Q: How can I create a Facebook page for my blog that lots of people will want to “like”?
Even with the launch of Google+ and advances made by Twitter and LinkedIn, Facebook is still the most active social network in the world, and will remain so for quite a while. Because of the astounding amount of time its 750 million active users spend on it, Facebook is a great way to promote your own blog or website.
Facebook allows you to create a Page for any brand or product (including a blog) that functions similar to a personal profile, with the option to post basic information, pictures, links and questions. This is a great way to spread the word about your blog and can lead to a major increase in traffic.
The problem is, so many bloggers now know about the power of Facebook that the landscape is cluttered with endless brands competing for the attention of your friends and other users.
Because of this, you need to follow a strategy to make sure your Page gets any attention at all. Here are 3 important tips to keep in mind:
Offer Real Value to Your Audience and Share the Love
Most people don’t want to have hundreds of different blogs clogging up their news feed, so they will only “like” their absolute favorites or Pages that are unique and interesting.
In order to keep users’ interest up, you will need to mix up your posts. If all you do is auto-post the link to your latest blog article without taking the time to add anything more, you will be tuned out very quickly and no one will click through to your site.
One good strategy is to offer your fans something humorous, inspiring or thought-provoking, perhaps through quotes, articles or videos.
Another idea is to post links to relevant industry news or the latest headlines relating to your niche. Some bloggers even offer discounts, special deals or contests on their Facebook Page, which can be a great way to attract more likes.
Not everything you post needs be directly related to your own blog; in fact, it shouldn’t be! If you take the time to share cool content from some others in your niche, it’s very likely they will return the favor.
Finally, be sure to respond to all comments so your readers see a two-way conversation and that you care about them.
Plan Out And Analyze Your Posting Frequency
A successful Facebook page must post often enough to keep its fans’ interest but not so often that it looks like shameless promotion.
This will be different for every blog or website, but you can simply follow your fans’ reactions. If you’re posting once every day and receiving good feedback (in the form of likes and comments), you can safely continue that schedule. If you aren’t, however, it’s probably better to scale back and post once every several days.
Don’t wait too long, though, because your fans will start to forget about you. Also, if a visitor comes across your Facebook Page and sees that you haven’t posted anything in two months, then why would they want to join?
Make a Plan Before Promoting Your Page
Be sure to take some time to write a well-crafted information section and plan out your posting strategy before you invite mass numbers of people or embed a Like Box onto your blog. No one will want to connect with a page that looks like it was quickly and sloppily thrown together.
As a first step, you can send a personal message to a few of your real-life friends and encourage them to offer their opinion on one of your posts. This way, when you step up the promotion people will see an active community and will be more likely to join your Page.
Every blog’s Facebook Page will take on a bit of its own personality once launched, but these three points will get you off to a good start.
Good post. I think the number one factor is offering real value and real content. If people like what you post, they will stick around and better yet, tell their friends.
Thanks John. I completely agree with you. With the viral potential of social media, sharing valuable content on FB might expose your blog to more readers than you ever would have dreamed!