I find it slightly strange that so many brands have taken the time and effort to build an online presence but are not taking advantage of the fruits of their labor. It is relatively simple to get people to Like you on Facebook as it just takes a click of a button. But now companies are caught like a deer in headlights with tons of followers and not knowing what to do with them.
The largest brands on Facebook like Starbucks, Oreo, Skittles, Redbull and others have teams dedicated to growing and engaging their online profiles. Here is a good article and list of top Facebook brands . These brands also provide examples and ideas of what the other 99% of companies that don’t have dedicated teams could do.
I have put together a quick list of what every large and small brand should do to better engage their existing followers. The list is based on the premise that content is king! Everything you post on Facebook has a “hidden” quality score that users determine on their own. Though you can’t please everyone, keep high standards to produce quality content. So based on this, here are Must-Do’s to engage your fans:
1. Create an emotional bond. When posting content try to illicit a positive response. Reactions such as “I have to have it!” or “What a great offer!” or “That was a great story!’ When posting content, be creative and to the point. Bounce ideas off your friends and colleagues to get the response you want. The little extra time it takes to create the right message can make the difference between a viral or a dead campaign.
2. Use pictures and videos. We all know that including an image improves the click rate. So find cool pictures and videos and use them. If you have an archive of old media, find alternative fun media to post and write a catchy phrase as a headline. With that said, keep the media relevant to your brand. Don’t post stuff that will confuse a fan. According to Facebook, posting an image along with your content significantly improves the click rate.
3. Make sure you have a good, catchy headline and a thumbnail for all Wall Posts. Wall Posts on average have a click thru rate of 6.5%, which is exceptional when compared to a Facebook ad that gets approximately 0.05%. Again, a good headline and thumbnail make all the difference whether someone clicks! Don’t underestimate this.
4. Offer an incentive to Like your Page. Encourage people to Like your page and offer them an incentive for doing so. People need to be nudged to take an action and nothing works better than offering a coupon, exclusive content, sweepstakes or a giveaway. Here is a shameless plug for Back At You, but it works. By far this is one of the best ways to increase your Likes. This is also a good way to reward your existing Fans!
5. Provide weekly or monthly contest or rewards. Mix it up and don’t be predictable. Even create a 1 day, impromptu promotion. Give away tickets, food, sneak-peaks, fun swag or whatever it is. The best giveaway is fun and cost you little to nothing. The point here is not to plug Back At You, but promotions work really well. Another great thing about a promotion is that it provides a great way to thank a fan in front of your audience. There is nothing more cool than to have a brand post on their wall a message like “Congrats to David Smith! David just won 2 tickets to this weekend’s concert. You and all our Fans are the best! Thanks to everyone who participated! We have a lot more to giveaway to say thanks, stay tuned!”
6. Ask a question to your fans. I have a lot of experience in Q&A having co-founded one of the bigger Q&A sites. Asking a question in a poll format or a headline almost always improves the response rate. Also include a link in your post so fans can answer the question on the desired page. I have tested this a lot and a question format in the header/title almost always yielded better engagement than a non-question. Also, having a number in the title works well too (ergo this blog post!). Getting your fans engaged by asking a question is a great way to get engagement.
7. Provide local content. This is more relevant to those businesses that operate on a local level, however bigger brands can earn a lot of “kudos” for promoting local activities and events without any of their own sales pitch. You can provide content about local events or activities occurring in your area. Show your fans that you are involved and care about the local community. Even better is if you relate the local activity to your services without, however, looking like a used car salesman. Maybe you can provide some interesting or expert editorial connecting your business to the event. I know I always appreciate a business promoting other businesses or local activities without a sales pitch to buy something. It feels more genuine, thus gaining more respect and loyalty.
8. Provide a daily or weekly themed post. Pick a theme and do a 1-2 liner wall post about this theme or even a picture of the day (relevant to your brand). Think of the “word of the day,” “quote of the day” or “daily horoscope” themes and how something so simple is so successful. Depending on your business, ideas include “Today’s shoe tips,” “drink of the day,” “site of the day,” “Ways to dip an Oreo cookie (if you are the brand Oreo),” “Random places Starbucks coffee cups are found (if you are the brand Starbucks)” and other creative daily posts that will amuse or provide a tip to your fans! Have fun and go nuts. Plus, when you post these daily treats they show up on your fans New Feed. They read it, Like it, and guess what….the Like now shows up in their Friends feed! I love this idea!
9. Listen to your fans. You can’t expect your fans to always listen if you don’t listen to them. Respond to their post and answer their questions and any feedback they have. Your response shows you care and take an interest in their opinions. Plus it allows you to have a one-on-one conversation with a fan, which is invaluable to gain loyalty.
10. Send out a Thank You message. Thank them for being a fan of yours. This is very under-appreciated by brands but has a big impact on the person fanning you. I know when I get a thank you message I am usually pleasantly surprised. With that said, I can’t stand canned, auto-responses! So there is a delicate balance of making sure the note is personal and not spammy. Also, don’t send it out immediately, ideally wait 4-10 hours before sending the thank you, otherwise it seems auto-generated and maybe desperate.
So there you have it! Easy right? Well, yes and no. The reality is that none of these steps are difficult, in fact they are all pretty easy. If you don’t have much experience, don’t worry, keep doing these suggestions and after a quick week or two of posting everyday, you will quickly get the hang of it. One final note, doing all 10 steps might take more time than you have, no problem, pick at least 2-3 that you feel the most comfortable and then stay consistent! Stay diligent and follow each guideline and, in doing so, I can almost guarantee you will be successful in engaging and growing your Facebook Page!
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