with the option to add your location, description of what the event will involve and a category.
The categories which Facebook suggests include art, crafts, dance, fitness and food. An indicator of the kinds of classes Facebook imagine will take place on their site. Note, they’re all very interactive! Personally, we’ve found follow-along classes to be much more fun than those you watch passively. Could you send out some recipe ingredients or craft materials ahead of time so that people can join in with the live class?
We know from experience that Facebook marketing works especially well for small, independent businesses as well as studios and freelancers. It’s easy to see how these kinds of companies and people would have plenty of knowledge to share with their close-knit community of supporters.
The next step to setting up your class is to select how people will join in. If you’re using Zoom or streaming via YouTube, you might include the meeting link or URL as an “external link.” For a super streamlined experience though, you might decide to broadcast your lesson right there on Facebook so guests can watch as soon as they click on the class. You’ll need to select “go live directly in your event” when this box pops up.
Finally, pop in a suitable cover photo. We love Canva when it comes to creating slick graphics without needing to be a whizz on professional photo-editing software. Or even better, perhaps you have a photo of you in the midst of your activity: spinning a pottery wheel, pruning your bonsai or throwing a karate kick. Exciting imagery will encourage people on Facebook to stop by and have a look.
Handy tip: toggle the mobile and desktop icons in the top right-hand corner of the preview to check the event looks ok on both devices. Remember, most people nowadays will come across your class on their phone. Therefore, it’s important you check that it’s looking tidy wherever it appears.
Spreading the word on groups
Did you notice earlier that you can automatically share a class to your Facebook group?
If you’ve got an avid community of fellow wine connoisseurs or fitness fans who are as obsessed with body pump as you are, make the most of your customers’ enthusiasm by creating a group for them. You can share exclusive deals, behind the scenes updates from your business and relevant blog posts to keep them interested in your service.
Moreover, you’ll have a captive audience ready to become attendees at your class. And what happens when their similarly minded friends see that they’re attending your lesson? They’ll click through and have a look at what they can learn with you too. Valuable new followers of your business!
When you hit publish on the Facebook Class that we walked you through above, you’ll be invited to share the event in any groups associated with your company page. Make sure you do this to pick up some immediate momentum as soon as you’ve announced what’s happening.
Mentioning in your page posts
Don’t forget to mention that the class is happening in posts on your page. Facebook streams are busy places, and there’s no guarantee that your event will show up in your followers’ feeds on its own.
In the weeks leading up to the lesson, mention it regularly and give teasers of what attendees can expect. Then, in the days just before, push to attract those last-minute guests. You could add the class to your Facebook and Instagram stories, or make a reel or IGTV video to entice people to learn with you.
Run a paid ad campaign
To really go for it with your Facebook class, allocate a little money to a paid Facebook campaign. As little as £20 can show your event to thousands more people, which you can target by location or interests. We can help you if you’re unsure how to run adverts on Facebook.
We hope you’ve found this introduction to Facebook Classes helpful. To arrange a one-to-one session with us where we can walk you through the process live or give you some tips on promoting your class to a wider audience, email info@pickandmixms.co.uk or contact us here.