In my last post, I listed seven topic ideas for posting to your Facebook page. Now that you have a plan for creating engagement, how will you build a fan base for your business page? Here are seven ways to build your Facebook fan base:
- Embed Facebook links and “like” boxes on your website and blog. Place a title over your “like” boxes and encourage people to “like” you; this will make them fans.
- Include your Facebook link in your email signature block. WiseStamp has an excellent Facebook button email application for this. Here’s an example of what it looks like:
- After you’ve launched your Facebook page and have put a few posts up, send an email to your opt-in list and make an announcement, inviting them to “Like” you. Tell them something that will give them an incentive to join. For instance, let them know that in addition to posting helpful insurance tips, you’ll be advising fans of important local community events and providing special offers.
- If you have in-house events or participate in community events, take photos and post them on your site and encourage fans to tag themselves. This will push the photos onto their walls. You’ll get great exposure and maybe a few new fans.
- You can buy ads on Facebook. Go to the bottom of any Facebook page and click on Advertising to learn about the opportunities and costs. You can target your ads based on a host of options, including ZIP codes, demographics and interests.
- Link your Facebook account to Twitter. Facebook will post only the first 140 characters of your post to your Twitter feed, but it will also insert a link (bit.ly) back to your account.
- Display your Facebook link and logo on all your promotional materials, including business cards, brochures, newsletters, etc.
To keep your fan base interested and engaged, try to post at least several times a week, though don’t overdo it. Monitor your account frequently to keep tabs on how others are posting and reacting to your page. Finding and posting worthwhile items for your Facebook wall often requires careful thought and preparation. You may even want to create a calendar to plan your posts in advance. Some agencies have outsourced this function and others have hired people especially for this job, often going so far as to give them the title social media director.
Always remember that the point of all this activity is to engage with customers, prospects and your community to nurture and grow your business as you contribute to their lives in helpful ways.