Facebook is the major player when it comes to social networks. But there’s more to your facebook marketing strategy than just posting something or “set it and forget it”. It’s about communication, connection, and building relationships. Remember, people only buy from you when they “Know, Like and Trust” you.
I have spoken to many frustrated small business owners who are overwhelmed with their facebook marketing strategy. I can totally relate to this. I was there once myself. You post an article from your site. You post a photo or video. Then you get a whopping 0 Likes! It’s like a total punch to your gut!
You know you have some valuable information to share but no one is engaged with you. Then you look over at your competitors and they’re getting likes, shares, and comments. What’s wrong with this picture?
You have to realize that people are on facebook for more than just entertainment. They want support and to be a part of a positive, loving and caring online community.
Take me for example. I have approximately 1,713 facebook fans. As of the date of this article, I am reaching 916,764 friends of fans, 462 people talking about this, 24,398 weekly total reach with my facebook engagement rates.
How did I get these engagement rates? Well, it certainly wasn’t by chance. It is a clear and concise marketing strategy. I post engaging content between 7am – 7pm on the hour. Now that may seem like a lot but actually, it’s not. Statistics show that only 16% of your facebook fans will see your posts in their newsfeeds. So that means you are more likely to show up if your posts are engaging, uplifting, and inspirational.
My business is primarily about small business marketing and self-publishing. Do I always write posts about small business marketing and self-publishing? No. Why? Because no one wants to hear about those topics all day long. But would people like to hear about what I’m eating? Yes. What about spending the day with my daughter? Yes. What about a positive quote, words of encouragement, and positive affirmations? Yes.
That’s why it’s called social media! The keyword is SOCIAL. People want to connect with other human beings. That’s why it’s so important to talk “with” your fans and not “at” your fans.
Here are some of my most popular questions for higher fan engagement:
- What is your favorite color?
- What is your favorite travel destination?
- What is your favorite season?
- What is your favorite movie?
- What is your favorite hobby?
- What is something you’ve always dreamed of doing?
- What’s one thing you would do if money was no object?
- What would you do if you could not fail?
You may be wondering, “What does their favorite color have to do with my business?” Nothing, but you are showing people that you are interested in who they are and what they have to say.
Another great idea is to post a portion of a picture and do a “Guess what it is?” post. I do this on my facebook fan page every once a while. People love guessing things. Think about this way, if you’ve been talking with your fans all day long, you start to build trust and rapport with them. They’re more likely to hop on over to your website/blog to find out more about you. Facebook is my #1 referrer for website traffic to my blog.
Here are a few more tips for Facebook fan engagement:
- Keep it short and sweet. Posts between 100 and 150 characters have more likes, comments and shares.
- Be relevant. Let your audience know that you know who they are.
- Be authentic. Use your voice and be real.
- Include a call to action sometimes. Ask for a Like, Share, or Comment.
- Be creative with your Facebook Applications.
- Offer value in everything you do.
- Be entertaining.
- Be educational.
In conclusion, engage in short conversations when they make comments. So many company brands miss the boat when they never respond to people’s questions or comments.
So get out there and engage!
About the Author
Palmdale resident Kate Redwine, MPA. BBA. is a Client Attraction coach that teaches small business owners how to get more customers and make more money while making a difference. Kate is a #1 best-selling author of Law of Attraction Marketing: How to Attract All the Clients You Want. Kate was recently dubbed, “One of the Top 100 Mompreneur Bloggers to follow in 2013 by award winning author Matthew Toren of Blogtrepreneur.com. To hear Kate’s FREE 30 minute client attraction MP3, go to www.tinyurl.com/AVSmallBusiness or call our FREE 24 hour recorded message line at (661) 724-6480.