4 Ways to Breathe Life Into Your Boring Facebook Page
Every business has a Facebook page, but most do very little with them. If you’re only occasionally updating your Facebook page – or just copying the same strategies as everyone else – you aren’t gleaning much value.
It’s time to finally breathe some life into that dusty old Facebook page.
Try These 4 Tips to Enhance Your Facebook Presence:
The Facebook platform has undergone significant change over the years – both in terms of layout and functionality, as well as content-sharing best practices. Here are some practical tips for gradually enhancing your Facebook presence over time.
1. Share Unique Content
So many businesses share the same content over and over again on Facebook. If you scroll through your feed and notice that all of your shared content looks the same over the past few months, then you’re in the same boat. One way to engage your audience and prevent them from glossing over everything you share is to put in some work and develop/curate unique content.
For a classic example of generic content, pay attention to what happens around the holiday season. Businesses start sharing generic posts that read “Happy Holidays” or Season’s Greetings.” Because of the blandness, the efficacy of these posts is severely limited. You, however, can take a step to differentiate your page by posting something like an animated greeting. Anything that is different will stand out.
2. Nail Your Cover Photo
When people click on your Facebook page, are they drawn in? Or does it look like every other page they’ve ever visited? One of the quickest ways to make a visual statement is to get your cover photo right. Here are some examples of effective cover photos that do a good job of reflecting the brand’s image.
3. Participate in Two-Way Conversations
Is your Facebook page a place where users can come and interact with your brand? Or is it more of a billboard that you use to advertise and push your agenda? While there is value in using your Facebook page as a branding tool, don’t forget about the fact that it’s a “social” network. People expect to be able to interact with you. If your fans comment on posts and send you messages, but you fail to respond, what message are you sending them?
A Facebook page with lots of two-way conversations and back and forth interactions encourage people to visit your page more often. They know that they’re going to get some sort of value when they come.
4. Stay Away From Hot Button Issues
Just because there’s a popular story in the news cycle, doesn’t mean you have to use your company’s Facebook page to make a statement about it. There are certain hot button issues that you should never touch. In today’s day and age, it’s important that you stay away from politics.
It doesn’t matter where you stand – or even if the majority of your followers agree with your stance – hot button issues get you nowhere. You can quickly alienate a portion of your audience and getting them to return will prove to be a monumental challenge. Learn when and how to stay away from topics that don’t add value to your brand.
Move Beyond Facebook
It’s also worth noting that Facebook is only the starting point. While it’s still the de facto social media giant, it’s no longer the most effective platform for engaging customers. In many cases, visual platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and Periscope are redefining what it looks like to produce valuable content. If even after implementing the tips in this article, you find it challenging to engage your audience, it may be worthwhile to pursue a new platform.