Facebook is one of the best social media platforms to advertise on. In fact, in 2015, 52% of consumers’ online and offline purchases were influenced by Facebook, and 71% of social media users are more likely to purchase from a brand they follow online. It’s therefore crucial that your business has a presence on social media, especially Facebook. Setting up a Facebook page is one thing, but gaining followers and using your Facebook page to make sales is another. Getting lots of engagement on your posts (meaning lots of likes, comments, shares and discussion) is a sure way to improve your brand’s popularity, gain more followers, and therefore make sales. In this blog post, I’ve detailed how to get more engagement on your Facebook posts.
Use Images & Videos
It’s a fact that posts which include photos or videos get more engagement than text-only statuses. This is partly because they’re more eye-catching and easy to spot when scrolling. So, even if you’re just posting about generic news, try to include an image. In this example for InVision Interiors, we included multiple photos of different interior styles to advertise their flooring.
If you’re stuck with ideas for photos to post that are related to your business, try looking on some Free Stock Photo Websites for inspiration. Whilst it’s best to use your own photos, you can use these free images to represent your products or services.
Share/Create Funny Posts
Funny posts, memes or videos create lots of engagement as people tag their friends and share the post to their timelines. Not only does it create engagement, but it also shows a more informal, less serious side to your business. Make sure that your humorous posts are still related to business.
In this example for Higherwell Farm Small Pet Hotel, we found a video of a hamster running frantically in it’s wheel and made a joke about trying to get your summer body.
Encourage People to Tag Their Friends
Encouraging people to tag their friends or family in your posts is a great way to not only attract new customers, but retain your old ones. Expressly tell people to tag their friends, for example a dog-related business may caption a post with “tag a dog lover”, or a fashion brand could tell fans to “tag someone who needs this dress”.
In this Father’s Day example for JustEgg Chilled Foods Ltd, we shared a happy little egg graphic captioned with “Dad, you’re a good egg” and encouraged people to tag their Dads.
Encourage Comments
You can encourage people to comment on your posts by asking them to tag their friends (as mentioned above), asking questions, or starting a game or discussion. A restaurant might ask “what’s your favourite dessert?”, or an artist could ask for suggestions on what to paint next. Try to think of creative ways to get people commenting on your Facebook posts.
In this example for Dog Walking & Exercise Field Newquay, we created a game where people comment with a photo of their dog and everyone else guesses if the dog is male or female. This post was hugely successful, reaching 7,000 people and gaining 319 comments.
Run ‘Share to Enter’ Competitions
If you’re feeling generous, a ‘share to enter’ competition will definitely get you more followers and potential customers. Many companies do giveaways or competitions where fans have to ‘like’ and ‘share’ a post, as well as liking the company’s page, to be in with a chance of winning. The prize doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to be something worth trying to win. Not only will you get lots of new fans, but the people who don’t win your giveaway may be inclined to just purchase the product or service anyway.
WAX Newquay often do giveaways on their Facebook to give away free food or discount cards. In this example, they celebrated the launch of their new lunch deal by giving away 10 for free.
Share Posts Your Fans Will Love
Whilst the aim of your Facebook page is to promote your products or services, there’s only so much you can say about them before you start to become repetitive. Your Facebook page isn’t just about you, it’s also about your fans. Posting content that you know your fans will love is a good way to keep them interested in your brand. For example, if you’re a surf brand you can share news about the latest surf competitions. It helps to relate your posts to relevant events (use the Days of The Year calendar to find relevant National or International Days that you can create posts about). You can also share posts about the local area.
Hope Healing regularly shares positive affirmations and quotes to inspire their audience of spiritual, positive people – with no sales motive!
Always Reply To Your Comments & Messages
If someone has made the effort to comment on one of your posts, you should return the favour. People love to engage with brands, and most of the time, they expect a reply.
Keep Your Text Short
No-one wants to read a paragraph, especially when scrolling through their Facebook feed. Keep your post brief and to-the-point, aiming to grab attention.
Offer Exclusive Discounts to Your Facebook Followers
Retain your fan’s loyalty by offering exclusive discounts just for them. A “10% off when you like our Facebook page” advert will go a long way to helping you gain followers. Similarly, you can share your brand far and wide by offering discounts when people share your page or check-in to your establishment.