Attracting customers, cementing loyalty and increasing sales all fall within your purview as a marketer. Now that Facebook dominates the online landscape, you have huge audiences at your fingertips and the tools needed to reach them. Of course, social media also changed the rules.
Companies that successfully leverage Facebook understand that they must add value to the community and provide a friendly, sociable presence rather than constantly pitch sales. Those that learn the lesson enjoy connecting with many followers, many of whom become customers.
As part of your Facebook strategy, you should make an effort to post interesting and actionable content that meets the needs of your audience. In order to do this, learn about the following five kinds of content that will get you more followers on Facebook.
1. Post Visual Data
Stimulate your readers’ minds by engaging them with visual content, such as images and videos. People naturally gravitate to visual data and will more likely share such posts. Also, when you develop a reputation for having great visuals, you have a chance to attract more repeat visitors.
For example, Starbucks has mastered the use of brand-related images and videos for their Facebook page. When you arrive there, you see appealing representations of available products as well as videos that introduce the company’s values, employees and customers.
Additionally, the company minimises its direct sales pitches. In fact, while viewing the Starbucks profile, you might never notice the advertisements because they are so subtly presented. By creating entertaining content with personality, Starbucks has set the example that every business can follow.
To begin with, post images of people using your products rather than presenting them in a sterile setting. Also, you can use Facebook to post videos that take your viewers behind the scenes of your company, so they can meet all your team members and see the equipment and processes that you used to deliver finished goods and services to the marketplace.
Of course, like Starbucks, you should post interesting visual content that has no relevance to your business. Doing so establishes your role as a social player and gives you a chance to expand your reach. Moreover, you can post a mix of fun content, including infographics: they can make your page more valuable and enjoyable.
2. Provide Educational Value
Avoid the temptation to use Facebook to pitch sales. Similarly, the content that you post should avoid pressuring people to buy and use your products. Instead, use your Facebook page for educating and informing your audience.
Learning motivates people, so every time you use Facebook as an ed-tech platform, you have a chance to attract new followers. Although finding creative ways to educate and inform can make learning fun and interesting, you can also use traditional tools such as lists and tutorials to do the job. Also, you can identify educational posts by including ‘Why’ and ‘How’ in your titles to help people find and share them.
General Electric, the global supplier of cutting-edge technology and innovations, uses Facebook to inform people about industry and product developments and highlight technology in the news. When you visit the GE page, you can find fun facts about the company and its history as well as news about emerging products and the future of the corporation.
Although practically everything that GE posts and shares can be described as fun or useful, all the content reflects well on the brand and supports its core values. You, too, can use Facebook to supply information, news and trending topics to your audience. Furthermore, you can add interactive elements such as quizzes and surveys to increase engagement and encourage sharing.
3. Motivate Your Fans
A type of content that appeals to human emotions can gain traction on Facebook and attract followers, especially when you exude positivity and motivate people to achieve great things in their everyday life.
The more than 22 million ‘likes’ on the Nike Facebook page attest to the effectiveness of connecting and empowering ‘can do’ spirit to a product. Despite having aggressive competitors, Nike uses its space to provide product information, emphasise charitable causes and encourage people to do their best. Also, the page informs readers of the research and development effort that enables them to maintain leadership in their industry.
With this in mind, you can attempt to leverage a similar approach to Nike’s as part of your social media strategy. By maintaining an upbeat tone and inspiring people to reach for the stars, you have a chance to attract followers who could become customers while making the world a better place.
4. Be Amusing
If you create a lighthearted, pleasurable experience, you can attract more followers on Facebook. Find ways to entertain people and make them laugh. Of course, while trying to be funny, you must also be appropriate and respectful. Otherwise, you can offend people and cause problems for your reputation. Still, the use of memes, hilarious videos, humorous images and jokes can accomplish very much for your brand.
Yellow tail, the famous Australian wine company, successfully uses amusement to attract and retain followers. On their page, you can find fun photos and videos as well as creative drink recipes. The firm also loves puns and occasionally posts jokes, such as news about their left-handed wine bottle!
5. Leverage Your Fans’ Content
Finally, remember that Facebook is about socialising, not selling. In light of that fact, you should actively engage your audience by sharing and commenting on their content. By including content from other sources on your timeline, you demonstrate your commitment to the community and your high regard for your followers.
When people see that you and your team pay attention to their interests, you can develop a human bond that can result in long-term relationships that are enjoyable and profitable. Of course, famous brands have already proved the value of this tactic.
Universal Studios Orlando posts shared photos of people enjoying the park’s attractions and, thereby, creates a down-to-earth feeling that keeps people sharing their experiences via Facebook and coming back year after year. Try doing the same.
To summarise, you can get more followers on Facebook by learning from the experiences of successful brands that have built huge followings. Despite the differences of the above five kinds of content, they all have value at their core.
Explore the various content types for your Facebook profile and you will soon have a loyal following that will contribute to your ongoing success.
Have an opinion on this article? Please join in the discussion: the GMA is a community of data driven marketers and YOUR opinion counts.
Read also:
Hey, that’s my content! The dos and don’ts behind user generated content licensing and copyright
How to turn your customers into your sales force in the digital economy
Empathy, advocacy and social media: the importance of listening
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A US-based freelance blogger, Helen Eagleton follows topics in the technology, digital marketing and general business arenas. Reach her here: @eagleton_helen
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