When it comes to social media, getting your audience to engage with you can be tricky. Sometimes, getting people to share, like, click or comment on your posts can feel impossible. Luckily, there are some things you can do to encourage engagement (which expands your reach AND makes your audience feel more connected to you!)! Try these tips for getting more engagement on your page!
Before we dive into the tips, keep in mind that your content has to be compelling in order for them to work! If you’re posting pure junk, it’s going to be difficult to boost your engagement! Always think about what your ideal clients would find valuable, interesting, and visually appealing.
“Sharing is caring”: Expand Your Reach with Shares
This one is all about providing super strong content. In order to compel someone to share your post with their friends, you need to be sure it resonates strongly with them!
Pinterest-worthy quote images, and articles are most likely to score scares, because those often are things that strike some sort of nerve. A quote, when posted thoughtfully, can speak directly to the heart. Articles geared towards your ideal clients interests and struggles will hit home, and they’ll want to share them with their networks!
Think about the times you’re scrolling through your newsfeed. What kinds of things do you usually share? What feelings cause you to take action and want the content on your own page, instead of just scrolling by?
Keep in mind that the more visually appealing your content is, the more likely people will be to share it. So, post pretty, valuable things that will hit home with your ideal clients!
Sometimes, refraining from talking in first person helps elicit more shares. Studies have shown that people are more likely to share content with more generic narratives in the copy!
Speaking of copy, aim to keep it short, but powerful!
“They like me, they really like me”: Increasing ‘Likes’
The best way to get more ‘likes’ is to post things that will hit home for your ideal clients. If they feel a connection to what you’re posting, they’re a lot more likely to hit the ‘like’ button! Even better if you ask a question, or say “like if you…”. Encourage them to take action!
Say your ideal clients are 90’s kids. They rocked out to TLC and Backstreet Boys, collected POGS, had Dunkaroos in their lunch boxes, and thought they would one day be rich when they sold their collection of Beanie Babies for millions.
If you post something about the 90’s, you’re likely to get some new ‘likes’ because you’ve reminded your audience of something they’ve forgotten about, and taken them to a place of nostalgia.
Your posts don’t always need to revolve around your business. In fact, they shouldn’t. Sometimes, they should revolve around the people you are trying to connect with!
Perhaps you’re a family photographer, and you have a child yourself. Say they made a complete mess of your living room, and it looks like a massive tornado struck. Post a picture with a caption along the lines of ” ‘Like’ if your toddler shares the ability to destroy a room in five minutes flat!”.
“Hmm, this looks interesting”: Clickable Content
When you post links, you want people to click on them! So, how do you get people interested enough to click to head to wherever your awesome link will take them?
The strategy is similar to the one used in increasing your shares. Make sure the content is something that resonates strongly with your audience and gives them the feels.
Be sure the image is visually appealing and strong, and use great copy! Be sure that the description of the post is clear and spikes curiosity.
If you give it all away up front, people won’t feel as compelled to click. Make sure you’re leaving something to be desired!
If you’re sharing one of your blog posts, make sure the title is catchy. Create a graphic specifically for that article.
Remember if you plan to boost the post, or create an ad, you’ll need to follow the text rule for images. Use this handy tool for ensuring your images will be approved!
“Let’s chat!”: Encouraging Conversations
Want more conversations? Post things that give people a reason to talk!
Ask questions, get personal, encourage people to share something about themselves, tap into people’s creativity and be sure to take the time to interact with the people who take the time to leave comments!
Often times, comments are the most difficult type of interaction to receive. One reason is likely because it takes more effort, so people are just plain less likely to do it! Another reason could be that you don’t have many of your ideal clients in your audience. If your page likes are made up mostly of other business owners, or friends and family members, reaching your ideal clients with your well thought out content can be tricky, simply because the amount of those people seeing your posts is so small!
One great thing about Facebook is that it gives you a great tool for polling your audience! If you’re wondering what your ideal clients want to see from you, ask them!
Here are a few general ways to boost the engagement on your page:
- Post Consistently
- Vary Your Content ( switch between posting images, plain text, articles, videos, etc.)
- Monitor Your Results (keep an eye on what works, and what doesn’t!)
- Remember That Quality Trumps Quantity (focus more on the people than the numbers)
- Use Call to Actions (if you want likes, comments, shares, ask for them!)
- Reply to Each Person Who Comments
- Thank People for Sharing
Want more tips on growing your Facebook page? Check this out!
What do you struggle with when it comes to Facebook engagement? What have you tried that has worked for you? Shout it out in the comments!
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