How to Get the Facebook Page Following You Dream About
You've seen those bloggers and business owners with large masses of followers who jump and Like and click and comment on absolutely everything. It's like people are frothing from the mouth just to say "hello," but why? More importantly, how?
Developing a strong, engaged Facebook Page following takes time, patience, and utter sincerity.
Here are my tips to create the Facebook Page following you dream about late at night.
1. Be human.
Whether you're a blogger, business owner, personality, or something else, you won't achieve success without heart. Sorry to all of the heartless people out there! People connect with people, and if you show the personality behind the name, you'll be successful.
2. Learn your audience.
Did you know that the Facebook Insights tool shows you multiple levels of statistics, including the user's age, location, and more? It shows you which posts were the most viral, how many people engaged, and how far the social spread went. My favorite section is the "Where Your Likes Came From" feature.
"Yeah, I know, but I don't really know what to do with any of that information..."
Look at the "Like Sources" column on the right. My favorites are the "On Hover" ones because those are made when someone who is not already a fan hovers over a link to my page. Those come from people who find my page around Facebook, usually on other pages or through a friend.
Dig around, research your page, and use that to your advantage.
3. Engage the reader.
The easiest way to get your reader involved is to talk to them! Ask questions about what they think, want, like, need, wish for, and more. Although I get a lot of activity when I ask a question without any padding, my readers tend to engage more when I start the story-telling. Share a small bit about you and your life, then follow it up with a question for your readers. For example, "Although I wish I was an early bird, I just can't drag myself from these feather pillows earlier than 8 am. When do you get up?"
Use these tips to get the fast and furious engagement you crave.
Of course, the topic depends entirely on the type of website or business for which you have this page. Keep it topical and relevant. For a page on blogging, ask what people want to know, what they already know, and where they hope to go. "It took me ages to find the right social media plugin for this site. Now I'm happy with X, but what do you use?"
4. Like likes like.
In some ways, this is the most important. CONNECT WITH OTHERS. Remember those Likes on Hover I mentioned above? I wouldn't have those if I didn't comment on Facebook statuses, post quick "hellos" on the pages I like, and get involved deeply and honestly. I live in my Facebook Page, and that's part of why I see success.
Connect with similar Pages and with others who fit into your audience niche. If you blog about money saving tips, consider Liking lots of parenting blogs. Think about your ideal reader, and go after them!
5. Take time.
If you think you can do all of this in one day, I'm very sorry to disappoint you. Facebook Page followings take time and patience. Build slowly, don't worry about the numbers, and they will come.
What do you wish you could do better with your Facebook Page? Comment below!