When
it comes to social networking there's little doubt that Facebook is the largest
and most influential of the social networks online. It has more than 500
million registered user and, at the time of writing this, the average user is
connected to 80 community pages, groups and events. For businesses this means
that a Facebook page or other piece of Facebook real estate is a serious way to
generate social and viral traffic, but only if it is done well.
There
are 900 million objects that people interact with which means, first and
foremost, yours needs to stand out. It either needs to provide something that
others don't (unlikely given the amount of competition) or it needs to do what
it does better than the competition. One of the most common mistakes by small
businesses is believing that Facebook traffic is a quick hit; it can take
months to build up a decent sized list of fans that avidly read your content,
but there are some steps you can take to help attract greater numbers.
The Facebook Platform
Fortunately, there is an extensive platform on which you can build unique
Facebook pages and interact with existing and potential readers and your
business needs to make the most of these in order to generate the best possible
results.
1. Be Unique Not Generic - There is a lot of competition on Facebook,
regardless of the type and topic of content that you're providing. Ensure your
Facebook page really stands out by creating a unique design. You don't have to
have the standard Facebook page design and you can implement all sorts of
features that help your visitors recognize you as a leader in your field.
You can also serve different landing pages to different visitors. For example,
fans and first time visitors to your page do not need to see the same thing and
Facebook offers the functionality to change these settings. Show a page that
encourages non-followers to fan your page, and show the main content to those
that have already done so. Provide incentives such as coupons for your products
or services, or free resources like Ebooks and other giveaways, to members that
have not yet clicked to follow your page.
2
. Use Giveaways
- Giveaways have long been and continue to be one of the most effective
branding and promotional techniques there is. Ebooks, gift items, and coupons
are just some of the Facebook-specific items you can provide to those that are
willing to sign up for your Facebook fan page. You can provide regular
giveaways to members to ensure that people follow you over time and as an extra
incentive for becoming what is essentially a subscribed member of your fan
page.
3.
Use Competitions
- Competitions can generate even more buzz than a giveaway. If you place a
financial value on each of your fans, then you can calculate a decent prize to
give away. It could be one of your products or services or something relating
to one of your partners. Make sure that it is related to the content you
provide as well as the products or services that you promote. Competitions can
go viral too, so encourage your readers to spread the word with their friends -
you can even build this into the competition by offering extra prize draw
entries for each friend referred to your page.
4. Get Personal - Facebook is first and foremost a social network. The
fact that it can also be used to help promote your business is an added
benefit, but users are predominantly on the site because it allows them to
connect with others and hunt down content that they are interested in. It is,
therefore, a personal experience and your readers will for the most part want
to believe that they are dealing with real people. Add a large photo to your
Facebook page.
If
you organize events or can take photos of your visitors some other way then do
so, and tag the people in those photos. It is possible to let readers upload
their own photos and tag themselves (I would of course watch this carefully,
but it can be a great way to get people involved).
5. Say Thanks - A little "thank you" can go a LONG way. As
soon as somebody becomes a fan send them an unobtrusive message thanking them
for becoming a fan and welcoming them to the fold. The message doesn't need to
be long and it can be automated, but remember, people buy people, so a little
personal touch will go a long way!
6. Don't Give Up - Don't be surprised if your Mom and your Sister are
your only fans after a few days of adding content and personalizing your page.
It does take effort to develop a high quality Facebook fan page. Keep posting,
keep updating, keep testing, keep evolving, and keep trying - don't' give up!
Facebook Marketing
Facebook is the largest social network online having surpassed half a billion
users. While competition is fierce, if you can master the art of creating a
popular and beneficial Facebook page then you can also master the art of
generating social traffic and your marketing message can go viral producing
massive returns in the long run.
Happy status updates!
***
By Lindsay Dicks (c) 2011
SEO News
[seo@seo-news.com]
