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7 Ways to Get More Action on Facebook

© 2012 Deah Curry PhD | All Rights Reserved | updated Sept 2019

 

Whether you are new to Facebook or have had a page for a while, if you aren’t getting much traffic on your news feed, there are a few things you could do that will help change that. The following tips apply to both personal and business (fan) pages.

 

And first let me distinguish between your timeline page and your newsfeed (aka home) page, because it does seem to make a difference where you post.

 

The timeline is your FB account’s front door.  This is the page with your big Timeline cover photo stretched across the top with your avatar picture inset into it. On the Facebook tool bar at the top of the screen, it is likely designated with your first name.

 

Personally, I rarely go to my timeline page.

 

Your newsfeed or home page is like your account’s living room.  It’s where all the action is, where folks you’ve invited – and the guests they’ve brought (called, friends of friends) – are standing around talking to each other.  In the tool bar at the top of the screen the newsfeed page is designated by the word home.

 

This is where I spend 40% of my time on Facebook …. the different newsfeeds for my different business pages and my personal page. And yes, you will have separate newsfeeds for each persona, personal and business.

 

When you log in to Facebook, if you automatically go to your wall, I suggest immediately clicking over to your newsfeed.  Just click on the big word FACEBOOK in the top left corner of your screen to get there.

 

1.     Give to Get

 

The more you like and comment on others comments, replies, and pages, the more traffic goes into your news feed.  You don’t always have to write a thesis – in fact it’s best that you don’t.  Just be reassuring or complimentary with comments like:

 

  • Good job!

  • LOL

  • I love that!

  • I agree with that

  • That’s what I notice in my practice too.

 

Respond to the original posters, and also reply to a comment or two that others have left on that post.  That puts you in front of several people and will start to increase your traffic.

 

Sharing others’ posts with your followers is another way to give to get. Most people appreciate having their posts shared. It generates good will, and creates some good cyber relationship juju that eventually comes back to bless you. You don't need to ask permission.

 

2.    Like to Be Liked

 

When you see a comment made by a stranger in reply to a comment of one of your followers, click on their name, go to their page, and LIKE their business page.

 

A LIKE is equivalent to a handshake.
It’s not an endorsement of their worth.
It’s just a way to say hello.
Don’t be afraid to LIKE people you’ve never met.

 

I don’t recommend sending FRIEND requests to strangers.  If you’ve clicked on a stranger’s name and get to a page that only gives you the FRIEND button and not the LIKE button, that person has posted from their personal page.

 

Unless you have already established a relationship with them to the point where your name is recognizable to them, I’d suggest hunting for their business page if they have one.  Look under their avatar photo in the Words At section and go to the biz page to LIKE them there.

 

And when someone you don’t know likes one of your comments, thank them directly.  Tag them in your thanks comment, too, when possible.

 

3.     Search for and Join Affinity Groups

 

Affinity groups are where I spend 60% of my time on Facebook, cultivating relationships and getting my name known. In the last year I made several thousand dollars from the affinity groups I belong to, so they are definitely worth seeking out and actively participating in.

 

If you are a woman in business, for example (and I know you are or you wouldn’t be reading my blog! LOL ), use the Facebook search bar to find Women in Business groups.  Look for the groups with open membership and start commenting in response to posts. Or post a question that group members will want to answer.

 

Do the same with restricted groups too — that is, those where you have to ask to join. But be sure to really have an interest and intent to be a contributing member, otherwise it’s bad netiquette to lurk or just be self-promoting. Many private groups will boot you out for even subtle attempt to steal clients or do too much advertising to their captive audience.

 

Once you are established in the group, use the LIKE process in #2 above to increase traffic to your own newsfeed.

 

4.     Mine Your Own Posts

 

Since newsfeeds are constantly changing and many people don’t see everything in theirs or forget that they have -- and Facebook doesn't display all your posts to everyone anyway -- a rich source of material for posting is found on your own wall.  Your own previous posts can be reposted. And it’s a good idea to do so because posts reach less than 30% of our followers at any given time.

 

So spend 30 minutes culling your old cool quote posters and make a new comment on them. This gets those sent back out to your followers – or to 30% of them anyway – and increases the chance that your post will be seen and responded to.

 

5.     Create Your Own Quote Graphics

 

Facebook is a very visual medium. Statistics prove that posts with photos, videos or some kind of art get more response than a status post that is just a written comment. Last night I posted this photo of art by Cecilia Webber  ...

... and asked the question, what do you see?  The response was great -- 133 people liked the post and 87 commented.  You can see how something simple like this will garner more response than a simple post about eating beans for breakfast.

 

 

6.     Have Something Connective to Say

 

Good posts are ones that go viral, touch a nerve or a heartstring – these posts connect with something in the reader such that they can’t NOT be commented on, liked, and shared.  Do some research on your own newsfeed – who gets commented on, what was that post about, how was it phrased?

 

Figure out why people aren’t commenting on your posts.  Some of the reasons might be:

 

  • Your posts are too long and go unread

  • Your posts seem to have no focus or point

  • Your audience isn’t interested in your topic

  • You aren’t inviting comments by asking a question

  • You aren’t augmenting your posts with links or pictures that prompt response

  • You aren’t reaching out to strangers with your comments

 

7.    Use the Technology

 

Check your privacy settings  — make sure you have them set so that the public  / everyone can see posts made from your business newsfeed.

 

Visit the business page of everyone who has LIKED you and select the SHOW IN NEWSFEED option when you hover over the Like button on their wall.

 

Hope these tips will help you have a more active and enjoyable Facebook experience.

 

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