So you got me to click the “like” button. I may have been excited, simply curious or half asleep when I clicked like. I may or may not virtually run to my Facebook wall to remove the automated Facebook post that tells the world I clicked LIKE on your page. If you're lucky I will leave it there. I admit I delete at least 50% of them!
Will I ever visit your page again? What are you going to do to inspire me beyond the like? The even bigger question is do you care about me after I click “like”? Or are you in it just for the numbers? Am I nothing more than another number to you?
Did you know that on average 90%-95% of people who click “like” never visit the Facebook page again? Given these statistics you better give a hoot about me after the like. Otherwise it's all for nothin'! (Note, I have seen varying statistics and can not 100% verify the actual percentage as it's not something Facebook obviously markets or makes readily available.)
The Facebook like is the start of our relationship, not the end. The like is not the big score. The big score comes in getting me to come back. Getting me to actually have a conversation with you. And yes, even stopping me from “un-liking” your page the next time I do the “like” house cleaning.
A like is virtual agreement to open up the conversation with you if you so inspire me to do such. It's up to you if that conversation ever happens.
I wrote an article on the art of engaging your audience post like that was quite popular awhile back – “What Happens After the Facebook Like? 20 Tips to Engage Your Audience After the Like”.
The purpose of this post is to offer you some additional tactical recommendations on how you can actually get an engaging and fun conversation going. What do you talk about? How do you best engage your audience to take action? What can you do to get me back to your Facebook page?
13 Friendly Reminders of What I Expect From You as a “Liker”
1. Acknowledge I may not know you. Although I clicked “like,” I may have not put a lot of thought into it. I could have done it from a mobile device, been interrupted by something or someone else and the list goes on. The like is the beginning of a potential conversation.
2. Acknowledge you aren't my only page. As much as you'd like to think you are my only page I have clicked like, chances are I have many. Maybe tens, even hundreds. At this point we're not even dating. We had one simple wave where I acknowledged you existed, and that's about it.
3. Take ownership for our relationship. What happens next with our relationship is in your hands at this phase. Will we ever talk again? Will you ever do anything to inspire me to visit again?
4. Focus on value to your “likers.” Although the Facebook page may have your photo, video and other insignia blasted all over it, it still is not all about you. It's about me. It's about engaging ME to do more than like your page. Give me a reason to listen. A reason to care. A reason to give you even one minute of my already busy day.
5. Don't wing it. Develop a plan with goals and objectives. Create an editorial calendar. You better have a plan if you ever want to see my eyeballs on your page again.
6. Know Facebook. Educate yourself on the terms and conditions of Facebook. This includes understanding the promotional guidelines. The last thing you want to do is risk your page being shut down for a breach of simple terms and conditions.
7. Be confident. Don't hide behind your Facebook page avatar and email opt-in form. Come out and communicate with me. If you are too shy and sit behind the logo hiding the chances are high I'll never be back.
8. Connect with me off your turf too. It's greater than Facebook. Remember, Facebook isn't the only social network I hang out on. You can regularly find me on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and a host of other platforms. What are you doing to connect with me outside of your turf? Why not come visit my blog?
9. Don't thank me by promoting yourself. This includes posting as your Facebook business page to my business page wall. Don't visit my Facebook business page and thank me for liking your page. I may not want everyone to know I liked your page. Keep that between me and you for now until you've earned that trust and we have a real relationship.
10. Don't single me out. This includes calling me out on your Facebook wall. Don't write a post thanking me for joining your page. Similar to #9 above, keep it between you and me until we have nurtured a real relationship. It's obvious when you do this you really aren't wanting to communicate with me. You're simply wanting to brag about the fact you have more “likers.” Who really cares?
11. I need inspired. I run a business. I have good days. I have down days. I know some stuff well. You may know some stuff better. Your job is to figure out what you know better than I that can help me, inspire me. What can you do to make my job, business or life better?
12. Treat me like a human, not a robot. Don't talk to me like I am a number. Don't talk to me like I your robot that needs to click like, comment on your posts so your Facebook edge rank can increase. Talk to me in real words.
13. Engage on my terms, not just yours. Acknowledge when I comment on your wall. Answer my questions. Talk about what I want to talk about sometimes, even if it takes you off your agenda or editorial calendar!
10 Tactics to Spark Our Conversation
1. Ask me a question via a post on your wall. Facebookers love to answer quick and easy question. Ask us what we like. Ask us what we need. The topic doesn't always have to be about your business, industry or services. Even questions such as “Snickers or Kitkat?” will get responses if you have an audience interested in what you have to say.
2. Ask a question via the new Facebook questions feature. This is by far one of my favorite new features of Facebook. This feature is a great way to not only engage your audience but also attract new “likers.” When people answer the question it shows in their news feed. You can also have the question be set as public (anyone can see) or more limited.
3. Post a rhythm of tips. How about a Marketing Monday, Tweet Tuesday, and Facebook Friday? Have fun with something regular and stand above the crowd.
4. Let's play a game. There are many apps you can use within Facebook that will engage your audience. Some of my favorites include sweepstakes, crowd sourcing projects and more. One of my clients just recently purchased an airline. We leveraged an integrated marketing program to obtain excellent crowd sourced input on naming the planes. I started a new Facebook business page specifically for the campaign. I engaged our email subscribers, members of all our online communities including Facebook.
5. Use multi-media. Don't just post boring status updates. Leverage video, music, podcasts and more to engage your audience.
6. Ask your “likers” what they want to hear from you. Give them a chance to provide input on what they would like to see as a member of your page. Ask them what help the need etc.
7. Post an FAQ video that incorporates the questions you received in #6 above. People love these!
8. Share posts from thought leaders. Do you have a favorite thought leader or two? Why not share posts from them or others that you find interesting. Get in the head of your audience and always be thinking about what information is most beneficial to them.
9. Share photos from your latest event. Did you know that photos are one of the most viewed assets on Facebook? Share your photos from the most recent training you conducted, a seminar you attended or visits with your clients. To fully maximize the use of photos, I suggest sprinkling them in over a few days or a couple weeks. Post a few photos during and immediately after an event. Then approximately a week later post more or the remainder of them. This will enable you to reach more people as well as maximize the investment in the event or activity for which you took the photos.
10. Share yourself. Remember, I am a human so treat me like a human. Tell me what's on your mind, what you think. If you are worth the like then I should be inspired, educated by your thoughts. If you are a brand then I'd probably be thrilled to feel like I am talking to a real human being. The more you can humanize your brand the better! Although asking me questions are great, don't forget I “liked” your page so I can gain some benefit too. Share yourself in a way that provides value to my business and my life please.
Your Turn:
What are your thoughts? How often do you visit a Facebook business page after you click like? What inspires you to engage in a conversation with the owner(s) of the page? How often do you “un-click” the “like”?
