So you’ve created a Facebook page for your business. Unfortunately, you can’t seem to get many people to “like” you or share the information you post. How can you turn this around and leverage Facebook to get more exposure for your business? Here’s a suggestion that is commonly used by the top Social Media strategists in the country.
The 90/10 Rule
Before I share it with you, however, let’s first remember that Facebook is NOT the place for you to talk (write) about how great your business is and pitch your products/services on a daily basis. For best results, follow the 90/10 rule. 90{c55e560418ce770390e014a82a8daba02ae2bc5167395c1376161ff6ec3b989b} of the time you need to post useful and valuable information to your target audience. If you are a carpet cleaner, this may mean writing and sharing an article titled “5 Tips for Selecting a Good Carpet Cleaner”. 10{c55e560418ce770390e014a82a8daba02ae2bc5167395c1376161ff6ec3b989b} of the time, you can share an offer or promote yourself. Violate this rule and you’ll lose FB friends fast!
“The Contest”
This idea is really simple. Any business with a Facebook page and a few friends can do it and if done correctly it will get your page a lot of views in a short period of time.
It starts by creating a compelling piece of content. It could be an article posted on your blog, a photo, or even a video. The key is that it needs to be fascinating! This means it must be funny, entertaining, interesting, or useful and it must have a captivating title/headline to go with it. In short, it needs to grab attention. It doesn’t need to have any connection with your industry (in fact sometimes it is better that way). You’re strictly using the content to get people to visit and share your page.
Once that piece of compelling content is posted on your Facebook page you’ll want to create a contest around it by encouraging people to share it on their personal pages in exchange for entry into your contest. Give the contest a specific timeline, then choose a winner and post the results.
Here’s an example…
Step 1
Go online to YouTube and find a funny or cute video. Videos with pets are great- everyone loves them. I found this one of a skateboarding dog in less than 5 minutes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQzUsTFqtW0
Step 2
Post the video to your FB page by simply copying the link and pasting it into a new post.
Step 3
Write a caption with the post with the contest details- “Share this video for a chance to win 4 movie tickets! Winner chosen at random from all those who share prior to ____.” You’ll be able to monitor this because you can actually find out who shared your content.
Step 4
Remind people with a brief post every day during the contest.
Step 5
At the end of the contest, announce the winner and send them the prize!
The Bottom Line…
Back in February of 2012, the Washington Post reported that the average Facebook user has 245 friends! This means that if only 20 people share your content on their personal pages, your page will receive exposure to nearly 5000 people that otherwise would have never seen it. You’ve spent roughly $40 on the movie tickets and you have invested a little bit of time. In the process, your fans have shared your company’s site with all of their friends and traffic to your page skyrocketed. Compare that to the cost of direct mailing to 5000 people or paid advertising to 5000 people and you’ll quickly opt for the contest idea.
The Real Secret…
The best strategy is to do this type of contest regularly. Every month or even twice per month. The first few times you may get minimal participation (but even 10 shares is roughly 2500 people), but as you make this a regular part of your marketing strategy, you’ll find that your Facebook page views will increase, your “likes” will increase, and your business from this exposure will increase.
Remember…
Social Media marketing is intended to build your FUTURE business and develop FUTURE customers. Have long-term goals in mind, plan accordingly, and by this time next year your Social Media platforms will be generating you an endless source of leads.
