Many companies that open a Facebook page start posting enthusiastically, invite their own Facebook friends, and then stop after 1 or 2 months because there is no increase of likes, followers, or any sign that sales went up. Even lot of companies that have maintained a page for years do not escape an uneasy feeling that it is all pretty much pointless and whether it has any results. Sounds familiar? Keep on reading on How to boost your post.
Like Google’s secret algorithms to give a website a quality factor to rank it high or low in search results, Facebook uses its so-called “Edgerank” for your page or posting.
The principle of these factors are more or less similar to a library. People search for a book in a certain category and the more people discuss, rate, like, recommend a book after reading it, the more other people will buy and read it (your page).
So, does your book (page) contain quality (see: how to write the perfect posting) and it is in line with the expectations (search intent) of the library visitor, it sends a positive ping back to the Facebook bots and therefore you will be rewarded in a higher ranking in the search results and to get promoted to others.
Next to some simple actions to optimize a Facebook post, the page itself also has some basic rules to follow. Alongside these are some free tips and tricks to boost your likes, followers. Or at least to start a snowball effect to get it out of the static mode where nothing seems to happen.
Many companies use their Facebook page with main factor just to sell products or services only, the so called sales pitch page. This while Facebook – as a social medium – uses totally different ranking factors: Teach, entertain, inform or inspire. They give priority to posts where audience engage with content that will make them smile, make them think or improve their lives in some way. There is nothing wrong to use Facebook to find customers for your products, but if you approach Facebook with the sole mindset of selling you will end up wasting time, they will never attend or suggest your page to others. Facebook is first and foremost a social network, not a billboard. Diversifying the content of your postings is key. Although the experts are divided: At least don’t let more than 50% of your posts contain a sales pitch.
Note: If you are strictly in the sales pitch posts, it is good to know that Facebook has special pages and groups that are only meant for buying and selling. And they don’t seem to get you in trouble! It requires some research and time to find these pages, but a good starting search can be ‘[your_country + marketplace’, ‘[your_country] + [industry]’ or something like ‘[your_country] + buy + sell’. In principle, joining these special groups and pages is always free. They are also often used to promote a sale pitch on one’s own page by sharing it by using the share button.
Finding a good balance between sales-oriented content and diversified content is key to engaging your audience on Facebook. But how can I give my products a human factor if that’s the key to success? For some really a challenge, but frankly, you don’t have to be a social media marketing (SMM) expert as long as you keep it relevant. Here are some content ideas to diversify your posts alongside sales-focused content:
Educational Content: Share informative and educational content related to your industry or niche. This can include tips, tutorials, guides, or how-to articles that provide value to your audience. Educating your followers positions you as a trusted authority and builds credibility.
Entertaining Content: Incorporate humor, funny anecdotes, or lighthearted posts that entertain your audience. This can include memes, jokes, or relatable stories. Entertainment helps create a positive and enjoyable experience for your followers.
Behind-the-Scenes: Offer a glimpse into the inner workings of your business. Share behind-the-scenes photos or videos that give your audience an exclusive look into your processes, team, or events. This helps humanize your brand and fosters a sense of connection.
User-Generated Content: Encourage your followers to share their experiences, testimonials, or creative content related to your brand. Repost or share user-generated content (with permission) to showcase your community and engage with your audience. It also demonstrates appreciation for your customers.
Inspirational or Motivational Content: Share quotes, stories, or motivational messages that resonate with your audience. Inspirational content can uplift, inspire, and create an emotional connection with your followers.
Industry News and Insights: Stay up to date with the latest trends, news, and developments in your industry. Share relevant articles, reports, or insights that provide valuable information to your audience. This positions you as a knowledgeable resource and keeps your followers informed.
Polls and Surveys: Engage your audience by conducting polls or surveys on topics related to your industry or products. This not only encourages interaction but also provides you with valuable insights and feedback.
Contests and Giveaways: Run contests, giveaways, or competitions to incentivize engagement and reward your followers. This generates excitement and encourages participation, helping to expand your reach and build brand loyalty.
Seasonal or Holiday-Themed Content: Tailor your content to align with seasonal events, holidays, or special occasions. This can include themed posts, promotions, festive greetings, jubilees, memorial days, even a funeral. It shows that you are aware of current events and adds a touch of timely relevance.
When it comes to sharing posts on social media platforms, the effect can vary depending on various factors, including the content being shared, the target audience, and the engagement it receives. Sharing and where to share is easy: Every post has a Share-button at the bottom-right side where you can share in a group, pages, messenger, and so on. Here are some potential effects of sharing posts on Facebook:
Increased Reach: Sharing a post can increase its visibility as it reaches a wider audience beyond the original post’s author or Page. When you share a post, it appears on your own timeline, in the News Feed of your friends or followers, or within specific Groups you’re a part of. This can help amplify the reach of the post and expose it to more people.
Engagement and Interaction: Shared posts can generate engagement in the form of likes, comments, and shares. By sharing content that resonates with your audience, you can encourage discussions, gather feedback, or spark conversations around the post. Increased engagement can contribute to building a sense of community and fostering connections.
Brand Exposure: Sharing posts related to your brand, products, or services can enhance your brand’s visibility and exposure. By sharing valuable or interesting content, you establish your brand as a source of relevant information and engage with your audience on a deeper level. This can contribute to brand awareness and recognition.
Information Sharing: Sharing posts allows you to disseminate information, news, updates, or valuable content to your network or specific groups. By sharing informative or educational posts, you can contribute to knowledge sharing and keep your audience informed about topics of interest.
Networking and Relationship Building: Sharing posts can help you connect with others who have similar interests or engage in meaningful conversations. It provides an opportunity to build relationships, connect with like-minded individuals, or discover new connections within your social network.
Virality Potential: When a post is shared repeatedly and widely, it has the potential to go viral, reaching an exponentially larger audience. While the virality of a post is unpredictable and depends on various factors, sharing interesting or compelling content can increase the chances of it gaining traction and being shared further.
It’s important to note that the effects of sharing posts can vary, and not every shared post will have a significant impact. The success of a shared post depends on factors such as content quality, relevance to the audience, timing, and engagement strategies employed. Understanding your audience and sharing content that resonates with them can help maximize the desired effects of shared posts on Facebook.
When people share your content, that’s a hint to Facebook that this is the good stuff. So encouraging your team, family or friends to share your posts with their own network doesn’t just get you in front of their followers: it helps boost you in the newsfeed for everyone.
The ideal frequency and timing of Facebook posts can vary depending on several factors, including your target audience, industry, and the nature of your content. Here are some general guidelines to consider:
Remember, while these guidelines can provide a starting point, it’s important to continually monitor and adapt your posting frequency and timing based on the behavior and preferences of your specific audience. Regularly assess the performance of your posts, experiment with different strategies, and use analytics to make data-driven decisions for optimal engagement and reach on Facebook.
As a social media platform, Facebook likes interactions (communication between Facebook users). But also here there are simple do’s and don’ts.
Facebook is a communication channel just like email and the phone. If someone takes the time to comment on one of your posts, make sure to reply. No one likes being ignored and fans who engage with your posts want you to engage in return. Sometimes a simple comment back is all that’s needed. Sometimes more action is required.
A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the “#” symbol. Words are typically combined without spaces or punctuation marks between them. When words are joined together in a hashtag, it ensures that the entire phrase is recognized and grouped together in search results. It is common to use capital letters at the beginning of each word to improve readability, especially for longer hashtags (this is also known as camel-casing). For example: If you use #TravelAgencyGambia as a hashtag in a post, and someone searches on Facebook with a phrase “Travel Agency Gambia,” your post should show up in his search results.
It makes sense that hashtags can be powerful. You can use them to reach new customers who would never have found you otherwise. Moreover, it is often already a warm market. After all, the Facebook user is already looking by himself for something specific and that you have to offer. That makes it extra important that A: Hashtags should meet the expectations (search intent of the user) and B: That your photo and post title should be interesting enough that the user will click on your post in the list of his search results.
The use of (popular) hashtags to get clicks but have nothing to do with your posting in terms of content will be flagged as raising false or misleading expectations. Facebook aim to deliver relevant content to users. If your post receives low engagement or negative feedback due to false hashtags, the platform’s algorithm may perceive it as less valuable, less relevant, or even give you a penalty in the worst case scenario.
One or two well-chosen hashtags relevant to your post can suffice. Excessive use of hashtags on Facebook may appear spammy and could distract from the overall message.
We hope that this how to boost your post on Facebook will inspire your creativity and fantasy to be more successful with Facebook. Whatever strategy you choose, always consider first what you want to achieve with your post. It’s all waste of time as long as you don’t provide value to your audience or foster engagement. Whether it’s driving traffic to your website, generating leads, or building brand awareness.
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