Drive more traffic to your website using Instant Articles from Facebook.

Traffic is an indicator of consumer engagement and business growth. There are numerous tools and methods you can use for generating traffic to your website. Four years ago, Facebook launched an online marketing tool called Instant Articles. This allows for articles and webpages to load faster on Facebook rather than linking you out and loading a web page.

Facebook is still the most widely used social media platform. Research shows mobile users spend about 90% of their time on mobile apps. This is why Instant Articles can be an advertisers' best friend.

Here are some of the ways Instant Articles helps to drive more traffic to your website.

5 Steps for Using Instant Articles

Detailed Formatting

The formatting of your content determines the rate of consumption. Components of articles such as headers, images captions, and hyperlinks affect how readers consume the content.

Instant Articles ensures that all your content is formatted correctly before publishing. This not only improves user experience but also enhances your Google ranking. The power to change font colors and include logos gives publishers control over branding. A full branding experience makes your product much more memorable.

Faster Load Time

Loading time is a crucial component of user experience. Slow loading time is responsible for the majority of abandoned searches. Instant Articles are designed to load right within the app. This makes them render up to 10 times faster than web-based content.

Reports indicate that this makes instant articles 70% less likely to bounce. It also increases share rates by up to 30%. That's a big win for any business.

Improved Analytics

Traffic is good, but quality traffic is even better. The data needs to be analyzed to provide insight into the activity on the website. Instant Articles come with a variety of analytical tools for measuring page views but also additional page depth.

Some of the integrated measurement tools are Chartbeat, Omniture, Google Analytics, and Adobe Analytics. Additionally, it also includes tools like Share. This makes it possible for publishers to test article headlines to discover which type of content resonates with your audience.

Convenience

Instant Articles' biggest selling point is that users don't have to leave the app to read the full article. Mobile devices are the preferred way of consuming digital content. This means marketers have had to shift their focus to this segment. This is where Instant Articles shine since the whole article can be read right there on the app.

This eliminates the load time and increases engagement levels. It also makes it easier to share the article with other Facebook users instantly. Sharing organically generates traffic to your website. Marketers can directly publish Instant Articles from their Content Management System, thereby saving a lot of valuable time.

Option to Include More Advertising

Instant Articles allows the publisher to include other ads in their content. This is beneficial in two ways. First, you can easily advertise your content using Facebook ads or through coding. The overall effect of this is generating more traffic to your website.

The second benefit is that you can decide to monetize your content. There are tools available for third-party ad placement in your article, increasing your overall advertising revenue.

Make the Change

Marketers who have integrated Instant Articles are already reaping the benefits. The 1 billion Facebook users cannot be ignored by marketers looking to increase website traffic. The above benefits provide a compelling reason to get on board.

The set-up is quite simple. It's also relatively easy to experiment with minimal onboarding complications. Instant Articles continue to show more promise as a medium for distributing and monetizing mobile-optimized content. The platform continues to get better with time. Online marketing is continuously changing and is more competitive every day.

If you haven't tried Instant Articles for your business, now would be a good time. Start today and enjoy the benefits.


Looking for help? Tired and believing there has got to be a better way?

Let's talk about your business. With over a decade of experience leading companies and transforming lives, and a Master's degree in Org. Development and Leadership, Mike can help you find the best way forward!

Contact Mike today to start the breakthrough!

Mike Gingerich life leadership business coaching

Facebook Marketplace - 315

As the biggest social network in the world, Facebook is always looking for new ways to connect people. The social media giant released the Marketplace back in May 2007 as a way for users to post and view classified ads within their networks. The Marketplace helped Facebook become a trusted platform where people could buy and sell their stuff. Think of it as a virtual garage sale in your neighborhood, and you've already got a good idea of what the feature was meant to do.

A New Improved Facebook Marketplace

Ever since its initial release, the Marketplace has undergone several improvements to remain competitive against other sites offering similar services. But people weren't flocking to the Marketplace as expected. Instead, they formed, joined and visited buy-and-sell Facebook groups in which they performed all their transactions.

This goes to show how the site has already been a preferred channel for peer-to-peer shopping for some time now, and the only thing missing was a user-friendly feature for that specific purpose.  That's why early in October 2016, Facebook did not just enhance Marketplace -- the company relaunched it all together, making it now a major competitor against Craigslist, Etsy, eBay, and the like.

Marketplace is now mobile

The new Marketplace is now mobile in the form of a dedicated tab in the app. Once you click on that tab, you'll see a feed of items for sale sorted by relevancy. Due to geo-targeting, you get to see posts from nearby sellers, allowing for an easy meet-up in case you want to inspect an item up close or make a purchase.

Marketplace for buyers

facebook marketplace

The Marketplace is integrated with Messenger, so you can quickly send a message to the seller. There, you can haggle, negotiate, agree on payment terms, and exchange contact details prior to a meet-up.

Marketplace for sellers

facebook marketplace

It's just as convenient for sellers. If you want to sell something, just post a listing and wait for inquiries to come in via Messenger. Everything can be done on your smartphone and tablet, so you can conduct business even when you're on the go.

Currently, the Marketplace doesn't have a checkout that will take a buyer payment. You'll have to talk with the other party on Messenger to reach an agreement on how to pay. For some people, this is an inconvenience, but for others, this minimizes the risk of scams and fraud. When face-to-face exchanges are encouraged, people get to see in-person who they're dealing with, which is what Facebook wants.

Is this a smart move for Facebook? Only time will tell. The Marketplace is available only in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Whether it gets a global rollout depends on its success. Still, no one can deny that doing businesses with one's immediate community is still as strong as ever. Facebook recognizes that importance and wants to make it more convenient.

metrics-to-measure-the-success-of-your-digital-marketing-form

Business Uses of Facebook's New Notify App (1)

Facebook is stepping up again to show it wants to remain your number 1 favorite social media platforms with their newest mobile app, Notify. Notify was created to keep you posted on news, weather, trends, sports and everything you want to know immediately with simple smartphone notifications. Notify lets you select from over 70 "stations" to customize your alerts, and it pulls everything into 1 convenient update.

We all have different needs and interests when it comes to what we consider “important news.” By selecting your mix, Notify can cater to your every whim, keeping you exactly up-to-date and connected on one of their platforms.  And, Facebook will scan your Facebook profile and make informed suggestions on other stations you might want to add to the mix. Nice, right?

You can customize the app to send you pop-up notifications on your phone as well.  It’s intended to be a broad source of all your desired news in one convenient spot.  So instead of needing to have CNN, USA Today, Bloomberg Business and other apps, you can get information from all sources in one spot. Notify doesn't want you to miss a thing!

Business Uses of Facebook's New Notify App (1)

Facebook wants you to spend more time on their playground, their family of apps.

And while it might seem counterproductive to add yet another app to our already overstimulated lives, Facebook wants you to consider a different perspective. Instead of looking at it as another app, the social media giant wants you to look at it as the only app, so ultimately you spend less time on your phone, not more, because it narrows down the news sources you need to check.

To accomplish its overall goal, Facebook partnered with CNN, FoxSports, Comedy Central, and A&E (just to name a few) to keep you in the loop. What if you don't care about certain news trends? No worries. Notify lets you subscribe to sub-topics. So if politics or baseball doesn’t tickle your fancy, you can exclude these stories completely. If you need weather updates or coupon deals, there are stations for that too.

Business Uses of Facebook's New Notify App (1)
This app is quite helpful for the on-the-go business person!

Follow your industry trends and news easily. Then be the first to blog or offer comments on them. Getting your name and company associated with breaking newsworthy events is an excellent way to be identified as an expert in your industry and get approached by the media for comments.

Think your customers would be interested in an article or event? Forward a notification to them via email, text, or any other social media platform. Your customer will feel valued to know that you're thinking of them.

Business Uses of Facebook's New Notify App (1)
The app is only available for the iPhone at this time.

Once you download the app, Notify goes into every nook and cranny of your Facebook account to create an initial, personalized list. From there you can begin customizing further. As you build and customize, there will be times when you're too busy to read your updates. To bookmark and save for later, simply swipe the screen and add to your Saved Notifications list.

In the land of smartphones, notifications are one of the ways we learn about the things that matter to us. Notify is a solution to bring all of these things into one convenient space.

Free Friend to Friend Payment through Facebook Messenger App: What It Means for Your Business

What It Means for Your Business

Recently, Facebook announced the ability to send payments from person to person through it's Messenger app. Facebook's Messenger app is currently used by 600 million people and is on a steep growth curve! And unlike competitor payment apps Paypal and Venmo, there will be no charge for this service.

Right now, this option is being targeted at individuals. But small businesses could use this feature to make transactions, and most importantly, accept payments for products and services from customers. What is rolled out now is basically phase one of a plan to add more features to the Messenger App and to make it more commerce and business friendly. How do we know this? Facebook held a Developer conference in March and at that event they announced the launch of a series of developer features which is the starting point for opening up the app for more features, much like occurred with Facebook Pages in the past. Payments, of course, is a key feature, and this initial peer-to-peer tool is one to experiment with and watch because it will evolve for businesses!

Facebook Messenger Payments Feature

The app is extremely easy to use. For the person paying/sending the money the process is as follows:

  1. In the Messenger App, the Sender taps the '$' (money) button while conversing with someone
  2. At the prompt, he or she enters a dollar amount for the payment
  3. He or she taps the 'Pay' button and enters debit card information (just the first time) when prompted.

For the business or person receiving the money, it's even simpler:

  1. The Receiver opens the message with the payment and taps 'Add Card' to add his or her debit account details, and payments will flow into that account.

Facebook says payments through Facebook messenger can take up to three business days to complete (which is faster than paid options such as Paypal and Stripe).

Soon, Facebook will integrate CSR (customer service) chat and voice capabilities for businesses via their Businesses on Messenger program, a service for businesses who provide support, service and order tracking. A business will be able to add a customized button to its e-commerce website that'll open Facebook Messenger to a one-on-one conversation with a customer, and give them information about orders, shipping, delivery and more. It will be able to send a customer the following types of communication:

All of these items will also be sent with alerts using smartphone Push Notifications, enabling quick notices and quick access to any message.

Formally integrating payments for business services is a real future possibility. Currently, the 'Pay' button allows smaller businesses to offer payments on Facebook for an individual on a one-off basis. Doing it on a larger scale will bring Facebook up to speed with international competitors. It also keeps Facebook even more relevant to users, not just as a social network but not as a payment system. All of this bodes well for Facebook's future!

To find out how to take advantage of Facebook Messenger for Business for service and support functions, go to: www.messenger.com/business

Will you use the payments feature in the near future? In my opinion it will be wise to get accustomed to it as this is a tool with great promise and with the growth rate of the app already, the user-base is there for this to be a key tool for years ahead.

holiday-marketing

Have you ever said, "I need to do more for my business online."

Or something like, "I've got to use social media better for my business."

Even better, if you've recently said, “I want to do much more online this coming holiday season,” then it's time to look at some of the many versatile features of TabSite that can help you do just that!

It's all about keeping it practical, doable, and leading edge so you can grow more leads and sales online!

Episode Topic: Holiday Marketing Success with Facebook Apps

This week I fly solo and dive into the strategy of holiday marketing promotions using Facebook Apps.  I go into 5 different apps you can use for Facebook page promotions this holiday season, and I dive into the all-important campaign marketing plan that you need to have to make your Facebook app promotion a jolly good success!

Listen Now:

[powerpress]

Subscribe:  Halftime Mike on iTunes  | Android users via RSS  | Listen on Stitcher.

badge itunes lrg Growing Business Online: Identifying your Ideal Customer

Quick note:  I could really use some more reviews on iTunes! Do you enjoy what you hear?  Take a minute and click through to iTunes and leave a review for me please!

 Podcast Episode Resource Links:

Let's dig in!

Holiday Marketing: 4 Ways Businesses Can use Apps to Grow Sales

Have you ever said, "I need to do more for my business online."

Or something like, "I've got to use social media better for my business."

Even better, if you’ve recently said, “I want to do much more online this coming holiday season,” then it's time to look at some of the many versatile features of TabSite that can help you do just that!

TabSite is a online tool designed by Digital Hill for company owners and marketing teams who want to run engaging promotional features like offering deals, running contests, showcasing products or videos with social media integrations but don’t have a lot of time to spend figuring things out.

If you need powerful tools with easy setup and deployment, then read on!

Product Showcase

Facebook is fine for looking at individual photos on a friend’s feed, but can be kind of tiresome to scroll through a larger series. But with the PhotoShow or ProductShow App's, it’s easy to look at a series of images all at once with a certain theme. Users can click to advance or wait for the slide to change automatically, all setup by you in minutes!

It's a great way to showcase products and specify deals.

productshow_app_slide3

 Timeline News Feed Contests

Facebook users spend the majority of their time in the News Feed, and that's a great place to reach them!  Make it easier for people to enter contests by simply running  contests with a post in the News Feed where viewers enter by liking or commenting on a particular photo or post. This free app helps you keep track of who is participating and also chooses a random winner for you.  It's a great way to build buzz and exposure!

Learn more >>

...5-facebook-timeline-contest-types-and-10-examples-you-can-run-now/ 

timeline contest news feed contest app

Pinterest Crossover

Though it’s important for every business to have a Facebook presence these days, smart businesses also follow closely where their ideal customers hang out, which could mean also being on other social networks. Pinterest, for instance, is a way for a business to show off some of their cool products and offer a method for "gift lists"  to be collected within boards.

TabSite's Pinterest app makes it easy to introduce your fans to your official Pinterest page, while keeping them on Facebook!

pinterest app

Coupon App

Sometimes you or a client may want to offer some kind of discount or price incentive, everything from a printable coupon to a promo code but you don't have time for lots of setup and scenarios. The Coupon App can works great for growing your email list as you offer a coupon.  Simply add the form, then your coupon image and it's accessible on desktops or mobile devices.  Easily set limits on how many coupons total and per email address are accessible.

Each TabSite app can be used on a Facebook Page, but also it can be used on any website.  There is an embed option where TabSite gives you the code, you simple copy and then paste into the "html/text" area into your web page and you're all set!

So make plans now to boost your online marketing this holiday season and consider a versatile gift bag of apps like TabSite with loads of goodies to help your business this holiday season.

6 Ways to Market your Facebook App Promotion

Facebook apps for contests and deals can be a great way to generate buzz, increase sales, and drive more traffic to your store during the holiday season.  The big mistake to avoid is the "if you build it, they will come" sinkhole that so many fall into.

The promotion app, whether a photo contest, sweepstakes, coupon deal offer, or whatever, is only really about 1/3 of the full campaign needed to have a successful marketing event!  You need to plan and run a CAMPAIGN, not merely launch an app!

Why, because it takes good, focused communication to reach your ideal audience, entice them enough so they want to participate, and then once they have stopped by the key is to follow-up!  It's about a full circle marketing campaign!

Let's dive into 6 ways to make that full circle marketing campaign a successful reality for your Facebook App.

holiday-marketing-6-tips

Pre-Promo Communication

It's not just about sharing the contest is live!  To get the most people involved, you need to prepare the way for them by communicating what is coming.

If engaging content that invites user interaction (comments, Likes, Shares) occurs ahead of the promotion, this helps increase reach for the promotion. Why?  Since Facebook's algorithm takes cues from past interactions, if you can get your fan base to interact ahead of time with your posts, then Facebook takes that as a signal of their interest in your content and can show more of your posts to those engaged users during the promotion, thus increasing the participation of your raving fans which can in turn help the overall turnout grow.

Multiple Post Updates During Promotion

It's not about sharing that it's live and sitting back to watch.  You need to have a sharing strategy for Facebook planned ahead of time.  This post sharing strategy needs to take into account the times when your fan base is most likely to be on Facebook.  This information can be found in your Facebook Page Insights under the Page tab.

Be sure to use the mobile friendly Smart URL.  This ensures that mobile users can access the promotion on Facebook since Facebook does not give native access to apps in their mobile app or mobile site.  The TabSite Smart URL acts as a buffer where we are the first contact point when the link is clicked and so we can determine if the user is on a mobile and then give them the mobile friendly version.  Since so many Facebook users are using the service on mobile, this is a critical key to be sure to do!  Post the Smart URL and create a series of posts to share about your promotion during the time the promotion is active!

Write a Blog Post News Release

Yes! Be sure to share a post with the details of the promotion.  Your site is your "home base" on the web and you want your home base to be clear in having the latest information on key happenings for your company.  This helps site visitors be informed and helps your promotion be found in web searches.

Use this as well as the launching pad for social sharing noted in the next item below!

Share on Social Media

Be sure to share the promotion on your other social channels and focus especially on the channels where your ideal audience also spends time.  If you audience spends time on Twitter, then be sure to share your promotion on Twitter with the smart URL link back to the promotion on Facebook.

Consider creating images just for certain social networks to showcase your promotion as well.  For example a taller image, like 900wx1200h works great on Pinterest, while on Instagram a square focused image can help showcase your promotion.  Don't forget relevant #hashtags as well!

Use Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads allow you to target incredibly well!  You can narrow down by location, gender, age, or by interests and even title and places of employment. This powerful targeting enables you to reach your ideal audience that would have interest in your promotion and product/services.

For as little as $1 per day you can reach your audience with Facebook Ads and drive traffic clicks to your promotion.  Consider using the custom audience code on your tab to then retarget users after with Ads as well!

Promote to your Email List

Email remains one of the best and most effective ways to reach your audience.

Hopefully you work diligently at building an effective email list throughout the year.   This is not about just sending to customers but of having a list of "not-yet customers" that you have grown from offering free resources and helpful materials.  By emailing an alert out to this audience and even encouraging them to share with a friend you can increase the participation in your promotion.

More on email lead capture and nurture >

Conclusion:

Remember, it doesn't end with the "promotion over" image appearing!

You need to have a follow-up plan in place!  You can re-target with Facebook Ads those that visited your Facebook promotion.  You can enter them into a email nurture campaign that helps those entered get to know you better and which ends with another offer.

It's all about the full plan, not simply the app itself!

 

First time with Mike?

I do a lot of writing, including having articles published with leading blogs including Social Media ExaminerAllFacebook.com and with Mari Smith.

As the co-founder and manager of TabSite, I understand the small business and start-up mindset. With over 7 years of consulting experience for small and medium sized businesses, I understand and can speak to those wanting to increase in-store traffic, elevate their online footprint, and those battling the challenges of juggling multiple priorities.

I speak the language of business. I understand the challenges – what it is like to meet budgets, to go out and get customers, and to keep them.

Those who hear me and follow my blog value my skill for simplifying technology and social business ideas to make them practical and useful.

You can view my complete bio at the About tab of this site.

Next Doable Task:

It’s always about taking away learning's and applying them!  What’s your key takeaway that you need to do in the next 24 hours based on listening to this?
Help Spread the Word! Please let your Twitter followers know about this podcast. Simply click here now to post a tweet >>.   If you enjoyed this episode of the Social Media Marketing podcast, please “go over to iTunes,  leave a rating, write a review and subscribe!   Thank you so much for your support!

Why the Halftime theme Mike?

I’m a Indiana Hoosier native where basketball is the top sport. Every team heads to the locker room at halftime to evaluate the first half and create a updated plan for the second half. That plan includes adjustments based on reviewing what worked and what didn’t.

The “halftime” is a key review point where the game stops, the team pulls away to huddle in the locker room away from the fans, and they come out prepared and ready to succeed in the second half.
That’s what this podcast is all about, taking the time to pull away for bit to evaluate, learn, and set some strategies for your business to succeed in the second half. Join me by subscribing and let me be your “business halftime” to help you find great success going forward!
Subscribe via iTunes: Halftime Mike on iTunes | Android users via RSS | Listen on Stitcher.
Download this Episode:
[powerpress]
Catch all the episodes of Halftime Mike by signing up for inbox delivery below!

 

There's still time!

Yes, you can boost your holiday sales with contests and promotions!

webinar600

Questions for you:

Are you wanting to quickly understand how contests and promotions can work to help you drive sales?

Not sure about the type of contest you should run on your Facebook Page?

Interested in running a contest or promotion but not sure what it all involves?

Then this is the webinar for you!   Full details and Registration access >>

105x112mike-cut-out

 

Join TabSite co-founder Mike Gingerich for an informative webinar that will empower you to maximize your organization's Facebook marketing!

You'll be equipped with knowledge about:

- Types of promotions you can run
- How each type works
- Benefits of each type of promotion
- Setting up a Photo Contest Example

Included in the webinar will be action points for giving mobile users access to your Facebook promotions and best practices for promoting the contest. As well, we'll cover what you can do AFTER the promotion with the data you've gained!

 

WEBINAR DETAILS:

WHEN: Tuesday, November 26
TIME: 1:30 - 2:30 EST (New York) / 10:30 a.m. PST / 6:30 p.m. BST (London)
COST: Free online event - Register Now

mg-celsius-drink

The webinar will be 1 hour in length and will include approximately 40 minutes of input from Mike followed by a live Question & Answer time to answer attendee questions. Mike will also cover the upcoming Training Camp event for going deeper in this material that is starting in early December.

button-call-webinar-reg

 

Trying to grow your Facebook community?

Wanting to boost engagement and drive more traffic to your website?

This is a "MUST LISTEN" podcast featuring my interview with Post Planner founder Josh Parkinson.  Josh calls himself the "Chief Pain Killer" for Post Planner.  His aim is to make Facebook marketing easy and to save you 2 hours a day!  Sound good?
Have a listen..

[powerpress]

halftime-blog-main-square-mike-crop600

Listen to all Halftime Mike episodes!

Subscribe via iTunes:  Halftime Mike on iTunes  | Android users via RSS  | Listen on Stitcher.

Post Planner allows you to:

Post Planner offers a free plan that is great for testing all the way up to a Guru Plan at only $29/month that offers team management and full access to content curation, posting ideas engine and more.

Quotes & Nuggets Josh offered:

chum-bucket-shark-attack

I asked Josh, "So, how much should a business post per day?"

Josh's answer: "Post more!  Businesses don't post enough.  1x every couple days is a huge missed opportunity.  The less often you post, the less opportunity for others to see your post later on and the greater amount of effort you will have to put in later.  On the Post Planner Page we post 5-6x a day and at times when our audience is most often on Facebook."

Want More?  Here are great blog posts from Post Planner:

- How to Increase Facebook Engagement

- Why Scheduling Posts can be a Good Thing

- The #1 Mistake Businesses Make on Facebook

Download this episode to listen offline:

[powerpress]

Why the Halftime theme?

I'm a Indiana Hoosier native where basketball is the top sport.  Every team heads to the locker room at halftime to evaluate the first half and create a updated plan for the second half.  That plan includes adjustments based on reviewing what worked and what didn't.  The "halftime" is a key review point where the game stops, the team pulls away to huddle in the locker room away from the fans, and they come out prepared and ready to succeed in the second half.

That's what this podcast is all about, taking the time to pull away for bit to evaluate, learn, and set some strategies for your business to succeed in the second half.  Join me by subscribing and let me be your "business halftime" to help you find great success going forward!

 

 

Timeline Contest eBook Guide

Since Facebook opened up the opportunity for Timeline Contests a few weeks ago, I've tried to keep you informed with a few blog posts on the key differences between Timeline and Tab Contests, ideas you can try, and now....

Your eBook definitive Guide to Facebook Timeline Contests is here! 

Fresh and ready to help you, this free eBook is the first complete guide with best practices, examples, and more. I dive into different types (Likes, Comments, Trivia, etc), explain the Facebook "must-have" disclaimers, and provide specific tips you can follow today to create a successful Timeline Contest.

Go get the eBook now!

ebook806

 

Please share the love!  Tweet about this resource or Share on Facebook.

 After you get the download, I share a few more resources with you over the next week that compliment this eBook and help you improve your Facebook Marketing.
So what are you waiting for?  Get the eBook !

fb-pic

The social media world has been chattering extensively about the recent change by Facebook to allow Pages to run contests on the Timeline.

Page Admins now simply need to create a post on their page and push it out to run a contest!  (Well, a few more items are needed but we'll get to that.)

With the new rules, businesses can launch a quick & simple Facebook contest using a normal News Feed post.
www_facebook_com_1BizServicePlatinum-photo-contest

The basic entry options for a Timeline Contest are by:

So, with that backdrop, here are some timeline contest ideas you could run!

5 Facebook Contest Ideas You Can Run on Your Timeline

1. Like to Win

If your business is looking to run a quick Facebook contest to reward fans, the “Like to Win” giveaway is a simple way for fans to participate.

As the name suggest, fans only need to Like a certain post to enter the contest & stand a chance of winning. Photos, status posts, links & videos can all be used to run this contest.

www_facebook_com_sierratierramarketing

2. Comment to Enter

A closely related option to the "Like to Win", the difference here is that fans must "comment" to enter. Announce the contest and simply instruct visitors to make a comment on the post to be entered.  Tools like the TabSite Timeline Contest App let Pages download all the comments and generate a winner randomly from those entered.

A benefit of "comment contests" is that by commenting their is greater reach to friends of that commenter than a simple "Like" offers.

3. Trivia! Answer Correctly to Win

 Yes, consider a quick and easy trivia question.  Your post would outline the question and possible answers, entrants have to comment and answer correctly to have a chance to win.  This brings in a bit of game fun to the contest.  See examples below for example ideas.  TabSite's Timeline Contest App at Platinum level allows you to filter a post comments by a keyword (your correct answer)!  So, once again, it's easy to pick a winner.

4. Like and Comment

A combo option of #1 and #2 above is to run a timeline contest where the fan can like for one entry and comment for an additional entry, thus giving them two entries and a greater chance to win.  TabSite's Timeline winner tool allows for (a) keeping each entry separate or (b) merging them so the winner is someone who has Liked or Commented.  Lots of options!

5. Photo Comment Contest

Another creative timeline contest option is to create a post and ask fans to enter by submitting a photo comment.  Since Facebook allows photos as a comment, this works well!  A Page could have fans load a fun image for the Page to (a) judge the winner, or (b) randomly pic a winner from submitted photos.  Ideas could include to have a contest of photos submitted with fans using your product, or why they need your product, or some variation of these.

So those are some of the possibilities for using a Timeline contest!  Want a complete guide? Click below!

 

Let's switch now to specific post messages that can be used for your Facebook Page.

10 Examples You Can Run Now

NOTE: per the Facebook promotion guidelines, it does say that the Facebook release and rules/terms must be included or linked to in the contest post.  At bottom of this first example is a sample rules and disclaimer text.

race-for-fallen2
Sweepstakes / Giveaway

1. It's GIVEAWAY time!  Click "LIKE" for your chance to win a $20 iTunes Gift Card!
Winners will be randomly selected at 4 p.m. CST this Friday and their names will be posted on our Facebook Page!

Rules/Disclaimer: This promotion is open to those 18 and above in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia.  Void where prohibited.  By "Liking" you enter and agree that this promotion is in no way associated with, administered by, or endorsed by Facebook; and acknowledge a complete release of Facebook by your participation.

2. Comment to WIN!  Comment below and complete with "Joe's Pizza has the best….." to enter.

1 winner will be randomly selected at 4 p.m. CST this Friday from all comments as winner of a FREE LARGE PIZZA.  We'll post the winner on our Facebook Page!

3. Comment below for your chance to win a free T-Shirt: The best flavor of ice cream we offer is _____________.  Two entries will be randomly chosen and announced at 4pm EST tomorrow as winners!

4. Who is excited about our upcoming LIVE EVENT in 2 weeks?  Like this for one entry to win a free ticket, and Comment on this post for a second entry!  One winner will be chosen randomly from those entered and announced at 5 pm EST this Friday!

Trivia:

5. Answer correctly to win! What is the name of our newest product launched 2 weeks ago? Simply comment below for your chance to win a $25 off code for use on our website!  1 Winner will be picked from correct entries and announced at 1 p.m. PST on Monday!

6. Answer correctly to win! In what month of 2010 was our company launched? (a) January (b) March, or (c) May?   Comment below with your answer for the month of launch!  2 Winners will be picked from correct entries and announced at 1 p.m. PST on Monday!

7. We're launching a new menu item at our restaurant this weekend!  Answer correctly to win a $30 voucher for dinner.  Winner announced here this Thursday at 3 p.m. EST Is the new menu item (a) fish  (b) chicken (c) steak, or (d) turkey? Comment below!

Photo Contest

8. Enter our Timeline Photo Contest! Enter a photo in the comment area below that shows us what makes you happy!  Deadline to enter is this Friday at 11:59 p.m. EST!  Our team of 3 judges will review all photos and announce a winner next Monday at 9 a.m. EST.  Winner receives a $50 Amazon.com Gift Card!

9.  Post a comment with a Photo of you in one of our stores for a chance to win a 30% off 1 item coupon!  Random winner will be selected and posted Friday at 4:30 p.m. EST

10.  It's cold up north!  Let's head to the beach!  Post a photo comment below of your favorite activity at the beach.  One person will be chosen randomly from those submitting pictures to win a $150 voucher towards a stay at our AllStar Florida Beach Hotel!  Winner announced this Friday at 4 p.m. EST

Feel free to use these or create your own variation!

Any questions on Timeline Contests?

The TabSite Timeline Contest App gives Page Admins free ability to create the post which includes sample rules and disclaimer text.

facebook-sales-funnel-top
Facebook provides marketers with tremendous opportunity to connect with their target audience. With over 1.15 billion users, and those Facebook users on average spending an incredible 7 hours +/- per month on the network (as compared to less than 7 minutes on Google +, Mashable 5/2013), Facebook is a place to intersect with people that can become customers. 2012 stats give credence to the Facebook sales funnel potential, including 77% of B2C companies reporting they have acquired customers via Facebook, and 41% of B2B's reporting the same.

The key is growing your Facebook community so that you reach more and more relevant people, then having methods to move fans into the funnel so that they become known leads (like capturing their Email address), and finally, being able to help move those leads from interested to becoming a customer (bottom of funnel).

I went into more detail on this is a recent webinar I conducted.  I'll post more detail on this in upcoming blog posts but for today I simply wanted to roll out the Infographic which has an overview of the funnel.  [VIEW INFOGRAPHIC BELOW]

Facebook Content Recommendation:

1. Capture Attention

Images, videos, infographics and more.  This helps catch the eye of the user in the News Feed, inspiring them to engage.

2. Be Social 

Brands on Facebook need to post in a social way.  There's a style of writing that is not directly sales speak but communicates socially what you have to offer.  Check out this post by Starbucks for an example of promoting their Pumpkin Spice Latte without directly selling it.

3. Be Helpful 

As Jay Baer says, "it's difficult to be amazing all the time, but you can be helpful 100% of the time."  Struggling with "what" you can post about?  Be helpful!  A real estate agent's fan page can't push the newest listing in the market each day, but they can inform their fans about school redistricting, new businesses coming to town, community resources, and more.  It makes sense for a real estate agent fan pages to be offering helpful community information!

80-20 Mix of Content on Facebook

With a mix of 80% attention capturing, social, and helpful information mixed with 20% of information that is more "selly sell" (Chris Brogan speak), a Facebook Page can navigate the waters of social media to participate well in the News Feed of users socially and remain top of mind, build loyalty, and move users deeper into the funnel towards becoming a customer.

Facebook Sales Funnel OverviewMid-funnel content is where fans are moved to become leads via landing tabs, contests, and promotions. These are a blend of social and sales.  Offering a free ebook to your fans in exchange for their email sign-up is not a direct sales (the 20%) item but it is a bit more specific than a general post and it serves the very valuable purpose of moving a fan into known customer persona mix when their name and email address is registered.

Tabs can serve at any stage in the funnel.  For instance a Instagram or Pinterest tab on a Facebook page can coincide with a Page sharing posts about new pins to see or a #hashtag on Instagram. Mid-funnel tabs are the tab landing pages for ebooks and for promotions where users enter their email to receive access to a coupon for example.  As well, photo contests where entrants submit a photo and their information can be mid-funnel opportunities of moving a fan into the "potential customer lead" category.

Check out the webinar video for a full overview.

I give landing tab examples and build one in live demo. Stay tuned for more blog posts breaking down the 80-20 Facebook content mix and the 3 focal points of the Facebook sales funnel.

facebook-sales-funnel-with-80-20-content

Sources:

http://www.insidefacebook.com/2013/07/24/facebook-posts-best-fiscal-quarter-now-has-819m-mobile-mau/

http://newsroom.fb.com/Key-Facts http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/23778/42-Tweetable-Facts-to-Squash-Marketing-Fantasies.aspx   (41% stat 2011)

http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/31550/20-Fresh-Stats-About-the-State-of-Inbound-Marketing-in-2012.aspx  (77% of b2c stat)

http://webbiquity.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/brandpoint-content-marketing-792.png

Slide10

Slide4

Slide2

Facebook Contests offer great opportunities to help a Facebook page grow, reach more people, and generate leads.

Contests have the ability to draw visitors to a Facebook page and when used correctly, can be a very valuable tool to accomplish engagement objectives.

CONTESTS CAN:

Research shows that persons who become a fan are more likely to purchase from that brand.


79percent Facebook Contests   A Winning Marketing Method for Fan Pages

Facebook Contest Tips:

Here’s a few key Contest Tips to help yours be a success:

  1. Relevant Prize:
    • The prize value should be in line with the time commitment the entrant will invest in order to develop the entry. (Simply offering a iPad does not help you attract relevant fans if you sell fashion art!)
  2. Design Matters!
    • A great visual presentation is key to drawing in fans. Take the time to design graphics (or hire a designer) so that design is clean, pleasing to the eye, and keeps the main thing the main thing! Too often a unclear, busy, or bland design can cause users to not enter or not finish their entry.
  3. Keep the contest moving!
    • Do not run a month-long contest. The attention span of a Facebook user is not geared toward keeping track of an entry and voting once a day for 30 days. A better span is 5-7 days, or perhaps 10 days if it’s a two-stage contest (initial and final rounds).
  4. Set voting to once per day.
    • This encourages entrants to get voters to come back each day, a perfect situation for your Page! You want return visits and more interaction, so keep them coming back.
  5. Promote it well!
    • Contest Promotion Tips - Simply having a contest or promotion live is not the end. You’ve got to capture attention and drive fans and their friends to the promotion. This may be one of the BIGGEST mistakes we see, not promoting the contest by making posts about it coming, posts about the launch, updates during it, etc. You've GOT to share about it widely so people know about it!
  6. Consider a 2 Stage Contest.
    • 2 Stage contests include a main open round of entry and voting, followed by a second round of narrowed down “finalists” voting. A Case Study on a 2 Stage Photo Contest showed that engagement could be increased, particularly by the fact that the initial round of entries generated voting interest and therefore voters were motivated to come back again in the second stage to see who the finalists were and vote again. More stages with daily voting = more interaction and engagement.
  7. Use #Hashtags!
    • Include a specific and unique #hashtag in the posts you share on Facebook, Twitter, and Google + (etc.). Remember to include your hashtag in your contest text and instructions on the contest tab for further reinforcement.
  8. Be sure it is Mobile friendly!
    • Over 70% of Facebook users are now accessing Facebook on a mobile device! This means if they see your post in the news feed and want to enter, you better make sure they can via their mobile! Facebook DOES NOT naturally make this possible. You MUST use a tool like our Smart URL that lets users on a desktop, tablet, or mobile phone access it because we detect their device and display what works! See more details: Mobile
Note: Formerly all contests on Facebook needed to use third-party apps displayed on a Facebook Page tab. Now they can run contests in a post in the news feed as long as they outline the Facebook disclaimer and rules. TabSite helps enable this type as well with our Timeline Contest App, enabling users to easily export post content and have a winner selected. The disclaimers are necessary to comply with Facebook’s promotion policy. TabSite offers you all the needed features to comply with Facebook promotion policy. (see 5 Benefits of using a 3rd Party App for Facebook Contests)

www facebook com tourism outdoorrecreation skapp 140027096128579app data434829565369679597 353378230 Facebook Contests   A Winning Marketing Method for Fan Pages

TabSite offers a full suite of Engagement Apps for use on Facebook Pages including Photo Contests, Caption/Essay Contests, Video Contests, and a Instagram Photo Hashtag Contest. Easily setup and run Facebook promotions. View options on Facebook Contest Apps here:

TabSite Contests

Facebook Contests can be a great tool to help pages market and expand their reach. These key tips can help a contest move from mediocre to AWESOME in the results column!

Want to see more examples? Check out my Pinterest board:

pin-board

Why a Contest on Facebook?

Contests are one of the most powerfully simple tools you can use to:

Yes, running a contest on Facebook is a fantastic way to build customer loyalty, build your fan count, begin to engage potential new customers, and collect valuable contact information to further your relationship with potential consumers.

Worried about Facebook's Contest and Promotion Rules?

Here are the basics:

  1. You outline the rules, eligibility, and offer details.
  2. You’re not offering illegal goods as prizes! (pretty basic!)
  3. You have a disclaimer visible that the contest is not authorized by or connected to Facebook
See full Facebook policy and details here: Facebook Page Guidelines – Promotions Policy (Section E).

The Good News....

TabSite’s powerful Contest suite of tools is 100% Facebook-compliant!  Simply use TabSite to run your contest and you're good to go!

TabSite has been powering contests for hundreds of brand this year and our suite of TabSite Contest tools just keeps getting better as we release new features!

Try theTabSite free 14 Day Trial now for your Facebook Page!

Resort Fan Photo Contest on Facebook

Key TIPS for Facebook Contests:

contests.pngRun Photo entry, video entry, or content / essay entry contests with TabSite where users submit entries for fans to vote on.  In addtion, TabSite offers Page Admins the ability to run contests where users do not submit entries but simply vote on the entries that you have loaded.  This is a perfect way to get fan input and voting on potential new products, colors, and styles!

Structure your contest smartly from the get-go with a sound third party app like TabSite and you’ll be able to reap the benefits of engaging folks on Facebook!

Try theTabSite free 14 Day Trial now for your Facebook Page!

Full details on TabSite Contest suite of tools can be viewed here.

Timeline Contest eBook Guide

 

checklist-header-blog-12-point

How long has it been since you REALLY stopped and reviewed your Facebook Page?

Are you keeping up with the latest Facebook changes and features?  It’s critical that Facebook Page managers take time to regularly audit their Page and ensure that they are not missing out on new features.

This Facebook Page Check-up List outlines 12 key items to review to help maximize your Page’s potential.   VIEW AS INFOGRAPHIC HERE.

Facebook changes often—audit your Page to keep up!

 1. Maximize Use of your Page Cover Image

The latest key change is that the 20% rule for text is gone!  Facebook recently updated its guidelines and loosened the restrictions on the amount of text you can display on your main Page cover image. (View updated Facebook Guidelines.) This prime cover image location now lets you display items such:

Since the 20% max rule is dead, Facebook Page Admins should use the cover image well.  Best practices would be to feature something each week (product, event, news), and to direct fans visually to your key tab apps on the page.

summer-sale

Great use of Cover image to promote a offer by Mari Smith taking advantage of the freedom to have more than 20% text

 

Be careful, however, to NOT make your page busy with all sorts of combinations of messages.  Rather use the cover image to highlight and focus ONE key message or ONE key item along with your logo for branding.

If designed creatively, cover images now afford Pages a powerful new opportunity to communicate key pieces of information to visitors. Make sure to take advantage of this change.

Here's a FREE Cover image PowerPoint template that's free to download and can help companies easily create custom cover images.

2. Maximize Use of Tab Apps to Increase Page Features

Tab apps are great ways to boost engagement on your Page. They offer interactive and incentive options that can draw visitors to your Page and boost engagement.

A great way to boost traffic, engagement, and leads via Facebook is to use a tab to host a contest or promotion.  In fact, using a third-party app is the only way to run a contest or deal that meets Facebook’s promotion guidelines.  At a minimum, Pages should feature a tab app that lets visitors sign up for the company email newsletter list.

Facebook ideas for Real Estate Professionals and tips for Hotels, Resorts, and Bed and Breakfasts.

 1www_facebook_com_ThomasBeachVacations_app_440942075933019

Read more about how Contests can boost marketing and reach for Facebook Pages.

Another idea is to add a key page from your website to your fan page via a tab.  Using a tool like TabSite’s WebSite ReSizer, it can take less than 10 minutes to add your website listings page to a custom tab and have it fit perfectly!

 real-estate-listing-onfacebook2

This adds a great dimension of functionality to your fan page. When people are on Facebook, they want to stay on Facebook, and this allows them to do so by giving them the featured listing right on the Facebook page tab. Simply share a post about the property and include the Smart (mobile friendly) URL in the description so users can easily access it.

Make sure that your apps stay up to date and that your most important apps are visible in the three slots below the cover image.  More about this in the next item below!

3. Clear and Concise Tab Thumbnails

Your tab thumbnails appear below your cover image and lead to the apps in use on your Page. You have the opportunity to showcase three tab apps that are always visible to visitors on your Page. Make sure these capture attention! 

The best way to do this is to use simple fontsShorten the call-out to a few words and consider using your cover image to point to them via an arrow or other visual means to drive the visitors eye to them.

Here's a great example in use by Hotel Capstone that identifies clearly in simple text what is expected on the tabs.

hotel-capstone

4. Use the Short Description

Your Page can show a brief description of approximately 155 characters that displays below the cover image and the profile image at the top of your Page. This is great space to outline a concise statement about your business and list your website URL. Too many people overlook adding a visible URL here!  Don't be one of them!

To update this area, go to Edit Settings in your admin panel, and under Basic Information look for Short Description (see image under #6 below). Amy Porterfield makes excellent use of her Short Description.  NOTE: This area is not available to those who have their page category set to Local Business.  Facebook forces your hours of business and phone if you use the local business category.  See more in next point below.

amy-cover

This is an example of a Short Description on Amy Porterfield's Facebook page
that is focused, descriptive and includes the URL.

Key Tip: Include your website address in the Short Description so it is always visible to those coming to your Page.

5. Review Your Category, Especially if You’re a Local Business

Facebook offers quite a variety of category options, many of which are similar and some that offer different features for your Page. One of the biggest feature differences that any local business should take advantage of is the Check-in option.

If your business has a physical brick-and-mortar location where you want potential customers to visit, be sure to change your Facebook Page category to Local Business.

This will allow users to check into your location, which is helpful for at least two reasons. First, it can raise awareness of your business and location with friends of the user checking in. Second, check-ins can be part of Graph Search results, so that if a Facebook user is searching for a restaurant in Chicago that friends have visited, check-ins appear in results.  Be aware that there is a trade-off, as businesses categorizing themselves as Local Businesses do not have the Short Description option.  However, the value of the check-in feature for local businesses in my opinion surpasses the short description value.

local-business-selector-facebook-page-category

To check or change your Page category, go to the Admin Panel and select Edit Settings. Then go to Basic Information, and find Category at the top of the list.

Review and update your Short Description and complete the About section.

 

6. Optimize the 'About' Section for Graph Search

After adding your Short Description, make sure to review and complete the remainder of the About area, which has subsections such as Company Overview, Description, General Information and Mission. The About area is indexed by search engines, so make sure it contains your keywords. The exact subsections you see will vary depending on the Page category you have chosen.

Complete the Company Overview, Mission and Products fields to help optimize your Page for product searches. Include your address, city, state and zip code in General Information to optimize you Page for local search.  Now that Graph Search is rolling out to all users, the About section becomes even more important because it is indexed by Facebook and can return in Graph Search results for user searches on Facebook.  Learn more about Graph Search.

local-business

Graph Search result with check-ins of friends listed.

 tabsite-about

7. Customize Your Facebook Page URL

If your Facebook Page URL still has “pages” and a set of numbers in it, it’s time to move up to a custom URL!

You can customize your Page web address by selecting a unique username that contains letters or numbers but no dashes, etc. Your Facebook URL can be changed only once, after it is originally set, so choose wisely.

Adding a username to your Page makes it easier for people to find your business on Facebook, and your Page’s custom url can be used in marketing communications and more!

Long and Hard to Remember:

Above: Example of a Page that has not set its username.

Above: Example of a Page that has not set its username.

 Simple and Concise Custom URL of TabSite after securing the username:

custom-url

TabSite's custom URL and username for their Facebook Page is simple and easy to remember!

 

8. Activate Replies to Comments

Replies is a newer Facebook feature that was released in March 2013. When the feature is enabled, it allows Pages to offer their community the ability to reply to a specific comment in a thread. This threaded comments feature allows for more specific and richer interaction around a comment.

Previously, adding to a discussion required you to tag someone (using the @ symbol and their name) and hope that other readers understood which of the previous comments it related to.  No need for that now, as each comment will have a "reply" link to reply specifically to that comment.

reply-in-use
The new Replies feature shown in action.

The Replies feature is activated by going to the Admin Panel. Select Edit Settings and then Manage Permissions. Toward the bottom of this section is the Replies area with a checkbox to activate. Be sure to click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

 

Facebook-Replies

Admin area to activate Replies feature for Pages.

9. Update Admins and Roles

An often-overlooked item is ensuring that admins with access to manage your Page are up to date. Are the Page admins who are listed still part of your team or working with you to manage your Page?

There can be frequent staff transition or marketing support changes and this is an important item to check and ensure that only those you trust have access.  Did you find anyone listed that is long gone and shouldn't be a Page Admin?

facebook-admins-and-roles

View of the Page admins and roles in admin panel.

You’ll also want to review the roles of each person listed. Is the role accurate based on their involvement with your Page? Facebook offers multiple roles with varying degrees of power and access, so make sure the permissions are set appropriately for each admin.

Facebook-Admin-Roles

Facebook admin roles for Pages.

10. Check Your Notification Settings

It is definitely recommended that Page managers take the time to go to the Your Settings area and review the notification types that are active. These are specific to you as an admin of the Page.  You want to be sure you are aware of when a visitor comments or messages you!  Studies by SocialBakers found that fans want a response within 30 minutes and often within 10 minutes.  While that may seem unrealistic to respond within 10 minutes every time, the point is that timeliness of responses matter!

Even as I was reviewing the Facebook Pages I manage while writing this article, I discovered one area where I needed to make a change! In order to respond quickly to comments, posts and messages for my Pages, I like to have all notifications on.

I found that I did not have Onsite Notifications active. This is important, as it will send me a notification on Facebook when people post, like, comment or send me a message.

notifications-settings-facebook

Notifications setup area in Page admin panel.

Being aware of visitors’ interactions with your Page is the first step in good customer service. You have to know about interactions to be able to respond to them!

11. Review your Content Posting Type and Frequency

Are fans interacting with your content?  How often are you posting?

Content posting is critical on Facebook!  The majority of time spent on Facebook is users surfing their News Feed.  This is where they scan posts from friends and pages they follow.  So this is the key place where you would capture the attention of a fan, and it comes down to your posting.

Tips for Posting:

 

enagagedpost

Image post with helpful information that sparked interaction

 

12. Evaluate your own Response Engagement

How are you responding and engaging to comments others make?  This is key to loyalty and being someone others want to follow and connect with.  Take time to go through your past few weeks of posts and note your responses against this criteria:

pam-moore

posting

Now It’s Your Turn!

This is by no means an exhaustive list of items to audit for your Facebook Page. Hopefully these 10 items can help you review your Page to ensure that your information is up to date and that you are utilizing Facebook’s newest features.

What do you think? What would you add to this list?

Stay Current on Facebook Changes

Complete Form to stay current on Facebook changes
Please fill out the opt-in form below to stay up-to-date.

 

Additional Resources:

- Cover Image PowerPoint Template Download

- 12 Ideas for Great Cover images

- Facebook Page Image Dimensions for Cover Image, Posts, and more

 

Trying to take your Facebook Page to the Next Level?

Not sure how to break through and wondering how to get more active fans and a more vibrant Facebook community? Need ideas and direction?

TabSite Monkey

This is the webinar for you!

Join TabSite for an informative Facebook Marketing webinar that will empower you to maximize your organization's Facebook marketing! You'll be equipped with knowledge about choosing and running great promotions and contests on your Facebook Page.

Ready to dive into running a contest or promotion on your Facebook Page to boost engagement, reach, and activity? Needing guidance on how, when, and what to post? We'll cover that and more in this webinar!

Included in the webinar will be action points for:

- Types of Promotions companies can run on their Facebook Page
- How a Promotion can build activity and engagement on a Page
- Tools and Tips for Posting on Facebook
- Methods to give mobile users access to your promotions
- Best Practices for your Page and Promo

 

WEBINAR DETAILS:

WHEN: Thursday, April 25, 2013
TIME: 1:30 p.m. EDT (New York) / 10:30 a.m. PT / 6:30 p.m. London
COST: Free online webinar event

The webinar will be 1 hour in length and will include approximately 35 minutes of input from the TabSite Team followed by a live Question & Answer time to answer attendee questions.

 

BONUS: 1 attendee will be randomly chosen to win a

Free for Life TabSite Gold Plan, a $150/year value.

 

Can't attend the webinar live? Register and you'll be on the list to get a email with video replay link.

Need resources now?

Use Facebook Apps to Boost Page Engagement

How to Post your Promotion and Contest to Facebook News Feed – Best Practices

5 Keys for Facebook Page Contests and Promotions

So you’ve set up a Facebook business page because you’ve heard that it’s a "must have" in today's social business climate. After all, with over 1 billion regular users it’s a no brainer to be on Facebook, right? But your plan has hit a snag…Searching for fans

Where IS everyone?

Yes, Facebook is the largest social network in the mainstream world. Users spend more time on Facebook than on any other site per month. However, the "if you build it, they will come" mentality is not accurate! It’s not enough to ‘have a Facebook Page’, and to establish a quality Facebook brand presence requires "ongoing building."

There is not a stop point where you are "done."

Here's 5 things every company should be doing on their Facebook Page to help overcome the Facebook Blues!

1. STOP! FIRST, ASK YOURSELF:

‘What’s In It For Them?’

Before you post, ask yourself...is this update:

Users are on Facebook first and foremost to hangout and catch up with friends news. Yes, they have Liked your Page but you need to "catch their eye" to get them to pay attention to you! They are interested in what their friend sally just posted about their vacation to Florida and you've got to rise above that to attract her to your page! So be sure to go through this simple series of questions when creating your post. It must capture their attention.

Be Human!2. BE HUMAN!

It's a social network dude! Don't be stuffy, "salesy", and business formal. Your brand needs a personality. Be real and personable in your posts. People love tips and helpful information. Give them useful nuggets and timely information via posts on the company page news feed.

Do NOT broadcast tweets from Twitter to your page or push out sales speak 5x a day. People will leave.

Be sure to engage users, and one way to do this is by asking questions when posting. Once fans respond, keep them talking by asking related types of questions to drive conversation deeper.

The more they engage, the better your Facebook Page reach extends going forward with that fan. The key is to ask for input in your posts and listen!

TIP: If you post a news source that everyone else is posting, personalize your message and deliver it differently. Add your own take and insight on the third-party article and post with your own image!

3. BE ACTIVE!

Watch your Page for comments, and answer posts fans make! The fastest way to have a fan ignore you is for them to post and be ignored by you! There is simply no reason for not responding in a timely manner to posts and comments. There are all sorts of monitoring tools and 3rd party tools to alert you to comments and messages on our fan page. Use these and respond! The more timely your response, the more fans will comment and return in the future!

Care = Loyalty.

A study by Indianapolis digital firm ExactTarget identified that the average response time by a Page Admin to a comment was 7 hours, and that 51% of the time another fan jumped in to respond faster than the brand. Do not let this happen to you. Respond to comments and Like's on your Page in a timely manner.

Acknowledging the individual is a way to connect with them.

 

4. SAY "YES" TO IMAGES!

We've all heard the saying, a picture is worth a thousand words, right? On Facebook, a picture is worth much more than that! Images are the #1 driver of engagement on a Page since Timeline launched.

Images drive engagement more than links (which are the most used format of a post), more than video, and more than text only status updates. According to an internal Facebook study, "posts including a photo album or picture can generate 2X more engagement than other post types." Images, both on a PC and on mobile, now show prominently in a Facebook Users News Feed.

So take your content and learn to express it visually in images you post on Facebook!

 

Friend Share Deal Reveal

5. USE TAB PROMO APPS!

Use custom tabs on your Facebook Page to offer something of value to your fans! People love deals! Plus, promotions like Contests draw in entrants and voters to see what's going on so use promos to boost "page attraction!"

For instance, deal and coupon offers invite users to come to a Page to check out the offer. Apps like Pin Deal and Friend Share Deal Reveal then add a viral element where a fan must pin to Pinterest or share on Facebook to get access to the deal. So you have attracted fans, given them a simple task to accomplish that spreads the offer to their network, and gives them a deal all in a matter of seconds!

Custom tabs that offer engagement and social sharing tools such as Contests, Sweepstakes, and Coupons can be a big booster of fan engagement, return fan activity, and extending reach for your Page. In short, promotions can drive interest and drive away the page blahs!

In fact, according to a RocketMedia infographic, 40% of Facebook Page fans say they “Like” a Business on Facebook in order to get promotions and discounts. So use them!

 

WRAPPING IT ALL UP

Blahs are bad. Inspiring interest, interaction, and engagement is good!

Simply building a fan page is not enough. On a social network like Facebook, being "social" is critical and this means ongoing content!

You are only as engaging as your last post!

Keeping the 5 items noted in mind is important in getting past the blahs and seeking to engage and build a active community on Facebook.

An active community is crucial to page success. It helps build your brand awareness, audience, and interest. Social marketing involves time and effort. When done well, it can ultimately pay great dividends not just in being attractive but in new customer acquisition and customer loyalty.

What point stands out to you the most as something you need to implement? Please share!

Learn more about TabSite for Facebook contests.

Facebook Engagement -- The Marketing Magic Dust for your Facebook Page

Engagement is one of the most valuable Facebook page metrics a company can track.  With active engagement a brand increases their fan community, extends reach, and increases visibility of their posts in the News Feed of those actively interacting with the page.

Engagement = Happy Fans + Happy Brand

 

As well, for a business, active engagement can translate into more dollars, i.e., increased sales.

Research data reported by Vocus notes that 79% of Facebook fans are more likely to purchase from a brand they have liked.  Thus, pursuing more fans and deeper engagement with existing fans is a valuable priority!

 

promotions-have-ability-engagementThe million dollar question, though, remains, "how can a company boost engagement for their Facebook Page?"  While there are a number of core methods for increasing engagement such as creating highly shareable content, posting images and videos, and posting succinctly at key times, another powerful method is to run promotions.

A key question when thinking about running a promotion on a Facebook Page is, " what type of promotion will work best for my goals?"

The answer:  It varies!  Certain promotion types lend themselves to different end-goal objectives.  In addition, certain promotions may lend themselves better to certain industries.

Below I'll outline a number of promotion types and give keys for selecting the right type to run on your Facebook Page.  Each type can draw fans to your Facebook page as well as be the incentive for new visitors to come and explore your Page.  All of the types mentioned below are Facebook approved apps to add to a Facebook Page tab that comply with Facebook's promotion policy.

 

4 Types of Facebook Page Promotion Apps

1. SWEEPSTAKES

A sweepstakes is a chance-based promotion that is simple to setup and allows for easy entry.  Visitors typically enter by completing a simple form with fields for their name and e-mail address, and then a winner or winner(s) are drawn randomly after a set date.   As with most promotion apps available for Facebook there can be a fan or Like Gate image that requires the fan to "Like" the Page in order to access the entry form.

Pro's of using a Sweepstakes:

 

A sweepstakes may limit each user to one entry or allow users to enter repeatedly. Allowing users to enter daily enables more interaction potential with the visitor, because it brings them back to the Facebook page more often.  A sweepstakes promotion can work for a wide variety of businesses including B2B and B2C.  Running a sweepstakes helps draw fans in to the page to enter, and if the app has a sharing mechanism that increases their entries it can help boost viral sharing.

2. DEAL & COUPON Facebook Apps

deal or offer is another promotion option that typically has a low barrier to entry.  Often a deal or offer app on a Facebook page asks the user to do something and then when this task is completed the user is granted access to the deal. For example, "Like our Page to access this 40% off Coupon" is one method commonly employed on deal tabs.  Other app offerings include sharing a post on your Facebook news feed or sharing a post on a friend's timeline in order to access the deal. Like sweepstakes, deals are useful because (1) users respond to deal offers and (2) a task helpful to the company (More Page Likes or spreading the deal message) is accomplished as well.

Pro's of using a Deal app:

Facebook Deal Example

3. FACEBOOK CONTEST APPS

A contest is different than a sweepstakes or a deal offer. This type of promotion requires more from the user and can be called a "skill-based promotion".  A contest entry typically requires more effort and skill for the entry submission, such as taking and submitting a photo entry that meets certain requirements.  As well, instead of a random drawing to determine the winner, contests typically involve voting by the public, or judging by a select group in order to determine the winner.  While photo contests are the most common type of contest routinely used, there are other types of contests such as video entry, essay or caption as well.

Pro's for using a Facebook Contest:

Entrants are one segment of those participating, while those coming to view entries and vote are another participating group.  Together, this can add more overall reach, exposure, and interaction to the page.

Entrants want votes, so they extend the reach of the contest to their network of friends asking for their vote.  This social sharing by entrants to their friends increases the overall reach of the contest.  As well, this friend-to-friend introduction of a Page by an entrant to their friend can be a positive referral mechanism.  It adds trust and credibility to the Page, and it's products and services, via the friend invitation to vote.

Entrants are meeting a certain criteria for entry which is a sifting mechanism.  It adds a barrier to those who simply enter any promotion because it's easy and they might win, regardless of their interest in the company providing the offer.  Depending on the guidelines needed to enter, this process can serve to qualify or pre-screen entrants as potential customers.

If the promotional rules outline that the entries can be used by the company holding the contest, this can be an excellent method to gather user generated content that is relevant to your brand and which can be used in future social marketing.

A contest offers more potential for engagement simply in terms of having two ways to participate, both entrants and also voters participate.  As well, the motivation for an entrant to spread the word to their network to come and vote for their entry adds to the engagement potential.  Another option for a contest is to consider a two-stage process.  This adds the benefit of a initial round of voting and then the need to return to view and vote again in the finalist round.

Note: Contests may not work for some industries and types of businesses that simply do not lend themselves to this type of engagement.  For instance, it might be a stretch for a medical practitioner to run a photo contest due to privacy concerns or relevance.

4. MULTI-NETWORK SOCIAL PROMO APPS

multi-network social promotion is an additional promotion option that involves Facebook and at least one other social media platform such as Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. Similar to a deal, the user is asked to accomplish a task and upon completion they are then given access to the deal offer.  The difference is that the task is centered around doing something on a different social platform such as Pinterest or Instagram. In this case the user comes to the Facebook page and the promotion is outlined.  The user then accomplishes the task such as adding a image to Instagram with a certain hashtag or using a integrated pin tool to pin a image to Pinterest.  In some cases the images can be pulled in from the other social network to appear on the tab or in other cases the image is simply on the other network but the result is that a user has engage with a brand Facebook page and also simultaneously extended information about the brand to another social network.

Pro's for using a Multi-Network Social Promo:

Instagram Contest for Facebook Page

 

IMPORTANT KEYS FOR RUNNING SUCCESSFUL PROMOTIONS:

Promotions for Facebook pages offer the power to draw fans in, boost page engagement, and accomplish tangible marketing goals such as increasing e-mail list numbers.  Deals in the form of coupons and discount codes continue to be attractive means to help increase traffic to a page and offer a incentive method to help visitors begin a fan relationship with the page.

Now that Facebook has also integrated with Instagram, you have more opportunities than ever to increase your fan base. Consider using apps to get genuine Instagram likes and build your business.

While not an end in themselves, contests and offers can be part of a larger marketing strategy and a key piece of helping a business grow their social community.

Let's hear from you!  Have promotions helped your Facebook page?  Interested in trying a promotion on your Facebook Page?

button-call-out-14-day-free-trial.png

 

It's still early in the year!  2013 is well underway but remember that....tabsite-boost-box-322x322

"Well begun is only half done!"

Brands and retailers aware of current online marketing trends know that social media, and particularly Facebook, are key places for businesses to be represented and actively engaged.

Business has shifted online to social and mobile.  No longer is simply "Getting to the first page in Google" the only goal.  Now a key objective is that marketers must reach out online via social media, develop a social community and o now is a fine time for marketers to ask themselves: What are you doing on Facebook to engage your audience and invite consumers into your social community?

One method to extend your reach and invite others to become of a fan of your Facebook Page is to offer a promotion.  A promotion can be a coupon, a deal offer, a sweepstakes, or a contest.  These offer a fun way to reach more users and to begin the process of connecting with a larger audience that can become customers and loyal fans.

TabSite offers a solution to make promotions on Facebook easy to setup, fully Facebook rules compliant, and affordable to use.  We call them Engagement Apps.  They are tools for Facebook pages which businesses can use to offer  dealscontestssweepstakes, and other interactive tools.  They are quick and easy to set up and launch. It’s always helpful to offer more ways for fans and friends of fans to engage socially with your brand and share your message with their friends.

So how do you go about using promotions to build your social community?

Here's a few important keys:

Step No. 1: Use a Facebook Approved App

Rules and laws regarding contests and sweepstakes vary by social platform, and also by state and country.  Make sure you understand your legal obligations for your location.

Facebook has a promotion policy that must be followed. For example, a promotion must be administered within apps on Facebook.com, on either a canvas page or a page tab app, rather than solely in timeline. Also, promotions that require users to like or comment on a post in order to enter don’t comply with Facebook’s policy.

Using a tool such like TabSite means that you are compliant with Facebook's promotion policy.  TabSite is a third-party app that conducts all the promotion features on a tab and therefore is a safe and secure platform to use in running Facebook contests on a page.  Apps like TabSite can host and use the Facebook mechanisms such as "Share with a Friend" as part of the deal access process because this is done outside the page news feed and not using the native Facebook functions.

So, be safe and compliant by using a Facebook approved app.

 

Step No. 2: Choose the Right Promotion Type

You have multiple options to choose from in regards to the type of promotion to use on your Facebook page and each has its merits.  (See Infographic on promotion types)

Sweepstakes:

In a sweepstakes, when visitors enter, the page can receive key user information that can be important for future marketing. A sweepstakes may limit each user to one entry, or allow users to enter repeatedly. (The latter option allows for more interaction with the user, because it brings them back to the page more often.) At the end, page administrators select a winner through a random drawing among entrants.

Contests:

There are several types of contests — users might submit photos, videos, or essays, for example. Page admins should decide how they will choose a winner. The entry with the most votes by a certain end date could win, or a two-stage contest could incorporate a second round with however many finalists you choose.  Alternately, the winner could be determined by a panel of judges, but allowing fan voting increases traffic to your page and drives more interactions.

Deals:

A deal allows the visitor to access the deal after completing a task — for example, sharing a post on Facebook or pinning an image to Pinterest. Like contests, deals are useful because they give contest participants an incentive to share your promotion’s messages with their friends, increasing brand awareness.

For a full breakdown on choosing the right promotion type, see my post on Social Media Examiner.

deal revealed

Boost your Facebook Engagement with Promotions

Step No. 3: Choose The Promotion Technology

A company could build, or hire a partner to build, a promotion platform from scratch. These solutions are flexible and customizable, but they may require significant investment of money and time.

Alternatively, a third-party contest platform built to work on Facebook may be an affordable turnkey solution, requiring minimal setup time and no coding knowledge. In assessing third-party platforms, consider the control offered with voting options, design, and layout flexibility, mobile-friendliness, and how accessible entrant and voter data are.

TabSite offers full featured contests with robust tools for $30 / month

www.tabsite.com

www.tabsite.com

 

Step No. 4: Pick A Relevant Prize

This is the incentive that drives your audience to enter and seek votes. Consider how your prizes relate to your target audience. If the goal is to generate leads among women interested in clothing and jewelry, a gift card to a big box store might not be relevant. Also, match the prize to the effort required to enter. If the prize is a free hot dog, just asking for an email address might be appropriate. But if a hot dog brand asks the entrant to create a professional-grade video, it should come with an appropriately hefty prize.

If your organization is awarding a larger prize, such as a free iPad, make your cost investment worthwhile. A longer contest duration, with more time to pull in entrants, allows for broader reach and more social spreading.

 

Step No. 5: Get The Word Out

You must let your community know about the promotion. Consider timeline posts on the Facebook page with links to the contest tab. You might consider using Facebook’s promoted posts tool and sponsored story ads as additional means to increase the reach of your post. Cross-promote on TwitterGoogle Plus, LinkedIn, and email. Consider a blog post on the company website, or a press release. Include vital information, clear imagery, and an easily-found link to the Facebook contest. There are really three phases to getting the word out: the initial launch, ongoing updates, and a post-contest announcement of winners.

Here's a specific post dedicated to tips to help you promote your contest/deal.  One tip example from the post is below:

Post a Photo to your News Feed with a call to action and a Smart URL in the description field.

1dSelect-photo-video.png

Remember: Fans won’t enter if they don’t know about your promotion. Their friends won’t vote more than once if they don’t know they can. They won’t return to see who won if they are not alerted that the contest is over. Social communication, using images and timely posts, helps ensure that your campaign takes off and sustains momentum.

A Facebook promotion can be an important tool for building community and exposure. Any time is a good time to launch one, but every day you delay it is a missed chance to excite and grow your audience.

© 2012-2023 Mike Gingerich Global, LLC    Contact   -   Privacy
magnifier linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram