As first seen on social media today.
Is your Facebook page lonely? Not getting the number of fans you’d hoped for? Don’t be discouraged! You have to start somewhere and it’s usually at the bottom. The good news is the only direction to go from there is up. When it comes to building an audience, a fan base, clientele, etc., it takes just the right type of marketing to bring in a good crowd.
Facebook, currently one of the most popular social media outlets, has become a superior marketing tool in our society. So, what drives traffic to one’s Facebook page? Posting on Facebook can pique one’s interest, but how do you know what is appropriate in a post and what is not? They say you attract more bees with honey than you do with vinegar. So, in order to be most attractive, we first have to figure out who the bees are (your audience), and then discern what is considered honey and what is considered vinegar.
#1 Are You as Funny as You Think You Are?
Humor is a great way to connect with your audience and to show a lighter side to your business. But, like beauty, humor is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes posts that we think are hilarious will absolutely flop on our page. And some posts that weren’t really intended to get a laugh end up just killing it.
Humor is always up to the audience. If you know your audience, then you’ll know what they find funny. And if you can’t make them laugh, you need to get to know your audience better! But never shy away from being funny, especially on Facebook where engagement means more traffic.
#2 Be Seriously, Serious
Just as humor can be honey to your bees, serious posts, including anything from holiday-themed posts, to trending topics in your market, can be just as valuable to your audience. Some of our best posts ever published have been about somber holidays like Veteran’s Day, September 11th, and the like. We never create these posts to be self-serving. We know how much our audience cares about these subjects and we approach them very seriously and respectfully, which I think is one of the reasons these posts do so well. Your audience is sure to recognize and appreciate that you have taken the time to learn their interests and are producing sincere, quality content based on that knowledge.
#3 Keep Your Personal Opinions Personal
No matter what topic or issue you’re trying to address, never pick sides. The worst thing you can do for your traffic is bash a certain political candidate, make a socially or racially charged statement, or even post about why your favorite sports team is better than the rest. That’s strong vinegar and is more likely to bring out some stingers.
If you’re running a Fan Page, you need to know your purpose. And more often than not, your true purpose has nothing to do with pop culture, an election, or sports. These are all examples of opinions better left for your personal profile. If you do post about these kinds of topics, make sure to stay in the middle of the road. Don’t get in shouting matches over irrelevant details on your public Fan Page because you want your opinion heard.
#4 Reuse, Recycle
As long as the content is relevant and beneficial to your audience, re-posting someone else’s content is an excellent way to draw attention to your page. If the content is valuable, your audience doesn’t care where it came from, so don’t be afraid to share it! People always want great information, but the truth is they don’t always want to find it on their own. If you’ve put in the work to locate the details, your audience will appreciate it and reap the benefits whether you’re the original author or not.
#5 Simply Be The Best
One of the number one goals we should all strive for in marketing is consistently providing the best information at exactly the right time. People would much rather have information served to them on a shiny silver platter than have to go digging around in dark corners to find it. The most valuable information can be provided by utilizing specific knowledge of your audience and the topics that are important to them, along with being purposeful in the manner in which the topic is delivered.
Facebook can be a fantastic tool for building an engaged audience as long as you put forth the effort to know your audience and make their time worthwhile. Be silly, be serious, be informative, but not opinionated. If you consistently provide premium content and deliver it appropriately, you will become the go-to resource every time the bees need more honey.
