Facebook Fan pages are central and essential to any Social Media strategy. It is the means as well as the ends to engage the Audience in social media and can also be the doorway to e-commerce. In this post I share 10 tips to create engaging fan page posts that are advised by the masters and creators of facebook.
1. Use link posts to drive people to your website
Link posts now have a larger, clickable area that helps drive people to your website.
· In your Page's Sharing tool, enter the URL, then hit Enter
· The title, description and image are taken from your URL, but you can still customize the text and image of the post. Make sure to use as few words as possible which attract the viewer's attention.
· FB has increased the size of the image for these types of posts, so ensure you select compelling imagery that will blend into the News Feed experience
2. Use engaging copy, images and videos
· Rich media like photos and videos get more attention and help your message stand out in News Feed
· Lifestyle images like the ones you see from your friends on Facebook are always engaging. Try sharing images of your products or photos of your customers enjoying your services
· Try to keep your posts between 100 and 250 characters to get more engagement. Shorter, succinct posts are better received
3. Create a two-way conversation
· Ask your audience to share their thoughts and feedback on your product and services. This is another way to listen to your customers and improve your business.
· Posting content that shows you took their feedback into consideration can build customer loyalty and show you value their ideas
· In Action: Modify Watches, a company that creates mix-and-match watches, asks customers for input on product designs and names, and builds ongoing watch designs from this real-time feedback
4. Share exclusive discounts and promotions
· Offer special deals or perks to your customers to keep them interested and to drive online sales. Include call to actions with links to the most relevant page on your website.
· In Action: BarkBox creates posts with promotional codes. They found that valuable offers like buy-1-get-1-free or discounts over 20% were more likely to be shared and it helped them spread the word about their business.
· To improve engagement with your promotions, include clear calls to action, redemption details, and when the promotion ends to add a sense of urgency.
5. Provide access to exclusive information
· Reward people who are connected to your Page and drive loyalty and online sales by providing them with exclusive information. Make them feel special by sharing exclusive product news, contests and events.
· In action: PhotoBarn created a Mother’s Day 10-Day Giveaway of PhotoBarn products on their Page
6. Be timely
· Your audience will be more likely to engage with posts when they’re related to subjects that are top of mind, like current events or the holidays
· Timeliness is also important when replying to comments on your posts. The faster you reply, the more likely fans will engage with you in the future.
· Tip: Post a daily sneak peek of upcoming product sales 2 weeks prior to Black Friday or Cyber Monday
7. Plan your conversational calendar
· The easiest way to stay in regular contact with fans is by creating a conversational calendar with ideas about what to talk about each week or month
· A content calendar will not only help you post regularly, but will ensure your content is well planned, interesting, and that you don't miss major business events and news. Find a frequency that works for you and your audience.
8. Schedule your posts
· To better manage your time, you can schedule your posts in advance and plan for upcoming holiday events and specials
· To schedule your posts, simply click the clock icon on the lower left-hand corner of your Page's sharing tool
· Schedule your posts when most of your fans are online. You can find out when your fans are online by visiting your Page Insights and going to the posts tab
· After you've scheduled a post, you can manage your scheduled posts by going to the top of your Page and choosing Edit Page and then selecting Use Activity Log
9. Target your posts
If your posts are meant for specific groups of people, you can target your post in your Page’s sharing tool by clicking on the target icon at the bottom left corner and selecting Add Targeting. You can target your post based upon gender, relationship status, educational status, interests, age, location, and language.
10. Review the performance of your posts
Check your Page Insights regularly to understand what's working to keep your posts relevant and engaging. Page Insights will help you understand your audience and what types of content interests them.
Please note that all rights are reserved by facebook, I am just sharing this along with my two cents for the greater good. These tips are just starters and you can always improvise upon it depending on the need and kind of exposure expected for your page. These 10 tips for a skeletal structure to create posts and engage fans on facebook.
