Many companies have thousands of fans with the opportunity for over 800 million (the latest tally of Facebook members) potential new clients for organizations promoting their brands on the social media site. With all of that promise, it is simply wasted if companies don’t engage with their pages and the people connected to them.
We have some simple ideas to help companies get their audience and KEEP them before the dreaded ‘unlikes’ reach epic proportions.
Promote Contests/Exclusive Deals and Offers
Facebook offers you the opportunity to reward your customers and for many companies, they are rewarded in return for being so gracious. If you offer something free to your users occasionally, on the condition that they “like” your page or update, this will not only just increase your growing audience, but it also ups your traffic – your users’ “like” activity will pop up in their friends’ news feeds and provoke more activity.
Take a Poll
If you’re posting a status update asking a question, or constructing a poll, people love to be asked what they think. Giving your followers a forum for their opinions will surely inspire some responses.
Get creative when asking questions. You can simply ask about one of your products you are selling or get personal. Either way, it’s a great method to find additional information about the people who you are marketing to.
Take Action
Don’t be that page that has comments posted from 2011 that still have unanswered questions on their wall. People enjoy giving their thoughts and opinions, but hate being ignored. Reply to the responses posted by your followers. This is one of the fundamental areas (also seen as a ‘no brainer’) but there are actually an overwhelming amount of high-profile business pages that are guilty of not responding to their fans.
Personalize Your Comments
Facebook doesn’t have threaded commenting, but we’ve all seen people addressed as ‘@username.’ It’s one simple step to acknowledging the person who asked a question or offered a response will make that person feel special, and it gives them a reason to post something on their own wall.
Posting Times
Train your followers when to expect new content from you. If you post daily, or several times per week, your readers will naturally start checking your page to see if you’ve posted something new. Plan on trying to post during times when most of your users will be online — somewhere between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in your time zone, when everyone’s at work. Popping up in their news feed when they’re online will guarantee you’ll be on their radar.
Good Deeds
Your page doesn’t exist solely to sell your product. It serves many purposes, and promoting a cause or charity should be one of them. This activates your fan base in a motivating way, and it demonstrates compassion on your part. If you own a pet supply store, encouraging your followers to contribute to a non-profit campaign will push them to impact the outcome of something bigger than themselves – and your company.
Reputation Management
Facebook pages aren’t the place for companies to complain about the economy or changes in the industry. Keeping your tone light and your topics engaging is crucial to maintaining readership. However, that doesn’t mean others won’t post negative comments on your page. Address their concerns quickly and professionally, and follow up with the posters off Facebook. Your fans will watch how you react and respond accordingly.
Quick and Concise Updates
Users like Facebook because it allows them to get several snippets of information in a short amount of time. If your updates are longer than 300 characters, your audience will lose interest.
Provide Updates And New Offerings
If your stores have changed, you have new products, or your policies are being restructured, let your Facebook fans know. Your audience will appreciate being ‘in-the-know’, and it may remind them to stop by or place an order.
Treat your audience well by providing what you originally offered when you signed up your business on Facebook. They will be sure to appreciate it and thank you later for the time and consideration you put forth. You may not actually earn 800 million fans, but you’ll garner the ones who are the right fit for you.
For more information on how to grow your fan page on Facebook, contact Triangle Direct Media today and find out how we can help take your social media marketing efforts to the next level with our vast array of online marketing services.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
