Is Your Brand Like-Worthy-Ways to Drive Engagement on Facebook

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The results of a study released in January of 2012 by the Australian think tank Ehrenberg-Bass Institute say that less than 1 percent of the people who “like” a brand actually engage with it. When it comes down to it, the level of engagement is much more important than the number of likes you have. Beyond cultivating likes, you have to cultivate engagement. So how do you convince people to like your brand AND engage with it on Facebook? Here are some of the things that can be successful for driving engagement.

Photos

Photos are the most shared type of content on Facebook. Brands that post different types of content often find that popular photographs also receive the highest number of comments. Photos are great because they’re content that can be consumed instantly. You don’t have to read anything or even click “play” to get the message. Especially if a photo is really funny, people will want to share it with their friends. If you can post photos that are really unique, hilarious, beautiful, or attention-grabbing, you will see more user engagement on that post.

Questions

This is perhaps the simplest and most obvious way to encourage engagement. Ask a question, and your fans will answer you. The best questions are touching on subjects that matter to them. One thing that matters to everyone is themselves, so try asking personal questions (not too personal), like about people’s preferences, opinions, or experiences. Try a fill-in-the-blank type of question, like, “Fill in the blank. This summer I’m most excited about (blank).” Asking questions about your brand is a good way to drive engagement and receive feedback.

Talking Back

The most important way to drive engagement is by engaging, too. When your fans make comments, write back – always respond when they answer a question or give feedback, and often respond to comments even when no response is required or asked for. Even simply “liking” a fan’s comment makes an impression. When you demonstrate that you’re a brand who wants to interact with its customers, more fans will initiate that interaction. Just be careful that your responses are always consistent with your brand’s image and values.

Valuable Content

Really valuable content will inspire engagement. People will feel compelled to comment on something that interests, impresses, or surprises them, and they’ll also feel compelled to share the valuable information with their friends. Valuable content can be anything from a demo video to a news article to a short tip, but it always helps your fans in some way. It might offer them new or useful information, and many times content can be valuable for the entertainment it provides, too.

Calls to Action

Never overlook the power of the call to action. A call to action will significantly increase engagement on any post as compared to the same post without a call to action. Something as simple as, “Share if you like this!” or “Check out this video!” or “Tell us what you think,” can do wonders for engagement on your Facebook page.

original: SociablWeb