Here is a conundrum that often comes up, when I meet with owners of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). How can I make my digital media campaign more effective, when I can barely afford to invest in google ads etc?

I am the business coach. I am supposed to mentor them through their crisis. And while many of my clients are based in the Jerusalem area, I know this is a generic problem that goes beyond Israeli SMEs.

In fact, help is not so far away. Facebook promotional efforts are often based around placing clever photos or videos on your page. Alternatively, you are encouraged to find other like sites and to place your content there. However, this is way too passive.

An interesting article about the company U.S. Cotton reveals an open secret. In order to brand their new line called “Swisspers”, the firm asked clients to send in selfies of themselves “naked in bed”. That is to say, the product is about makeup removal, and the picture had to show yourself without makeup, just before you go to sleep.

The campaign went viral. Even celebs sent in some photos. Excellent from the point of view of the company. What was clever was that U.S. Cotton had encouraged people to be pro active. They had made Facebook page something others wanted to be a part of and to “improve”.

Here is another example. A tourist attraction in Israel asked visitors to post unusual pictures of their experience. A panel would judge the best entries, who were to receive a prize. What is so great about this campaign is that every person who entered the competition is automatically letting their other Facebook friends know where they have been and why.

Free and direct advertising. There is nothing better! And again, this is making Facebook proactive.

The bottom line here is that companies who own a Facebook page still have to create their own content. However, Facebook is all about the community. So, involve as many people as you can in composing that information, thus making it interesting and exciting for countless others.