So, you managed to build up 600, 700, maybe even a 1,000 followers on your Facebook page. First of all, give yourself a pat on the back. You must be doing your craft well, otherwise people wouldn’t have liked your page the first place. You have followers online, which can be a great tool for your small business.
Even though you post every day, research interesting topics, and find amazing articles, you notice that you barely have engagement on your page. It looks colorful, you use all kinds of resources, it has useful information, but you wonder why you don’t get more likes. Your personal page is hopping with comments, and engagement, but of course, everybody knows, that kids and dogs always get people’s attention.
By asking yourself these key questions, you can figure out why your business Facebook page isn’t performing well.
- Are you just posting without wanting to be social? In other words, can it be that you do have comments here and there, but you donn’t spend time checking, and don’t answer or engage in a social conversation?
- Are you only reposting third party articles and pictures?
- Do you add pictures to your posts?
- Do you provide value?
- Do you add “call us to make an appointment” or similar sales lines at the end of each of your posts?
If you answered yes to the first question, you need to change your mindset about your business page on Facebook. You should want to be social there, too, because your customers may have questions about your products and services, which could lead to sales. If they ask a question, that means they’re researching you and will base their decision on the information they receive from you. Even the timeliness of your response matters a lot.
If you fall into the category of only reposting third party articles, guess what. I have news for you. Facebook prefers original content uploaded to your page, this includes pictures, thoughts, offers, and videos. If you always try to direct people away from Facebook, their algorithm will bump you down on the importance list for showing your posts to others. Believe me, I’ve been there, done that. It’s frustrating.
Pictures are key components to posts on Facebook, because that’s what makes this platform more colorful, interesting, and fun. Do not forget to add pictures. Your posts with images vs. without have a 2.3 times higher engagement rate (Source: BuzzSumo). That’s a considerable number. Making sure that you provide value to your posts is also very important. Who wouldn’t take somebody seriously, who only posts jokes or regurgitate famous quotes on their page. That’s a bit shallow, and it would not reflect well on your business. Adding value is also important for another reason. This could build trust between you and your clients, which again will convert into sales. Everybody trusts an expert, right? While you’re posting, all the other companies are out there on social media as well, and they also compete for the your customers’ time and attention. Make sure you’re worthy of that time and attention.
Lastly, please, please, please, try not to include sales line at the end of each of your posts. Facebook algorithms will also red flag that, and they’ll bump you further down the importance scale. It’s acceptable to include your phone number here and there, but try to do it sporadically, instead of every time.
Now that I pinpointed a few of your Facebook flaws on your business page, once you begin implementing some of these strategies, you should be able to see a turnaround. I welcome any comments, success stories, or any additions that you feel would be appropriate to these thoughts.
Monika
