The Facebook news feed is a very competitive place.
If you don’t already have high engagement (consistent likes and comments, also known as an Edgerank score), the likelihood of your posts popping up is pretty low. That’s because Facebook keeps its visitors happy by putting exactly what they would want to see in the feed the moment they log in. Like an ex-boyfriend’s latest activity post-breakup or that favorite brand’s exclusive fan coupon.
If you want your time and resources spent on Facebook marketing not to go to waste, you have to make your updates pop to get the attention you’re looking for. Here are five ways to do that:
1. Use a photo at least 90 percent of the time…
If there’s one thing the Facebook execs seem to love, it’s photography. Scrolling through your feed you’ll notice that any and all photos have been programmed to take up a lot of real estate on the site so you can’t miss them. Take advantage of this and post a picture with your status update as often as possible. It will make those words go a much longer way.
2. …especially in place of YouTube videos.
Facebook and Google aren’t exactly the best of friends. So that means YouTube videos don’t get a lot of love on this popular social network. What I like to do when I have a video to share on Facebook is take a screen grab of an interesting part of the video, and then share that as a status update with a little information and a link to my blog where they can actually view it. Two birds. One stone. More video attention and a direct invitation for site traffic.
3. Limit your characters.
There’s a reason why Twitter is as successful as it is, and that’s because they have never waivered from offering 140 characters or less. Just because Facebook offers you more than that does not mean people are going to read it. In social media, the less effort, the better. If you have something to say, keep it short and simple. No one’s reading your novel and they sure as heck aren’t going to like or comment on it.
4. Be funny, motivational, or heartfelt. It doesn’t have to be all business.
Share funny photos, motivational quotes, or a great cause. Actions follow when an emotion is triggered. And even if the content isn’t totally within your niche, every time someone interacts with your posts your likelihood of showing up in their feed in the future increases. So keep it light and have fun with your fans.
5. Ask anything.
Whether you use the Facebook poll feature or just post a status update, a question is a great direct way to drive engagement. The key is asking something that’s not only easy to read, but easy to answer. So no “What’s the meaning of life?” Okay? Keep it casual and make it a fun conversation so they’ll keep coming back for more.
