Are You Engaging? A Simple Example and a Quick Tip From Facebook About Using Facebook
How you do things matter as much as what you do, especially when it comes to content and it's reach within search engines and social media.
For instance, there are two publishers we work with with comparable 'fan bases' but very different engagement. Publisher A has just under 7k FB fans and serves a community of some 30-40k people. Publisher B has just under 8k FB fans and serves a community of a few hundred thousand people.
Publisher A's average post reaches 7k people with better posts reaching 15k or more (keep in mind FB average is roughly 2% of the fanbase so even 'average' posts are killing it).
Publisher B's average post reaches 200-300 people with poor posts reaching just dozens... pretty much inline with Facebook averages.
The difference can surely be attributed, in part, to the type of content which is more timely and relevant as opposed to simple lifestyle content but there's more to the story. Publisher A is authentic and engaging not merely talking-at-his-audience this has resulted in tremendous goodwill over time and an audience looking forward to the next post.
It's often hard to communicate some of this nuance but today I received an email from Facebook For Business and they had a nice little example which I'd like to share:
- How you post matters more than what you post in many cases.
"Even if you have a compelling offer, keep in mind people turn to News Feed for interesting stories—family photos, funny videos, important headlines—and not heavy-handed sales language.
- Attract customers with a tasteful message
- Avoid the hard sell (using ALL CAPS, % OFF, SALE!)
The better you can tell a story, the more people will love your posts." - FB for Business
The difference between successfully reaching a large audience and speaking to an empty room isn't more effort it's about being more authentic.
