FPR (Facebook Page Resuscitation) - 4 Tips to Kickstart the Heart of Your Social Media Presence
June 15, 2012 by Eric Taubert
If you’re like many business owners, over the past few years your company has managed to build up the number of your Facebook Page fans - but you haven’t done much with them.
Every once in awhile you make an important announcement or put up a link to your website - but the interaction levels are so low, you wonder if they’re even being seen by anyone at all.
Wouldn’t it be great to shock the system and breath new life into the Frankenstein-sized marketing behemoth you’ve always dreamed your Facebook Page was possible of becoming.
Perhaps it’s time for some Facebook Page Resuscitation.
Here are 3 tips to help you start the process of bringing your Facebook Page back to life:
Tip 1 - Think About It
Before you do anything, just take a few minutes and think about what you’re trying to do. The entire reason your Facebook page needs such drastic measures taken is because it’s on its last legs.
Most of the reason for that is because you never took the time to really think about what you were doing and how to do it.
The thinking process is simple. Here is the flow:
- Make the conscious decision to increase engagement on your Facebook Page
- Grab a pen and a notebook and sit down at a computer or with a tablet
- Look at the the status updates from others coming across your own newsfeed
- Ask yourself which status updates you feel drawn to comment on (or Like)
- Determine what it is about those status updates that makes you feel that way
- Write down your findings and observations in the notebook
- Locate the status updates which have high levels of engagement by others
- Determine why those status updates are performing so well
- Write down your findings and observations in the notebook
You’ll know you’re finished when your notebook contains the following phrases:
Photos, links, videos, interesting content, contests, crowdsourcing, ask questions, ask for opinions, ask for advice, call to action, concise posts, timing, frequency, fill in the blanks, discuss trending topics, respond to comments, cats (ok, maybe no cats).
That’s it - it’s not rocket surgery - it’s just the same old bag of tricks everyone else is working with - and each and every one of them are also available for you to use, too.
Tip 2 - It’s the Language, Stupid.
Quit thinking about the people who have made the effort to follow your page as an “audience”. That will get you nowhere - and that has probably been a big part of the problem all along.
Instead - think of them as 3,208 of your closest and most exciting friends.
Would you hit those friends of yours with an endless succession of advertisements, over and over again, with no end in sight? If you did, what would happen? And you’re surprised no one is responding to your status updates?
Don’t fabricate mediocre promotional content and try to force it on people who don’t want to see it - and, seriously, does anyone want to see mediocre promotional content? Save the promotions for when you actually have something special to share.
Concentrate on building relationships. The way you do that is by talking to people as if they are friends - not in the written equivalent of some Ryan Seacrest Announcing American Idol Finalists tone of voice.
Be down to earth. Be interesting. Don’t sound like an advertisement.
Share the types of interesting tidbits you’ve never considered suitable for your fanpage before.
Go behind the scenes. Discuss industry trends. Be conversational.
Don’t get carried away - don’t stray too far - keep the topics, at least, loosely related to your company. Just make sure to stay human.
Before you post anything, ask yourself, “Is this how I would say this to my best friends?”.
If the answer is “no”, then you’re probably doing it wrong.
Tip 3 - Don’t Be Cheap!
This isn’t the old Facebook. The new Facebook is a publicly traded company and is under intense pressure to produce profits for shareholders. Those profits will come, in part, from people like you.
These days, if you want to reach eyeballs on Facebook, you’ll need to be prepared to spend a little money every now and again. Remember - without paying - only 16% of your fans will actually see any given status update you post.
I’m not saying pay to promote every status update you publish - but if you have something important to say - and want to increase views and engagement - you'll need to turn to ads, sponsored stories and promoted posts.
Tip 4 - Feed the Beast!
Often. Regularly. Consistently. When your Facebook Page begins the healing process - it will need some fuel to run - and that appetite for new status updates will never go away. Ever.
Be sure to post new status updates a few times a week - at a minimum.
For those of you who don’t have the time to keep your reanimated and ravenous Facebook monster well fed - don’t hesitate to put the job into the hands of the creative industry professionals at Pomegranate Digital Agency.
We know what it takes to kickstart the heart of your social media presence - contact us today!
Written by Eric Taubert - @erictaubert
