Are you a business owner who set up a Facebook fan page and attracted visitors but are seeing very little results? Facebook has been proven to be an excellent resource to build a loyal customer base, so it is important not to give up on your fan page!

Although most businesses focus on the number of Likes their page has, one of the most important numbers you can look at on your Facebook fan page is the “Talking About” number. This is the number of unique Facebook users who have interacted with your fan page in the last seven days. If this number is lower than what you would expect or want, this could be a clue to why you may be feeling like your fan page is a virtual ghost town despite the number of likes. So what can you do about it?

• Regularly Update Your Fan Page. Many businesses feel that updating their page once or twice a month is sufficient. In truth, to get your fans to see your posts, it is essential that you post at least four times a week. More preferable is daily and optimal is several times a day.
• Share a Variety of Types of Content. I am always surprised when I land on a business’ fan page only to find the same “Come See Us Today” message posted week after week. If you struggle about what to post, try posting interesting pictures, fun facts or quotes. Your fans will enjoy your posts and will be looking for them when they are on Facebook.
• Engage your fans by asking questions and asking for their input. Statements such as “Like if you agree” or “What caption would you put to this picture?” is a good way to get fans to engage with your content and ultimately share what you are posting with others.

Just because you are a business does not mean you should just post about the 9-5 happenings at YOUR business. Remember that Facebook is a social platform. If your business is mainly local, posting about happenings in the community is a good way to get engagement and provide information that your customers and potential customers will find useful. It also allows your personality to shine through.

Sharing information about your industry is another way to help others see you as the ‘go to’ person in your field. For example, a chiropractor might post about stretching exercises, or a plumber might post about how to keep pipes from freezing during the cold winter months.

Your fan page is also an excellent place to list specials of the week, coupons and other information that DOES directly relate to your business. If you post a “special of the week” every Monday, your fans will soon look forward to seeing what you are offering come Monday morning. They will check in and engage with your page.

Useful, interesting and fun content is more likely to be shared and will increase your “Talking About” number drastically. It will also help ensure that your posts WILL be seen by your fans.

Who’s Got the Time?

Often when I am talking to businesses about this, the most common response is, “I’m running a business. I do not have time to post regularly.” It can be difficult to wear so many hats. Look at your current staff and see if there is someone already onboard that could pick up this role. If not, consider outsourcing. If you would like help with this task, contact me and my team would be happy to help. We can post interesting, engaging content for you on a regular basis, increasing engagement and potentially business.

The bottom line is that Facebook can provide you an excellent way to reach out to your customers, providing them with such good information that they wouldn’t even consider going anywhere else when they need what you have to offer. Once they feel that way, they are more apt to recommend you to their friends. It is also an easy way to reach out to your customers for their feedback, enabling you to improve  your product or service.

Taking the time to nurture this network is a must for growing your business. So go and get folks “Talking About” your fan page and your business!