Journal
Engaging fans: 3 quick Facebook post traps to avoid
August 2011
Do you agonise over what to post on your Facebook Page? Or do you treat it more like your Personal Profile and write about the first thing that comes into your head or across your desk?
While planning ahead is ideal, it doesn’t suit everyone. Sometimes there just isn’t a lot of time available – so knowing what to avoid can be very useful.
If you want to engage your fans, here are three quick Facebook post traps to avoid.
1. Making it too personal
Occasional humour and something off topic is fine. It shows your human side. But remember, this is not your personal profile.
People do not become fans of your Page to find out how tired you are today or what you had for breakfast. Reserve these comments for your Personal Profile – unless of course you run a café or attended a business breakfast function somewhere – then it might be relevant.
2. Repetition is boring
Repetition can be a powerful marketing tool… unless you apply it by making every Facebook post in the same format! For example, you’ve no doubt heard that photos make a great post, but if every post is a photo of your latest creation – whether it’s a bouquet of flowers or a website – your Page can lose a bit of its shine. That’s advertising, not engaging.
Without giving it some thought and consideration, you might find that 80% of your posts follow exactly the same format. Fans quickly lose interest in this kind of Page.
3. Only talking about your product or service
Remember the last time you met someone at a party and all they did was talk about themselves? “Me, me, me…” Doesn’t take long before you turn off, does it?
We all have numerous different roles and activities in our lives.What specific part of your fan’s life is your product or service addressing, e.g. is it their role at work as a Software Engineer, is it their role as a parent, or is it a leisure pastime?
What other information can you offer your fans that is perhaps related to your product or service… but isn’t necessarily talking about yourself.Can you promote a complementary business; give links to an industry expert, or offer some tips or hints that could assist them in this particular role or activity?
So before you rush headlong into your next post, just for the sake of meeting a self-imposed quota or deadline, it might pay to think of the consequences.
What sorts of Page posts do you enjoy?
