The popular social network Facebook is a great site to advertise your fan page and gain thousands of fans through timely and consistent engagement. It's more of a methodical process than a difficult one - if you regularly practice finding new fans and keeping them interested, you'll see your fan base grow more and more. This article will help you learn a number of ways to make your fan page popular and improve its visibility.
Note: There is now a "Like" button on the pages instead of "Become a fan", but people who click "Like" are still considered fans. This article will also assume that you have administrator rights for the page in question.
Steps
Step 1. Create a fan page on Facebook
This is the first step if you haven't created the page yet. It may not seem obvious, but having a fan page and lots of fans is a huge marketing operation if used well. Things to keep in mind include:
Create an attractive fan page, with lots of colorful photos and detailed information to grab the attention of more readers
Step 2. Keep in mind right away that your Facebook page will become your "brand"
Even if you are not a company, entrepreneur or organization, etc., you are still building your brand as an individual or as a "social media expert", even if not voluntarily. It is therefore important to plan the appearance of the page and its content carefully, focusing on the image of you that the page conveys. If you already have a fan page but you are not happy with your image, now is the right time to fix it!
- Click "Recommend to friends". Once your page has been created or rearranged, it's time to spread it as much as possible among your real friends. If they accept your invitation and "like" your page, they will become your first "fans". Think of all the people you might know to get started. If you have colleagues, supporters of your cause (for example if you are advertising a charity, or a newly created website or blog, etc.), invite these people as well.
- Make it clear and polite to who you are inviting that you would like them to "like" your page. It is not clear to everyone what to do once the URL is opened!
- Expand your fan base by leveraging your friends' contacts. Ask your friends to suggest the page to their contacts, on Facebook and by any other means they have available, such as Twitter or by email). Word of mouth and trust between friends can help you attract "friends of friends" who may have similar interests to yours or be excited to follow your page if you represent a business or cause.
- If some of your friends have a big influence on Facebook, ask them if they can invite their friends to follow your page. You can return the favor by advertising for them on your increasingly popular page!
Step 3. Email your friends who don't use Facebook
You could encourage them to sign up!
- If you are a fan of other Facebook pages, comment on their status with links to your page as often as possible. You'll get better results by commenting on the statuses of pages with hundreds of thousands or millions of fans, and making your comment one of the first. Don't overdo it though; commenting too often is annoying.
- Directly post a link to your page on other groups or pages. It's another way to attract fans. You can also enter a short description of your business. As above, don't overdo it or you will become annoying.
Step 4. Use "@reply" (similar to the "@" function on Twitter), to tag a person on your page
Each time you do this, your status will appear on the page whose name follows the "@reply" command. It is important not to overdo it or you will be reported for spamming. And if your page is from a business, don't be surprised if a competitor does the same on your page; take it with a smile and consider that it's all part of the social media game!
Create contests for your fans. Get your fans to win something, be it a virtual prize or a real product or service offered by your business, such as a biodegradable bag, a free dog wash or a pack of peanuts. Do this regularly, weekly or once a month
Step 5. "Use tags in photos":
ask each winner to upload a photo of them with the prize received, if anything concrete, and ask them to tag themselves in the photo they uploaded. It's a great way to encourage them to spread your page; many fans will be thrilled and will do so to express their gratitude. These photos will be collected in the "Fan Photos" folder on your page (you could call it the winners club, a page that other people can see and aspire to join!) And the photos with the tag will also appear in their journal, giving a opportunity for their friends to visit your page. (It does not necessarily have to be a photo with a product; it can also be related to an activity related to your site, blog or fan page, such as cooking or looking after a dog, etc.)
- Post links to your Facebook page on other social networks. For example, use Twitter. If you have a lot of followers, curiosity will prompt them to follow the link and visit your Facebook page. In each community that you join, include a link to your Facebook page so that curious readers can visit it.
- Use a Social Media Management tool to create synergy between your social networking activities. Use a program like Hootsuite or Seesmic. Be careful to use direct messages to send links to your page; more and more people are wary of pre-set messages, because they find them cold and impersonal. Try to add something of your own to the messages so that it is clear that you wrote them in person.
- Make sure you share other people's statuses. This will create a bilateral relationship that will encourage them to do the same.
- Use photo-sharing sites like Flickr as a means of posting links to your page. Upload some nice photos worth seeing and include your Facebook URL in the description, for example "For more photos and information, please visit [Facebook URL]".
Step 6. Whenever you add information about yourself on any community, include a link to your page
Insert the "like" tool on your website or blog. Using the like button makes it very easy for people to find your page and like it through your site or blog. Try to place it near the top of the page so that it is prominent. While it's convenient to place it on top of posts or articles, putting it on the side will allow you to show photos of people who are already fans of your page, and will include stats about your fans
Step 7. To add a Facebook Like box to your site:
Go to your Facebook page and click "edit page". Click "Update Info" and then search under "Resources" for the "Social Plug-ins" option. Here you will find all the tools such as the Like box at your disposal. Optimize the appearance of the box so it is best displayed on your page. Among the various options be sure to select "Show stream" and "Show header", so that those who see the box can directly read your posts and click on them. Click "Get Code" and insert the iFrame or XFBML code on your site or blog.
- Always make sure your page is worth visiting. People will be more inclined to keep visiting and sharing its content if you keep it interesting and up-to-date. And since it's your best interest for people to share your page content, post lots of photos, videos, and links to interesting articles, the types of posts people most willingly share.
- If possible, try to create "exclusive" content that can only be found on your Facebook page - that means adding links and information that cannot be found on your website. For example, you could post recipes, news, or links that you'll only share with your Facebook fans. This is a great incentive for people who are fans of your page to follow it regularly; your readers will expect this exclusive content and will happily spread your page (read the Recommendations for content only for fans).
- Post polls, quizzes, interesting anecdotes, quotes, etc. to create interest. Don't just advertise your product, service or interest - diversify what you share with your fans as much as possible, and they will reward you by sharing your content, which will encourage other people to follow you.
- Ask your fans questions often to solicit their comments. People commenting on your page are godsend. Their comments appear in their diary, so they can be read by their friends, once again an excellent opportunity to acquire new fans. Additionally, the comments will lend a sense of community to your page and show new fans that the page is worth following (and that you are friendly and open to dialogue).
- Learn the best balance to please your fans. Keep an eye on Facebook stats to see how many readers unfollow you, or hide your statuses. Too many examples of this behavior can be a sign that you post too many elements or that your content doesn't interest your fans.
Step 8. Likewise, never let too much time pass between updates; if you're going on a six-week vacation, use a program like Hootsuite to post for you
Suddenly reappearing after a period of inactivity can lead people to stop following your page because they forgot about your existence and now have no more confidence or interest in following it.
Step 9. Join the social networking community
There is a community network of social networks whose sole purpose is to advertise the pages and links of other community members. This can be a great way to gain the support and trust of people who would otherwise never have been interested in your page but will be willing to help you because you are part of the same community. With such a network of people spreading links to your page, you will gain a lot of fans. Remember to return the favor though.
- Hire a manager for your page. If your page starts growing out of all proportion and takes up too much of your time, find someone to take care of it for you. This is crucial in the case of a company or business page, because regular and consistent connectivity with fans is required. In addition, you can get a lot of useful information from an organizer who analyzes the statistics of your fans and their response to your page.
- Make sure the person you're hiring is very familiar with Facebook; if they don't have it, get them to buy it before giving them responsibility.
Step 10. Assign this person to build and maintain the relationship with the fans
Relationships cannot be automated; they must be earned and maintained. This involves responding to comments from your fans, talking to fans who comment more often and those with a larger fan base (including following them in turn and sharing their content), giving information to people, sharing stories, opinions on topics. that relate to the area of interest of your page. Tell them not to just advertise your service or product, but to talk openly about your business from time to time. Even an occasional post explaining when something is wrong can show your sincerity and make fans trust you. Always worry about responding to complaints quickly. This interactivity will help fuel the sense of belonging of your fans, and if you take care of this aspect, you will realize that you can learn something from the ideas and proposals of the fans.
- Never overlook a chance to advertise your page for free. There are several methods you can take advantage of to let everyone know that you have a Facebook page worth visiting and following:
- Whenever you post "anything" on the net, try to link to your Facebook page. Of course, avoid where it could be construed as spamming or annoying, but try to do so in appropriate cases, such as at the end of a blog post, in a forum post, or as part of an article describing your business, etc.. If you post articles on someone else's blog, ask the owner first if you can include links to your page in your posts.
- Ask all members of your team, company or organization to remind people to visit your Facebook page.
- Include a link to your page in your signature at the end of an email. Also, add it to any newsletter, e-book, or update you send out to those who follow your website or blog.
- If you own a shop, make sure your customers know they can find you on Facebook. You can show your Facebook URL on your products for example.
Step 11. Buy some advertising space
It can help you whether you represent a company, a business or someone who can benefit from greater visibility on your Facebook page. Even those who do it as a hobby can consider this hypothesis if they are looking to make money from their blog or website.
- Get Facebook to advertise your page. If you are willing to pay for this service, Facebook will promote your page and can help you attract more fans. It is a good idea to promote a page that was recently born, updated and that deals with current affairs. In conjunction with current events or recent news, people will be more enticed to visit your page if you take care of these aspects. For example, if a major magazine or newspaper has just published an article about a famous company that went bankrupt, write a post on how to deal with an economic meltdown, including keywords and a photo. When Facebook prompts you to promote the post, do so. You will be able to see the cost of your listing and adjust your keywords to get more views. Decide whether to buy advertising by analyzing the costs and benefits; if you think it's worth it, don't hesitate. You can also try and check how many fans you have earned from your listing. And every time you earn a fan, their friends will see that that person has become your fan, helping you grow your fan base even after the ad has finished.
- Buy Google ads that drive web traffic to your page.
- Buy advertising space in local newspapers, magazines, newsletters or even on TV if you are a business owner.
Step 12. Continue to maintain a sincere interest in your fans
Facebook continues to evolve, and so will your marketing strategies for your fan page, and your business. Keep the following points in mind as you try to expand your fan base:
- Reaching a large number of fans takes time and effort. It requires consistency and consistency, as well as ensuring a mutual commitment to those who actively support you and share your content. If you are patient and persistent, you will build a reputation as a respected brand and begin to be noticed as a topic worthy of a wider audience, not restricted to your product or services only. There is nothing more satisfying than being mentioned in an article on how to use social media!
- Be the first to exploit or criticize social network updates and changes. These kinds of arguments are received with respect by those who do not yet take advantage of the new possibilities, and you can easily become a trend setter. This will undoubtedly get you new fans. It can also help you not be guilty of spamming or annoying other users by not respecting the new habits of the community.
Advice
- Make sure you put your page in the appropriate categories. There is a big difference between "leisure" pages and official activity pages. If you don't have clear ideas, your fans won't have them either!
- Once you've reached a good number of fans, updating your page often can be especially helpful in communicating with customers if your page advertises a business like a restaurant or bookstore. You could also include shopping vouchers, specialties or menus)
- Take advantage of every opportunity to enter your Facebook page address, including press conferences, billboards, business cards, shop windows, bus posters, etc. Use your creativity.
- It is possible to post content that only your fans can access. In this way you will be able to post offers on products, services, etc. If the reader has not yet "liked", the links to these private areas will inform the reader that they will have to become a fan of your page to take advantage of your offers. The goodness of this method depends on the quality and value of your offers and you will have to make sure you do not drop the quality to prevent users from becoming your fans to take advantage of a very advantageous offer and delete immediately after connecting to your page.
- Don't be afraid to experiment if you represent a company or a business; finding creative ways to connect with your customers and prospects isn't an exact science, and you can often make mistakes. What's really important is to keep listening to your fans, honestly admit when things don't work out, and be ready to change.
Warnings
- Don't spam other pages or groups. Post your links in moderation, too frequent posts will be flagged as spam and deleted. In the worst cases, you may be blocked from that page or group. And if you represent a company it can be a bad blow to reputation.
- Don't post pictures that will ruin your reputation, only post pictures that will get you fans.
- Marketing is never easy; work hard and you will get good results. Fail your commitment and you will get nothing.
- Don't post too many posts on your fan pages. If you do, you will annoy them and they will "like" your page.
- Get to know your audience, and communicate with your fans in a friendly way. Instead of trying to get them to suggest your page to their friends, give them a good reason to do so.
