5 ways to Get More Facebook Page likes
by Deirdre Long
On November 5, Facebook changed its policy so that "like-gating," or offering exclusive content or rewards for liking a page, would no longer be allowed.
So if you can't get fans by hosting a giveaway, how else do you give your Facebook Page a boost?
1. Invite your friends. And your friends' friends. It's not advisable to spam all your friends with invitations to like your Page every week, but asking every once in a while is fine. About once a quarter, analyze your personal Friends list and invite anyone new who might genuinely be interested in your Page and what it has to offer. Have the other Administrators on your account do the same, and you'll surely gain some new fans.
2. Import your contacts. If you already have an email list, download your contacts as a .csv file and then upload it to Facebook. An invitation to like your Page will be emailed to everyone on the list (and most of them likely have Facebook Pages).
3. Be found. Add a link to your Facebook Page in all your emails. Make sure there's a link from your website, and/or use a Facebook widget to display a feed of your Page on your website. Put signs in your store directing customers to like you on Facebook. Include a QR code they can scan with their smartphone and like your Page immediately. Make fliers and include them in your customers' bags. And actually tell your customers about your Page - ask them to leave a review, too. There's no shame in promoting your business, so don't be too timid to ask.
4. Advertise with Facebook. Use Facebook ads to promote your Page to a targeted audience (target by interest and in your geographic location). You can choose whatever budget you like, but even $5 a day for a week can make a huge difference in exposure.
5. Advertise off Facebook. A service like The Anniston Star's Friends2Follow Facebook widget can dramatically increase your Page's exposure. For just $100 a month, your Page's posts are put in front of the readers of AnnistonStar.com - more than 324,000 users a month. And since the content is hosted off of Facebook, the posts aren't subject to the social network's infamous algorithm, which limits how many of your fans see your posts.
Once you have your fans, you have to keep them engaged by posting relevant content that they will respond to. You can get some ideas by visiting other Facebook pages that are similar to yours and seeing how their fans engage. Use your Page Insights to analyze your past posts and use that information (type of post, timing of post) to guide your future posts.
Deirdre Long is a social media and online marketing specialist for The Anniston Star. To learn more about how social media can grow your business, contact her at 256-310-7973 or CPBizBuzz@gmail.com
