Six Ways to Make (and Keep) Facebook Fans

• Apr 22nd, 2009
• Posted by Feran
• Posted in Facebook, Social Media, Social Media Business Models

Almost every business out there seems to have a Facebook page these days. While some really understand how to maximize their presence using this social networking site (Whole Foods, Starbucks etc.), others seem to be struggling a bit (we won’t point fingers).

One of the many important components of a business page is its fans.  Here are 6 tips to help you get and keep Facebook fans:

• Promote your Facebook page on other channels and platforms.  Be sure to provide a link on your website, make an announcement in your newsletters or e-mails and mention it on your company blog.

• Keep consistent and relevant activity on your Facebook page.  Be sure to post to the wall often, add videos frequently, and always try to encourage discussions. Try and post content that will create conversation and get fans commenting. After all, people love to share their opinion and provide feedback. This kind of activity will make your page more interesting and appealing to potential fans.

• Send the most newsworthy and important information as an ‘update’ to fans so that they receive the messages directly and don’t miss it in their feed. However, be selective and don’t go overkill on your fans with updates.

• Create a favorites page by fanning other Facebook business pages that are related to your company’s industry.

• Depending on the services your business provides, offer some kind of incentive for fans to join or participate.  For instance, maybe every 100th fan could get a $25 gift card, or offer a 20% discount for joining through Facebook.

• Use the ‘suggest to friend’ link – even though your Facebook friends may not necessarily be your target  - the benefit  is that it will display in their newsfeed, and in turn their friends will see it and may join because they are genuinely interested in your company and its services.

Like any well-thought out project, building a successful Facebook page takes time and effort. Hopefully following some of the above tips will get you started in the right direction. And remember it’s important to always keep in mind your potential fans as well as current ones.