Who needs interaction? 5 tips to managing a happy and healthy Facebook page
Nobody enjoys a party where they’re the only one sampling the guacamole. The only thing worse than being solo at the snack table is getting drawn into a boring conversation that makes you want to suddenly ‘remember you left the oven on’.
These social blunders are also happening all over the world’s largest social network. Many brand pages sit dormant; or one-way messaging echoes as though in an empty room; or worse, fan questions are handled as though they’ve fallen into a dark chasm. This type of customer engagement sometimes makes us wonder sometimes why some brands get into “social media” at all.
Here are our 5 tips to help you break the ice, and get that proverbial party started on your Facebook page:
1. Give Them Something to Talk About
Find subject matter that your visitors have in common, and get them talking about it. Luckily, you already know your Facebook fans have an interest in your brand, and likely your industry as a whole. Start there, but branch out to keep things fresh.
Through ongoing interaction and asking key questions, find out why they’re fans, what aspects of your business are interesting and other related topics of interest. You should be providing a mix of advice, promotions, newsworthy updates, fun/interesting chatter and answers to questions.
When Facebook users see others liking, commenting and sharing your content, it acts as social confirmation that it’s ok to join the party. It might even be cool if you play your cards right.
2. Give a Reason to Like the Page
So you’ve created the most engaging content ever seen on Facebook, and yet there aren’t herds of people lining up to like you. The Field of Dreams rule, “If you build it they will come’, does not apply to Facebook unless you’ve already got a recognizable brand that happens to be uber cool.
So how do you get the word out?
- List your Facebook page on your website, and everywhere you’d normally link your website including business cards, email signature and letterhead.
- Advertise! Facebook ads are a great place to find people with relevant interests, and the good thing is we know they have an account already!
- Run a contest, where being a fan is a condition of entry
- Create an exclusive offer giving your Facebook fans something that they can’t get elsewhere
It’ll be much easier to get a conversation going with a foundation of fans.
3. Tell Your Story with Photos
You know what looks boring on Facebook? Plain text. You know what looks interesting and fun to click on? Images. If there was one golden rule for Facebook engagement, it would be this: PEOPLE CLICK PHOTOS. Once that initial click barrier is broken, people are only one more click away from sharing your post or leaving a comment.
4. Know When to Stop Talking
The phrase, “You can never have too much of a good thing” does not hold true for Facebook. Interesting and engaging content is great, but piling on more content doesn’t make it any greater.
Experts agree that making 2 posts per day is ideal. Any more and fans may “dislike” the page, and Facebook will automatically reduce your visibility, thus undoing all your hard work up to this point.
5. Don’t Leave Them Hanging
No matter what happens, if someone asks a question, tells a story or shares their opinion, respond to them in some capacity. Even if you’re not sure of the answer, at least tell them that you are looking into it. People expect a quick response, and ignoring them is a missed opportunity to turn a Facebook fan into an evangelist.
Exercising these tips will help your Facebook page become a hub of social activity where people will want to spend time.