Don’t Sell Your Product
Instead of telling people what you want them to buy, focus on what they might want to buy. Give them a reason to interact with your page in a way that’s natural for their Facebook habits. Consider: Some studies have shown that posts with questions perform better than those without; other research suggests content drives people to interact more than links and calls-to-action. Try both strategies—and experiment! You never know when you’ll find something truly special.
Keep It Short and Snappy
According to some social media researchers, more than half of consumers are unable to recall Facebook posts longer than 80 characters. Instead of sharing long-winded texts that no one will read, keep your posts short and sweet. Not only will you engage more people, but research suggests it’s also easier to create compelling headlines that pull in readers. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, take inspiration from online trending topics or tap into questions people are asking on sites like Quora. Alternatively, use a tool like CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer to see if your post will have any traction.
Use Images
Facebook is an image-centric platform. Whether you’re using posts to engage with fans, promote your business or start a conversation with your audience, images should be included in all Facebook posts. To ensure maximum engagement, use high-quality images that are visually appealing and relevant to your post topic. If you don’t have an image on hand, consider taking a quick photo of something topical to drive engagement. For example, if you wanted to create a post about best practices for viral marketing, take a quick snapshot of something you find interesting or relevant (the kitchen sink? The inside of your refrigerator? A humorous meme). It doesn’t matter what type of image it is as long as it ties back into your overall message.
Call to Action
Facebook users are likely to notice your post, but that doesn’t mean they’ll engage with it. Remember to include a strong call to action (CTA) in every post. It’s important that you write your CTA as a question rather than a statement so it catches users’ attention and prompts them to respond. For example, learn more about why Facebook marketing is an effective way of increasing brand awareness? Rather than learn how Facebook marketing can help increase your business’s brand awareness! These tips will make sure your posts stand out on their own, even in packed newsfeeds. Try these writing tips and see how much more engagement you get from Facebook fans as a result!
Tag Influencers in Your Posts
When posting a link to a news story or resource, tag someone who would find it interesting and whose followers you think might be interested too. This is about getting more visibility for your post—you want as many people as possible to see it, and tagging an influencer will help ensure that happens. If you don’t have anyone in mind, search through your connections on Facebook until you find someone who matches up with what you’re sharing. It never hurts to tag them (and nothing makes someone feel awkward, quite like having their name suddenly pop up in front of thousands of strangers). If they’re interested in what you shared or thought others might benefit from it too, they’ll likely share it on their own feed, too.
Ask Questions
Like we’ve said before, asking questions is one of the best ways to get people to engage with your posts. What you choose to ask is important—you want them to be relevant, timely and directly relate to what you’re posting. If you simply ask, “What do you think?” or “What do you think about X”, users are likely going to skip over your post and move on; they may even roll their eyes at how generic it is.
Run a Poll
You can create multiple polls with different questions and run them for specific periods of time. Polls provide quick feedback about what people want from you, which helps you figure out where to allocate your resources. For example, if you run a Facebook fan page and ask which type of posts readers like most—news stories or interviews—you can post more news stories or interviews based on what your fans say they like best.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to build a solid foundation for your Facebook marketing strategy, there are some basic principles that you should follow. These range from creating valuable content to avoiding controversial topics. With effective engagement, these strategies will make your brand more visible and establish a community that cares about your message. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. © 2022 Patrick M
