May 2013

Congratulations!  You finally put together your facebook page.  Now you need to grow your fan-base, figure out what to post and how to post it.  Below are a few best practice methods to getting started on your facebook business page.

Here are 8 tips to consider when posting on your Facebook Business Page: 

1. Think about your target audience.  Who are you trying to reach?  What type of things would they like to know?  What age group does your fan base consist of?  Is it mostly female or males?  You can actually find all of these statistics on your page’s “insights”.  Once you can answer those questions, you will be better equipped to providing a great “fan” experience.
2. What you post.  Is it relevant to your followers?  Are you posting something that will be of interest to them?  Are you providing your fans with original material?  People like your page because they like your business, brand or what you represent.  Everything you post should have something to do with your business or industry.  It is very beneficial to create a “publishing calender” with enough content to post for 3 months out.
3. Be the first to post.  If something comes out in the news, you want to be the first to share it.  That way you own the post that everybody is sharing.  Therefore, I suggest that every morning, you search different news sites for important information in your industry.
4. When you post.  When are your fans likely to be on facebook, and thus see your updates? If your target audience is comprised of retired empty-nesters, 2:00pm may be the best time to post.  If your fan base is mostly stay at home moms, nap times are the best time to post.  Common practices show that 7:00am, 11:00am, 3:00pm and 8:00pm are the prime times for facebook activity, but that may vary depending on your audience demographics.   This takes us back to the first tip of knowing your audience.
5. How often you post.  This is an important one.  You don’t want to be posting so often that your followers start hiding your updates.  Likewise, you don’t want to have any empty page.  Most successful pages post 3-4 times a day, and post different things.  There isn’t anything more annoying to followers than seeing the same post multiple times a day!  Make sure to spread the posts outs throughout the day. You can use social media tools such as HootSuite, Sprout Social or even on Facebook, using the scheduler below your actual post.
6. Keep posts short and sweet. When you start rambling, people stop reading.  It’s that simple.
7. Don’t just sell your business.  If people want to learn about your services or products, they can visit your website.  You should  use facebook to engage your customers.  Show them that you want to provide them with valuable information, listen to their wants and needs, and every now and then let them know about a sale or new service.
8. Give them something to talk about.  If you want your fan-base to continuously grow, you have to provide buzz-worthy information.  Sometimes the most shared content is the most controversial.  Use this method to ask questions and encourage your followers to participate in the conversation and share with their friends!

Good luck and may your facebook page numbers continue to grow!