1. Networking with other platforms
For example, make sure you link to your Facebook page from your website and anywhere else you may be online to enable the maximum amount of people to “like” you and interact with you there.
Would it be appropriate to add your Facebook link to your email signature for example? You would be amazed the number of people who have a Facebook page but do not tell people about it at every appropriate opportunity.
2. Content is king
A great way to keep your audience engaged and ever expanding is to create great content. Content that is interesting, relevant and most importantly that people will “like” and want to share. Use the information you gain from Facebook to help you create useful content. For example, if similar questions keep popping up on your Facebook wall from customers, it is clear that this is an area where people require further knowledge.
If you therefore create a document that fully explains the area that causes confusion, logic would suggest that people would find this very useful if they frequently ask about it. It also shows that you are listening to your customers.
If you are just starting up and do not have too many questions yet, why not look at your competitors’ Facebook pages and see if there are synergies that you can learn from? Are there things that keep coming up on their pages that you could use to your advantage?
3. Other reasons to “like”
If you do not want to become a resource portal and actually this way of engaging does not fit your business, then you need to still give people a reason to “like” you in the first place. This might be through use of a voucher or discount, for example having a Facebook only discount code , although this can be hard to monitor.
Alternatively, you could run simple competitions through Facebook. Competitions are a great way to tell people about you and introduce your brand, but also a great way to build your community. If the prize is good enough then people will be inclined to share the competition with their friends, a percentage of whom will then enter and share with their friends etc etc.
4. Develop custom tabs
Facebook enables you to be able to create your own customer tabs on your page. This can be very beneficial because it means you can have specific pages just for people who “like” you, which enhances a sense of community and also encourages people to “like” you just from a sense of intrigue and curiosity!
Clearly what people see when they do “like” your page needs to be worth it. This could be great content, a competition, a voucher code etc. Custom tabs also enable you to have a chosen landing page so that when people find you, they are not just taken to your wall but instead something a bit different, that tells them about you and why they might want to be a part of your community. As well as this, custom tabs enable you to be creative and show people what’s so special about your brand over competitors.
As we all know, it is no longer good enough to be one of many, you have to stand out from the crowd and be inventive. Facebook tabs may be a great way to do this and show off your USP’s.
5. Join the conversation
In order to get the most out of Facebook, you need to join the conversation and interact with customers. Where you think it is relevant, comment on photos, and videos.
Conduct polls to gain information as research but also engage your audience and show that their opinion matters. Share photos from events and encourage others to tag themselves. If people post on your wall, respond to them. Ansimpleweb.co.uker their questions and deal with any issues head on, honestly and publicly. People are often tempted to delete negative customer posts from their wall. Unless the post is categorically untrue, we would strongly advise against this.
Social media brings with it real time, in the moment feedback, and the way you choose to handle this feedback divides those who are in it for the long term and care about building a sustainable community, from those who are thinking too short term to understand the risks. Whatever the feedback, people appreciate honesty and respect people dealing with their issues quickly.
Image via howtostartablogonline.net
