Increasing Facebook Reach by Hundreds and Thousands
I’ve been off lately, I’m not gonna lie. I’ve posted Facebook ‘stuff’ that wasn’t my best material. I hadn’t been hot online, needed to get something out there, and I forced it. No one’s been responding. ((Echo)) But this week, I found my jam.
Sometimes we need a reminder that being online isn’t enough. Forced posts don’t do the job. They don’t connect us to our fans. Social Media Marketing is connecting and engaging. Just like when your kids know you aren’t really talking with them you are really focused on your phone and texting, your customers know it when you are distracted, too. Let me give you some examples for my recent success in increasing Facebook reach.
With Stay at Home Rock Star I increased my reach by over 14,000 this week (and quickly growing)! If you have 14,000 fans, you can leave. You won’t be impressed. But if you have hundreds or a couple thousand, this is a big deal! What did I do? I shared two links on my page that were totally relevant, funny, engaging and perfect for my Rock Stars right now- this month, this season of life, even the right time of day. I got emotional with them. I didn’t try to trick them into giving me an answer to some random crazy question. I shot for their heart and shared links about funny Father’s Day photos and a link to a video about a surprise birthday announcement. Both posts got them laughing and crying!
I increased my reach with Social Butterflies by 77% this week with two posts. I reshared a post from last year about a local zoo. Recycling past successful blog posts is an easy way to remind your audience about your valuable content, without the work! I also shared a link to a $1 summer movies for kids that wasn’t not my post but from another mom blogger. (Note, when sharing a link, share the original link from direct source rather than sharing from another Facebook post. When fans share the post, their friends will see it came from your page and likely then follow you for all your awesomeness and not someone else.)
Timing is also key. My demographics for both businesses are moms with young kids. My fans are online first thing in the morning and after bed/bath in the evening. (If I wanted to attack the west coast with Stay at Home Rock Star, I’d pay special attention to posting at their times, too.)
So, what’s my point? Facebook isn’t the place to build business anymore, we know this. Facebook has made it clear that they are lowering business page presence in the news feed. But if you have a following, stay there and give them your best! Don’t force it. Be real. They’ll know. They’ll love you for it.
Have my sales increasing 1800% like my increasing Facebook reach? No. I haven’t received one sale for a Stay at Home Rock Star tshirt directly related to my popular post (yet), but I do have engaged and fun loving fans hanging out on my page and sharing it with (many) others today! As I am preparing for the Type-A Parent conference for bloggers in Atlanta this September, I am reading keynote speaker Mack Collier’s Think Like a Rock Star, How to Create Social Media and Marketing Strategies That Turn Customers Into Fans. Collier stresses the point of taking good care of your already loyal fans. Although the percentage of current customers are much lower than the percentage of possible new customers, relating to that lower but loyal percentage in a true and genuine way almost makes marketing effortless. They will be the voice for your brand by telling their friends about you!
So go take some risks. Try something new on your page. Show a little bit of the you behind your brand. Be personable. Be a friend. Let your fans “feel” something from you.
I want to learn about your successes! Comment below with links to new posts you are trying.
Want to get together and work on Your Social Media Presence? I’d love to!
Cary Heise
Founder of Vend Raleigh
Stay at Home Rock Star
Social Butterflies NC
Raleigh area business women learning, growing and building our businesses together.
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Comments
Hey Cary,
I’m glad to hear this! I’m having a similar
experience. I’m also dropping a
handful of likes each week, but I am gaining a couple
a week as well. I think I’m shedding the giveaway-lover likes and gaining a true following. And I’m happy with that!
Thanks for this. And I think you just inspired me to read Mack Collier’s book too. I’m at a completely different social media stage since I’ve just launched… but I am hungry for info! =)