Are Your Facebook Likes Really Fans of Your Business?
Social media “experts” continue to say that you need to do everything you can to get as many people as possible to follow you on Facebook. They come out with lists like “The Top 10 Ways to Get More Fans” and “How to Get 1,000,000 Fans Now.” If you just listen to their every word and perhaps buy their book or attend their seminar, they “guarantee” you will be successful.
It’s true that without a ton of work, you should be able to boost your Like count considerably. The problem is, are these Likes really your fans? Do you think most people who have liked your business are obsessed with everything you do? Sorry to come crashing down on your parade but they aren’t.
According to a study from ExactTarget, 63% of Facebook users who Like a brand or product on Facebook expect something in return (i.e., a deal, special, offer, etc.). And then there’s Facebook’s own limitations on which of your fans will even see your posts. According to Facebook, on average only 17% of your fans will see any of your updates. This is because its EdgeRank algorithm focuses on displaying content in newsfeeds that users are most likely to interact with. If a user is a fan of your page but doesn’t interact with your posts, that fan will essentially become a ghost (unless of course you pay to reach them, but that’s a whole other story).
So only a tiny fraction of your fans are really interested in what you have to say at all, and even these fans are only interested in a certain set of very specific things you have to say. This means that you can stop posting things about your opinions, telling them what your employees’ hobbies are, or showing them the latest birthday party at your office. Your fans don’t care. I see so many businesses using Facebook so badly and the so-called Social media “experts” keep encouraging it so they can keep their jobs.
Your business Facebook page is followed for what you can do for your customer. Give them a special “Facebook Only” offer, show them how to use your products or services better, keep them updated about your upcoming events, or introduce them to a new product or service. Too many businesses on Facebook make the mistake of thinking their page should be all about them. Wrong. It should be all about your customers.
Facebook is just one of many places for your business to be social. I’d rather see a client spend more energy on a blog than on Facebook. At least the blog has good ranking opportunities and long-term content effects. Facebook posts are here today and gone 5 minutes later as your fans are being inundated with posts from their friends and other companies trying to dominate eyeballs.
Keep your Facebook strategy simple. Do meaningful posts about your products and services with a link back to your site. If you have an event, promote it on Facebook. If you are running a special, run a Facebook Only special for those fans. Keep the rest of your ideas and comments for your personal page because in the end, your fans just don’t care.
