In a few short years, Facebook has evolved from a platform used by friends to stay in touch to a destination for interacting with news organizations, causes, favorite retailers and eateries, and other businesses.
If you’re like us, you use Facebook as a one-stop-shop for chatting with friends, learning about breaking news, and keeping current with trends.
Facebook’s growing importance generates a need for businesses to have a vibrant presence on the platform. Yet many organizations don’t know how to build their base of followers. Here are a few suggestions:
- Post good content. The single best way to get new followers is to make the information on your page interesting and relevant to your audience.
- Foster discussions. Build a vibrant community on Facebook by fostering discussions on important topics. Reach out to others and respond promptly.
- Provide links everywhere. Make it easy for your audience to find you on Facebook by including a Facebook link in all outward facing communications: on your website, in newsletters, in your email signature, on your YouTube channel, etc.
- Tweet it. If your company has a Twitter presence, regularly encourage your Twitter followers to also become a Facebook fan. Link to your Facebook site in your Twitter profile.
- Ask your Facebook friends to like your company page. Encourage your personal friends to keep up with your company by liking your company page. This will appear in their timeline and will prompt friends to check out your company as well.
- Run a contest. Offer an award that will encourage people to like your company page. A company that makes folding chairs is running a contest to encourage fans to decorate a chair for Halloween and post the photo. Remember to keep your new fans by continuing to provide interesting content when the contest is over.
How do you build your Facebook followers?