Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a free, full skincare regimen from Rodan + Fields!

So, this is a question I get all the time (and I see people asking all the time), “How do I get more likes and engagement on my Facebook page?”

In case you didn’t know, I have a Facebook page, which you can “like” here.

The truth is, there is not one perfect answer. There is no magic formula or secret sauce. There’s no one RIGHT way. There are just a lot of ways that can help.

With Facebook CONSTANTLY changing it’s algorithm (aka: fancy word for how it decides what it shows in a news feed), we bloggers (and / or business owners) alike, need to stick together to figure out what tips or tricks we can employ to keep our page relevant and seen by our “fans.” I use that term loosely because I mean, they’re not fans, they’re people. Or something. You know what I mean.

Anyway, I am not claiming to be an “expert” – and frankly, anyone who does is giving themselves too much credit. BUT, I can say that I’ve had some experience at this and so I have a little bit of an idea as to what works and what doesn’t. So, take my advice for what you will, but here’s what I’ve done that’s worked for me.

NOTE: Now, this is NOT the end-all, be-all for Facebook page management. I could write a whole book, or heck, even a whole blog on the topic. But thankfully, there are people who have already done that so I don’t have to. Plus, that would be boring (at least for me). These are just SOME of the tips and tricks I have come to learn and use over the last few years and months. Mmkay? K! Let’s get to it.

+++

8 Tips for Building a Rockin’ Facebook Fan Page

 1. It’s not about you. No, really, it’s not. And you should pretty much adopt this particular mantra for all of life. It’s not about you. We want it to be about us, but it’s just not. And when you apply this to Facebook, you want to think about this: “How could this benefit my fans? How can I provide added value?”

Yes, share your own content – your own blog posts, your own photos. But don’t drive your fans crazy with “ME! ME! ME!”

Think about content that is relevant to your brand or that your fans might like. For example, I LOVE posting or sharing hilarious things I find around the internet that I think might give my Facebook fans a laugh. Post or share an article written by another blogger (GASP! Promoting someone else?! Yes. Do it.) Post anything you like that you think, “Hey, I think my Facebook peeps might like this.” And see what happens. Most of the time, they’ll thank you for it.

2. Limit your self-promotion. If you share your blog posts on your Facebook page (which you absolutely should), limit it to AT MOST three times a day.

Here’s a theoretical posting schedule: So maybe it posts automatically when your post is published via a feed like BlogLovin‘ or Networked Blogs, then maybe it gets posted in a status update or Twitterfeed, and then lastly you post a link to the post along with a corresponding photo.

And spread it out throughout the day. Morning, noon, nighttime. Whatever works best for you.

Now, three times is the MOST I’d say – I’d even say two times is plenty for sharing a particular post.

3. Limit your words. Let’s be honest, most people are inherently a little lazy when it comes to social media. That’s why Twitter does so well by limiting you to 140 characters. The more TEXT you have in a status update or Facebook post, the less likely your fans are going to read the whole thing and engage with the content.

By keeping it simple and making your posts as concise as possible, you’re more likely to have your fans actually read what you wrote and, hopefully, respond or engage.

4. Ask a question! Poll your fans. Want to really engage your fans? Ask a question. But keep it simple (see #3). Simple questions like “Coke or Pepsi?” “Chipotle or Moe’s?” “What’s your favorite TV show?” “What did you get for Christmas?” etc. really give your fans a quick, easy way to give you an answer and leave a comment.

The big bonus here is the more your fans comment and engage on the post, the more discussion that occurs – maybe you spark a healthy debate in the comment thread – and that only shows Facebook that your page is the place to be – which, in turn, makes Facebook show your page in more news feeds. Thus, upping your edge / page rank within Facebook. That’s that whole “algorithm” thing again.

5. Pictures! Videos! People love looking at pictures. People love watching videos.

I don’t know what it is, but innately, people love looking at pictures of people they know, people they don’t know, whatever. People are curious in nature. So share good photos.

I pick and choose, but I share some of my favorite or best Instagram shots and those often get some of the most engagement. I mean, I shared this photo last week I took of a sunset and it got over 299 likes, 11 shares, and a bunch of comments all on Facebook. And that was without even trying.

And videos! Try sharing a music video you love. Or a hilarious video you found on YouTube. Or an inspiring video. People love videos. Find good ones and share ‘em.

The more good content YOU share, the more likely your fans will also, in turn, share it.

For example: The stat I really like to look at is that “PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THIS” stat. (see below) That number is the number of people who have shared a post, shared your page, or shared SOMETHING about or on your page with their friends or fans. The more people talking about your page, the more visibility you get. That’s that “FRIENDS OF FANS” number – so, over the last 7 days or so, 497 people have shared something on my page, thus exposing my page in some way to over 323,000+ people. Now, that doesn’t always convert to more fans, but it only helps. Instagram to Facebook Pro-tip: When you post an image to Instagram, you don’t have to share to all networks right away. So, share the photo to Instagram first, tag your friends or whatever, and then post it. Then you can go back to the photo, and click the “…” button, and share it AGAIN directly to Facebook. That way you can get rid of the @ symbols and # and whatever language doesn’t translate to Facebook. That also helps to make your photo feel fresher.

6. Host a Facebook-only giveaway. Now, it is REALLY important to understand Facebook’s Terms & Conditions when it comes to contesting and all that within Facebook. There are a ton of rules and a ton of no-nos and you don’t want to get flagged or get your page shut down.

Pretty much, third-party apps are the way to go. Now, there are a lot of third-party contesting apps that are confusing to use, but I have used the Rafflecopter Facebook page widget and I LOVE it.

For example, last month I hosted a giveaway with Boot Barn and it was SOLELY done through my Facebook page. The Rafflecopter widget requires entrants to “LIKE” your page before they enter – so it’s not only a great way to get a lot of fans, but also a lot of engagement.

I gained a lot of new Facebook fans in a short amount of time by doing this giveaway. I could have hosted it on my blog – but I wanted to think outside the box and offer something special for Facebook users. I mean, why not?

But, the key thing to remember is: it’s not about you / me (see #1) – so, sure, you can gain a lot of fans quickly that way, but you have to keep them interested. You have to post content that will not only engage them, but also show them that your page is a happening place for happening stuff.

There’s always going to be some attrition, but you can curb it by showing your new fans why they should stay.

7. Tag! You’re it! When you’re posting photos, TAG people or companies in the photos. And I mean actually tag them, not just in the update, but actually tag the photo. Now, some companies or people have tags turned off so you can’t tag them. BUT, there are a lot of companies that don’t. And, those photos will show up in the “Photos of X Company” on their page – thus increasing your visibility!

For example: You’ll know if you’ve tagged the company correctly when it shows up in “TAGS” under the photo. (see below)

And lastly…

8. Be yourself. I know, I know, this sounds totally cliche. But I’m serious. Facebook is all about that “personal” connection – and the more personal you can get by showing your personality, the more your fans will like you and want to engage with your page.

Even though you can’t “hear” intent, or posts, or inflection online, people can still read through what you’re posting and sharing. If you’re trying too hard, people will read into that and be turned off.

Just relax, be yourself. Share a funny story. Post an honest thought or feeling. Make a joke. People like honesty and realness in real life, blog life, and this even translates to Facebook.

#9. Bonus Tip: Okay, I know I said 8 tips, but I thought of this one after I made the graphic, so you get an extra one for kicks.

Make your Facebook fan page easy to LIKE. Add a Like Box to your blog or website, add a link to your page to your e-mail signature, add a button on your blog or website. Make it impossible for your readers to NOT know you have a page.

+++

Okay, so what do you think? Do you have a Facebook fan page? Why or why not? What pages do you “like” the most? Do you think it’s beneficial to “like” a page? What tips do YOU employ on your own page? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

And of course, you can find me on Facebook… you know, to see how I do this thing sometimes.