Social media marketing for business has become a necessity, not an option. However, with quickly evolving social graph algorithms, applications, and platforms it can be hard to keep up. An essential part of marketing any product or solution is ensuring that you reach as many of your prospects and customers as possible.
In recent months Facebook has made several changes which affects which of your fans see specific content that you post.
According to Mari Smith (one of our favorite Facebook marketing gurus), “The way Facebook’s Edgerank algorithm works is that each piece of content – whether posted via a personal profile or fan page – passes through a three-part filter and has a different score for each user or fan. In other words, we all see content from fan pages differently.” So when every post counts, what can you do to better attract and engage your Facebook fans?
Multiple Content Types Keep Fans Interested
Take a moment and think of some of your favorite B2B or B2C marketing campaigns. It’s likely that a single campaign had many different elements like perhaps an online contest, infographic, email campaign, the list of options goes on and on. Ask yourself, if the entire marketing campaign had consisted of just one tactic (example: online contests) would it have held your interest?
Facebook offers a variety of different ways to share content with your fans. Some of my favorites are:
- Personalized graphics
- Asking a thought provoking question
- Videos
- Sending fans to a helpful tips or news article
- Using Facebook Timeline to tell your story (Ford Motor Company does a fantastic job of using this feature)
In addition to the different content types above, many companies also utilize custom applications to truly create an experience for their fans. Also, we should always remember that B2B’s are people too so make sure you offer a variety of content types no matter if you are a B2C or B2B company.
Know How To Increase Your Odds
In order to successfully navigate Facebook’s quickly changing landscape you need to understand how users interact with your page and how feeds work. TechCrunch recently released an article that provides some very insightful information into determining if your posts will show up in your fans news feeds:
- Create “likeable” Content: The more your fans “like” content on your page, the more often your posts will show up in their feed.
- Other’s Reactions Matter: If your post shows up in some users feeds but is ignored or marked as spam, your post is less likely to be shown to more people.
- Content Types Are Important: If a particular user has a tendency to like videos or photos posted by your page, then they are more likely to be shown that type of content on a regular basis.
Facebook Graph Search Is Your Friend
Facebook’s new Graph Search is changing the way that business will connect with customers, and be found by new fans. Facebook Page best practices include creating a complete profile and making sure your information is up to date but additionally you’ll find that Graph Search has optimization opportunities including:
- About Section: Your name, category, vanity URL, and additional information is all searchable and will help people find your business.
- Geo Information: If you have a location or place page, adding your address will ensure you appear in results when users are searching for a specific location.
According to a recent article from Search Engine Watch, the new Graph Search algorithm will offer Facebook users results based on items such as:
- Connections
- Likes
- Check-Ins
- Place Type
- Category
- Name
- Location
- All other information collected about your business
Third Party Tools That Are Worth Checking Out
Many business page admins struggle with understanding the actual exposure of content shared on Facebook. One tool that can help admins gain insight into what works and what doesn’t is EdgeRank Checker. Offering both a paid and free version, EdgeRank Checker gives marketers a deeper understanding of the inter-workings of their page so that they can make smarter and more engaging decisions on Facebook. Mari Smith has also recommended that marketers take a look at the following tools:
- PageLever.com – dedicated to Facebook analytics
- CrowdBooster.com – in-depth Facebook and Twitter analysis
- ZuumSocial.com – weekly PDF reporting that is easy to read and understand
- SocialBakers.com – offers Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and YouTube analytics
- TwentyFeet.com – analytics for most social networks and is also very inexpensive and fun to use
- FanGager.com – includes a free Insights report, plus users can add gamification to your fan pages
Staying up to date on Facebook’s latest updates and additions are just part running a truly successful Facebook marketing campaign.
Have you noticed that particular content types seem to resonate best with your audience? Which of the tools above (or not mentioned) have you used to help monitor your Facebook marketing campaigns? Have you seen a noticeable difference since deploying social analytics for you Facebook business page?
Image via Shutterstock.
