By Megan Bennett, owner and president of SociallyAcceptable
Here’s the thing: Your links that you think are so important, the ones that lead back to your website and your blog, just don’t stand much of a chance when you post them on Facebook. In fact, less than 10% of your fans are likely to see any of what you’re putting out there. You can thank EdgeRank, the Facebook algorithm that determines what content is good content based on fans likes, comments and shares. The more interaction you get on a post, the more people will see the post.
So what should you do?
1. First, produce GOOD content that people care about. This means not writing post after post about how great you are or your company is but rather work on ways to help your fans and solve problems that they may have.
2. Second, if you have an event, promotion, workshop that you really want your fans to see, prep your Facebook page in advance and you can get more eyes on the post you really want them to read. How? It’s like this:
- Find some photos, meme’s and other content that you know will get really big engagement numbers. Make a folder.
- Think about controversy. Your fans are on your page because they like you. They like what you stand for or what you do or what you believe in. Use that. Talk about misconceptions in your industry. Talk about what bugs you. Engage your fan base with these topics. Pair your comments and thoughts with one of the viral images from your file.
- Come up with some questions. Ask your fan base a direct question that will draw them into conversation. These need to be relevant to your industry too and maybe even a little edgy. Again, a little controversy gets people talking.
Photo credit: IMN, Inc. - A couple of days before the event, seminar or promotion begin posting your guaranteed viral content during the times that it’s best for you to post. Get familiar with your Facebook Insights to find those times. The more people that interact with your posts the better.
- Use the ‘reply ‘ feature on your Facebook posts. You’ll need to allow this on your page if you haven’t already then thank people, comment on their comments and treat them as if they’re standing in the kitchen talking to you. This keeps the conversation going and boosts that interaction.
- Then, after a few days of solid conversation, likes and shares you’re ready to post about the promotion, invite or workshop. This post should be well crafted as well. And while you wont likely see the engagement on this post like you have seen in the days prior, more people will see it because Facebook will have sat up and taken notice of you.
Of course the viral and controversial posts will get you the likes and comments and shares you crave, but use them in moderation and be sure you’re reading your audience correctly. If you’re posting something that goes against what your fan base likes about you then your posts are more likely to be hidden. And all the EdgeRank tricks in the word won’t help you then.