Facebook has been adored by brands for years now, and there is a good reason for this. It can bring in massive engagement and introduce your brand to new customers and clients.
With Facebook being the incredibly huge, swaggering social media behemoth (but with a decline in organic reach opportunities) brands are looking for ways to grab Facebook users and turn them into loyal fans.
One way to attract new page likes is to work on creating a killer first impression on your Facebook page. Try out some of the techniques below and see what works for your brand.
Use the cover image and profile picture to make a great first impression
A picture is better than a 1000 words. If you ensure that your cover photo is looking good, and we mean really good, you have the best chance of grabbing people from the outset. The best advice we can give here is to think of strong images that best encapsulate your brand message.
When it comes to the profile picture you have to switch up your game just a little. The profile picture is seen alongside your page posts. It has to be effective for branding and for making that first impression.
Logos work here, and many top brands just use their logo. If you do, make sure it integrates well with the cover image, because if it doesn’t it will simply look out of place. Basically, ensure the cover image and profile picture integrate well, extend your brand ideas and generally work as a team, and you should be fine.
Respond early: Because that early bird…
Many brands are guilty of setting up a great Facebook presence and then kind of just disappearing. It’s easy to think that once you have built the Facebook stall you can just leave it and expect people to visit and become fans but we all know, deep down, that this is not true. You need to be alert, to respond and build that initial rapport with anyone who aims to connect with you.
Be ready. As soon as someone starts to make any connection, whether it’s a like or a comment, start to jump on this kind of stuff and make a connection. Thank people, ask them questions, anything that will show that you value their time and you can’t wait to hear from them again. This fills out your feed for one thing, but it also shows that you are open to engagement.
The more active you seem as soon as you jump out the gate, the better your overall image will be. People will see that you are responsive and that you are aiming to build up conversations and engagement. And that is infinitely preferable to how some brands manage their feeds. Tumbleweeds are everywhere on Facebook, so avoid this, and start to build your stall out by talking to people.
Use the About page: because your audience will see it.
If we were to pick out one aspect of Facebook usage by brands that can cause some real issues in the immediate sense, it is the About page. Think about it. When a prospect finds your Facebook page he or she will want to know more about you (if you have developed that initial impact).
So they go to your About page and expect to find a wealth of accurate and up to date information.
It makes sense to keep this page updated on a regular basis across your social networks, but if you are trying to make the initial big splash on Facebook, you need to ensure that everything you have on the page is current and accurate, and gives enough detail to help people make a decision.
That decision may be to buy or it may be to like and follow. Whatever it is, the About page is a critical element of a good first impression.
Use emoticons: Seriously, they work.
Emoticons are not the preserve of the young and lexically challenged anymore, they are actually very attractive icons that can help your posts and content stand out from the crowd. Obviously, if your main audience is made up of high-powered CEOs, emoticons may not be the road you want to travel.
But if you have a wide and reasonably fun-loving group of customers, why not show them that you enjoy bright and colorful stuff too and grab their attention with emoticons? They really do stand out, as they offer a welcome distraction from all of the drab content that can quite easily fill up Facebook.
It’s a way of showing personality and warmth too. People will genuinely respond to this, and you may well be surprised at the reaction you get. This will mean more engagement, and as a first impression it is hard to beat.
Put it this way, if you have an emoticon that looks bright and colourful in your feed, at the very least, it can’t fail to be noticed.
Use your data: make an informed first impression.
This is one of these little tips that some brands kick themselves after hearing. Don’t kick yourself. It hurts. Instead, look at the metrics you have on the content on other social media platforms, including Twitter for example.
Find out from your data which posts and content receives the most engagement. Then make sure your posts on Facebook are singing from exactly the same hymn sheet. By posting stuff that you know receives engagement you are giving yourself more of a chance to make a great first impression.
It’s called using information to ensure that you win. Locowise can help you review your content and content of your competitors and get a quick overview of what works best.
Make sure you know when the people are around: post when fans are online.This is a key aspect of making a good first impression. And again it is all about knowing your data. Take a look at the data about your audience and their time online. This is important.
This is a key aspect of making a good first impression. And again it is all about knowing your data. Take a look at the data about your audience and their time online. This is important.
This is a key aspect of making a good first impression. And again it is all about knowing your data. Take a look at the data about your audience and their time online. This is important.
By knowing when your fans are online, you can ensure that your foray into Facebook is incredibly targeted. You’ll be able to post content that will get seen quicker, and by the most appropriate audience.
That means you gain that first initial impact that pulls you in the right direction. It’s like opening a store in the right place and at the right time.
Mix it up: use different content to stand out from the crowd.
We have all seen it before. You check out a brand’s page and instantly feel like it has been created by a robot. There is nothing that stands out, no variety. The best way to make a strong first impression on Facebook is to ensure that your feed has a ton of variety. It has to pop, basically.
Use video, and spice that video up with some images in between. Then hit the audience with link posts that are simply a few words long. Add in infographics and basically try and ensure that you feed looks as varied and exciting as you know it should be.
Not mixing it up is no option. Brands are now starting to realise that customers want a great and varied mix of content. Get that variety of engaging content nailed down first.
Images count: use them well.
Seriously, any brand that doesn’t use images in its Facebook feed is asking for trouble. Images have fast become the major brand currency.
But like any other attempt to brand your business on Facebook, it can be a hollow gesture unless it is carefully orchestrated.
Experiment. Again, using data insights to make sure you’re being smart. Experiment and choose the images that actually bring engagement. There’s no point doing it otherwise.
Post high-quality images. Go for images of your office on a day to day basis. Whatever works. But by checking engagement metrics you will know what does work. And that makes a huge difference.
Use video: The one thing that makes a true difference.
Brands are now using video on Facebook more than ever. And this has resulted in a massive increase in the quality of the videos you find.
The days of linking out to a YouTube video are long gone. Facebook has become an excellent platform for video.
Follow the lead that other brands have set and upload video directly onto Facebook. But make sure, please, that the video is interesting and that it has direct, compelling pulls for the audience that you are trying to reach. Because while video is indeed extremely effective, it can be devastatingly useless if it isn’t targeted and carefully created.
As a final take away, remember that Facebook is used by billions of people. Not all of them can be customers, but you need to stand out, look professional and generally seem dynamic and ready to talk. Get this right on Facebook from the outset, and you’re on to a winner.
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