Facebook can be used effectively to boost your content marketing. Here’s how:
Adverts are annoying. Whether it’s because they interrupt an episode of Homeland or take up half of a magazine we paid good money for, we consider them nuisances which must be skipped over as quickly as possible in order to reach what we want to see faster.
With traditional marketing falling by the wayside, the trick lies in supplying content people actually want to read, see and share using a medium suited precisely for that purpose.
Social media platforms are incredibly effectively tools for expanding your audience and online presence. The most popular network by far for content distribution among B2C (business-to-consumer) marketers is Facebook. So how can you work it to your advantage?
Regular content
Once you’ve created a page, you’ll need to commit to consistent updates. This isn’t to say you should bombard your fans with posts every few minutes – just a couple of posts a day will suffice. A neglected page can be a turn-off to readers: allowing your posts to slip steadily down the timeline and failing to replace them with fresh, innovative content will lead to dwindling interest among the few remaining fans who are yet to ‘un-like’ your page. Another way to ensure your audience has enough material is by linking fresh content back to relevant, older content (a technique which will also drive traffic).
Relevant content
People make a beeline for Facebook to share witty memes, their latest planking snaps or status updates detailing an amusing incident from the day. It’s a place to share what is personal to them, so making your content fan-centric will go a long way. Anything that people can relate to is more likely to be of interest than content which clearly makes no effort to engage its audience. Encourage people to share their opinions and personal experiences – then make a sustained effort to keep the discussion flowing. Putting the user at the core of the story drives participation and makes for content which is instantly engaging, of specific value to your audience and very shareable.
Engage with readers
Facebook is a social media site – so use your social skills! Responding to posts and participating in conversations rather than neglecting your readers will build trust and relationships, and you might find people start to specifically seek out your content rather than accidentally stumble across it as they browse their news feeds. Facebook was built as a communication platform, and using it as such will see you reap the rewards. It is also worth bearing in mind that communication is possible via a range of mediums, including photo and video content – so mix it up to satisfy your audience’s taste for variety.
Jenny Maclean
