If you follow us on Twitter, you might have heard us buzzing about Mashable’s report that Facebook tab engagement is down 53% since the timeline feature became mandatory. This statistic was surprising, especially given that Facebook touted improved tab visibility as one of the key benefits of the timeline.
So, now that you know that tabs are not the best way to get people involved, what can you do to drive fan engagement on your Facebook page? Here are a few of our favorite tricks:
- Pin key posts to the top of the page. Want to make sure people can easily access an important piece of content (like a description of your company) when they visit your Facebook page? Simply “pin” the post and it will stay at the top of your timeline.
- Make tabs more visible. As one commenter on the Mashable story pointed out, some of the drop-off in tab engagement may be due to the fact that the default tab images aren’t very engaging. Try creating your own tab buttons that fit with your visual brand (colors, fonts), and see if you notice a difference. Visit our page at facebook.com/moveo to see how this can be done.
- Post questions. This isn’t a new idea, and it isn’t rocket science, but posting an interesting, brand-relevant question that your fans are likely to want to debate can be a great way to drive engagement.
- Post a poll. Polls aren’t always effective at driving engagement, and they shouldn’t be overdone. However, if you feel you have something unique to survey your fans about, a poll can be a great way to get their input and get them talking. We suggest going beyond simple “just for fun” questions and polling your fans in a way that will add real value to the lives of the respondents. For example, we’ve seen several B2B brands poll their fans for feedback about new products that are still in development. What a great way to build emotional involvement!
- Hold a contest. Just like polls, contests shouldn’t be overdone. If you aren’t sharing interesting content, a contest won’t be enough to strengthen your Facebook presence. However, if you already have a loyal group of fans, an occasional contest can be a way to say, “thanks,” and improve engagement on your page.
- Interact. Far too often, brands forget that Facebook is a two-way medium. They post status updates on a regular basis, but then fail to interact with the fans that comment on their posts. Simply adding your brand’s voice to the conversation on a regular basis can do a lot to drive engagement.
Image via 5to9 Branding.
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