Why "Likes" Alone Aren't Enough

Yes, you need Fans.  The more people who Like your page the greater your potential Reach becomes. However...
You can have 10,000 Fans on your Facebook page and still have a fraction of the success that another page with 2,000 Fans has.  How can this be? You dedicated time, energy and funds into slick offers and contests to drive those "Likes".  You set a goal and you made it.  Yet, you hear crickets when you post.

The secret to the Page with the smaller Fan base? Engagement.  They are using creative and thoughtful content to Reach the friends of their Fans, Organically.  When your Fans "Like", Comment on or Share your posts, you have the potential of reaching a significant portion of their friends.  These friends may Engage your post.  Increasing the Virality of  your organic reach.

Increase your Reach and make your Virality soar by getting fans "Talking About This".

Put simply. Post interesting stuff on your page. People will like it, say something about it and their friends will see it.  If you consistently post interesting stuff you can get these same people to become potential customers, by enticing them to join an email list or send them to your website with an occasional "Cleverly positioned sales post".

You must face the hard truth.  People do not want you to shove your "product" down their throats.  Build a relationship and they just might listen to you when you recommend they do or try something.

You also might be interested in:

• The Definition of Facebook's Main Insights
• How to Maximize Your Facebook Engagement
• Best Strategy of Facebook Engagement is Constant Evolution

7 Ways Your Posts Can Kill Your Social Media Strategy

These are 7 posting strategies that drive me away from Social Media platforms.

• Lack of consistency: I only hear from you when you're offering a special, or want something from me.  If I am following you, I am interested in your brand.  Keep your fans' attention by posting consistently. Take the time to commit to posting.  Even if it is once or twice a week.  
• Serial Posting: I haven't seen a post from you for over a week, and then BAM three posts in a row.  Really? I call this Social Media Serial Murder. Did all this fabulous content just come to you?  Probably not.  Pace yourself.  
• Super Selling: "Thanks for liking us, now BUY something".  Social Media is not a hard sell.  Concentrate on building a relationship, brand loyalty will come.  Remember the 80/20 rule. 80% of your posts should offer "valuable" content.  Entertain, Educate, Inform.  The remaining 20% can be used to sell.  I know you have the bottom line in mind, but if you can't keep your sales pitch in check, social media might not be for you.
• TMI:   What I mean by TMI, is very long posts.  Yes, some social media platforms allow you post short stories.  Facebook allows 60,000 characters, but the best length is around 250.  Your fan will lose interest.  Keep it short.  If you have more information you want to share, drive them to your website or to your company blog.
• Typing all in caps: I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS STILL HAPPENS. "Hi, do you mind if I shout at you?"  Enough, post like a human.
• Bad grammar and typos: It happens, just don't make a habit of it. Consistent grammatical errors and typos will have fans unliking, unfollowing and making fun of you.  
• Keeping your fans silent: What kind of a relationship only lets one person talk?  The whole idea is to get people involved.  Setting your page to limit posts by fans makes no sense.  Allowing posts might let some negative comments in, but don't you want to know what the public thinks of your brand?  The whole reason you are using Social Media is to engage with your customers and future customers.  If you put out the "Shut up and listen" vibe, they will run for the hills and give their attention and their money to someone else.

If you have any to add, post it in the comments.  I'd love to add to my list.

Facebook Page vs. Personal Profile

I'm writing this, because I witnessed a peer in Social Media Marketing promoting a client's new "Page".  Their page was really a profile, and I was amazed that they were not given better guidance.

Page. Profile.  They look similar, but they are vastly different.  If you are creating a presence for your business, do not make the mistake of starting a Personal Profile on Facebook.

What's the big deal? Well, let's say you create the profile.  You manage to manipulate your business name into the space where a first name and surname are normally placed.  You get fans, actually they are showing up as "Friends".  Next thing you know, someone reports you to Facebook for violating their Community Standards.  You are not a real person, you are a business.

Profiles are for REAL people. Pages are for everything else, or real personalities, politicians, celebrities, etc.  Facebook has strict guidelines for setting up a Page verses a Profile.  Personal profiles have access to tons of private information from their friends.  Information that your clients and customers don't want you to have.  As a profile, you have access to every post, photo, and comment that they make available to their friends.  I am a big fan of Mashable, but I don't want them to know what I did last night.   Not cool, not cool at all.

While your business page limits you from seeing your fans private information, what you do get are insights into your fans activities, on your page.  You can track the popularity of your campaigns and posts.  You are using your page to build relationships, so it's important to know what your target audience likes.

If you are creating that presence on Facebook and you don't have the luxury of hiring a Social Media Professional to help you, do some basic research. If you do hire a "specialist", make sure they know what they are doing.  It would be a shame for all your efforts to go down the drain.

Facebook offers step by step instructions, under Create a Page. Check them out.

How To Throw A Party

Conversation. Generally, it involves more than one person talking.  Unless, you count my Aunt Betty, who could carry on one heck of a conversation with herself, all day long. I digress.

Social Media, emphasis on the social.  Think of your social media sites like a backyard BBQ.  You've invited people you know, many of them  well, and some who you'd like to get to know better.  The party gets some new faces, too. "Sure, bring a friend! The more the merrier."  No problem, you have plenty of burgers and hot dogs to go around right?

How do you get everyone to feel comfortable at your virtual party? You visit and ask questions.  What questions?  For the friends you know, it will be about what matters to them.  Family, work, hobbies.  For those who you just met, the questions will be geared to get to know them better.  As a good host, you are going to ask them questions so they open up and begin to feel comfortable.

Think about a party you've been to, where the host monopolizes the conversations.  It's all about them.  Me, me, me.  You are looking for an excuse to leave.  You are wondering why you came at all.  The next time they invite you, your calendar is full.

If you want to keep your fans, followers, friends, you've got to encourage them to talk to you, and to each other.  How do you get new faces at your "party"?  "Hey Jill, why don't you come with me to Maria's?  She throws the best parties."  If they share information about you and your business, you will gain more potential customers and donors.

Conversation starters in the Social Media setting:

• Ask Questions.  If you have problems thinking of a good question, make it a yes or no.  "Yes or no, I ask my Facebook fans quesitons?"
• Provide interesting topics.  Your agenda is to sell something.  The people who follow you, are doing it because they find something valuable about you.  Give them something they might want to share.  Remember, you are the host of the party, entertain them. Don't forget to ask a question.
• Pictures. Worth a thousand words, right? Again, ask a question with your photo. 
• Get them talking.  Ask for stories, photos, videos.

This is the most important part of this my blog post today.  You have to give people a chance to talk.  If you have social media accounts for your business, you have to allow the public to post. Limiting engagement will put people off your brand.  If you are afraid of negative comments then you may have bigger problems.  Check the settings on your page and allow conversations to get started.  

So, get out there and get your Party Started!

Don't miss my workshop "Timeline Tips & Tricks: Get the most out of your Page" on April 24. Register here.