Considering Facebook's 300 million active users, and the thousands joining every day—along with its Alexa ranking of 3 (that is, Facebook is the third most-trafficked website)—businesses really must tap into the power of this online behemoth.
Facebook offers many features for strategic networking and generating visibility for your company.
Among them, Facebook fan pages are (currently) the only feature fully indexed by Google. By inserting keyword-rich text throughout your fan page and updating regularly, you can create tremendous search engine optimization.
Using Facebook's Social Ads, you can then drive targeted traffic from the entire Facebook site directly to your fan page.
Once potential fans click through to your fan page, your goals are as follows:
- Immediately grab their attention and make them feel they are in the right place (they feel they made the right decision by clicking on your ad)
- Inspire them to become a fan
- Draw them in to engage with your page
- Keep them coming back—often called "stickiness" (your fans keep coming back to engage with your page)
The following 10 elements of dynamic Facebook fan pages will set you head and shoulders above the rest and keep your fans coming back for more.
1. Title your page
When first creating your fan page, you need to choose a title; it could be your brand name, personal name, or business name, as well as a few descriptive words. Typically, the shorter the title, the better, because each time you add content to your fan page your long title will append to each post.
2. Choose a picture that pops
This is not a well-known fact, but Facebook's ideal size for a fan page image is 200 pixels wide by 600 pixels high (it looks rather like a bookmark shape).
Whenever you post on your own fan page, the thumbnail image that appears will show a section of your main picture, so you may need to experiment with your graphic to get the image just the way you want it.
3. Secure your username
As soon as you get your first 25 fans, you'll be able to register your unique username (often called a vanity URL) at http://facebook.com/username. For example, instead of being a long, unmemorable link, you can shorten the link by using your brand name, company name, etc. (mine is http://facebook.com/marismith).
4. Set a landing tab
You can create a fully customized "landing page" for your non-fans, with images, keyword-rich text, links, even video. How? Just add the Static FBML app, paste in your FBML code (very similar to HTML), then edit your fan page settings to select the specific tab you wish non-fans to land on.
For examples, see http://facebook.com/droz, http://facebook.com/gary, http://www.facebook.com/ellentv, http://www.facebook.com/cocacola, http://www.facebook.com/ONE, http://facebook.com/paysonjewelry.
5. Write an appealing About Us/Bio
There's a small text box area just under your fan page picture; use this area very strategically to essentially summarize what you do, whom you help, and how you help them. Even better, include a call to action with a hyperlink (be sure to include the "http://" so it's clickable).
6. Import your blog posts
Using the Notes app, pull in your blog feed so that each time you make a blog post, your fan page automatically updates and your fans can read and comment on the post. Doing so also helps to consistently add content to your fan page and keep it fresh and engaging.
7. Show posts by page and fans
There may be strategic reasons for showing posts only by you on the fan page, or only by your fans, but I highly recommend setting it to show both. That way, anyone who comes to your page can see the interaction from both sides.
8. Encourage your fans to add content
Your fans can add their own photos, videos, and comments on your "wall." Allowing and encouraging your fans to add their own content will make them feel more a part of your online Facebook community, and when they tag themselves that content goes out into their feeds creating more visibility for you.
9. Respond to your fans
Providing quality content is just one aspect of building a good Facebook fan page (or any social networking presence, for that matter). Another critical aspect is engagement. By actively responding to your fans' comments, questions, suggestions, ideas, etc., you show that you're a company that cares, listens, takes action, and engages your community.
10. Broadcast to Twitter
Using the new Facebook fan page to Twitter app http://facebook.com/twitter you can write status updates up to 420 characters that will go out as a tweet on your Twitter account and truncate at about 120 characters with a bit.ly link back to your fan page. Great for cross-promoting and extra visibility!
Mari Smith will be speaking at the MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer on Wednesday, October 21, in Chicago. Her session is titled Using Facebook to Increase Brand Recognition. Come join us—and learn how to fire up your digital marketing.
Mari Smith (www.marismith.com), dubbed "the Pied Piper of the Online World" by FastCompany.com, is a social media keynote speaker, consultant, and trainer. She is also president of the International Social Media Association. Reach her via mari@marismith.com.
by Oliver Feakins
Comments
by Norma Pinero Tue Oct 13, 2009
Great info!!
by Naomi Tue Oct 13, 2009
Love this post! I have to work on my landing page. I just found this great way to have $100 Free Advertising for your Facebook page here. Super easy and quick! http://bit.ly/YdcNh
by Penny Schneider Tue Oct 13, 2009
Indeed. Great info.
by Annie Infinite Sat Oct 17, 2009
Hi Mari great article! One thing to note sweetie, is that currently you cannot have a custom URL for your page until you have 100 fans, FB changed that.
I love that you listed one of the important things as responding to your fans, this is at the heart of social marketing.
by Rumiana Ilieva Mon Oct 19, 2009
Thanks a lot, I followed your tips and created wonderful Facebook fan page.
by Kirsti Tue Oct 20, 2009
I was wondering how I use the notes app (number 6 in your list) to bring in my blog? This was a great post--thanks for all the help!
by Zeynep Ferah Mon Oct 26, 2009
@Annie Infinite : I read that too that you had to have 100 fans before you could get the custom URL, but when I read 25 here I tried it and :) I got the URL. So I guess Mari is right for now...
@Mari Smith: I too was not able to use the notes app. How am I going to bring in my blog?
by Michele Tue Oct 27, 2009
If you have business or non-profit FB page can you become a "fan" of other businesses?
I am trying to get golfers to my non-profit FB page as we have a discount golf membership card. Was thinking if we could become a fan of various golf courses and post something on their walls their golfers would see it....thoughts?
by Josue Sat Oct 31, 2009
great info, simple and to the point.
by SEASONS OF PAIN Tue Nov 3, 2009
Hi Mari,
Thank you very much for the in depth info. It is very exciting and helpful. Writing the music has become much easier and people like you are helping to make the marketing easier as well. Thank you for helping to spread knowledge freely.
? I have been unsuccessful in obtaining the unique username ( vanity url ) addition for our band ( business ) page. We appreciate all the help we are given.
We will be studying these new techniques in order to promote our group / brand more.
Thank You ! Thank You Facebook friends and community.
Keith
SEASONS OF PAIN
myspace.com/seasonsofpainville
Metal Union Productions
myspace.com/metalunionproductions
by chris marentis Thu Nov 5, 2009
Video is another great tool to keep content fresh on facebook and get fans coming back. This one of the most complete posts I have seen on facebook fan page marketing. Thanks.
by Tracy Gardner Tue Nov 10, 2009
Great post! My personal page has friends, family and business related prospects and contacts. The friends/family don't like all the "Marketing" and business posting. So I want to move away from all the marketing & business posts to a fan page. This is one of my projects for next week so this came at a perfect time.
Thank you Mari & Marketing Profs
@TracyGardner
by Susan Jane Wed Dec 16, 2009
Mari Smith rocks! There is not one tip that you can't implement, really. :)
by Mari Smith Fri Dec 18, 2009
Wowee, in the couple short months I wrote this post, Facebook is now at 350 million active users and is the second most trafficked site in the world! :) If Facebook were a country, it'd the third largest in the world!!
Also, Facebook teamed up with Google and announced fan page updates are getting indexed REAL time! :)
So, there is such tremendous power in Facebook fan pages... yet a recent study conducted at Techrunch.com revealed that 77% of fan pages have fewer than 1000 fans and admins only update their fan pages every 12 days. Whew, there is a *direct* correlation to number of fans and frequency of content and engagement!!
Cheers!!
Mari
by Mari Smith Fri Dec 18, 2009
@Norma @Penny @Rumiana @Josue - thank you kindly for your kind words!!! :)
@Naomi - sweet!! Free advertising is always good!
@Annie - aha, yes - it was 25 back in May/June when Facebook were about to do the big landgrab... then they bumped it up to 100 with no word of warning. It was such a shame for the small, new fan pages. So many folks rallied to help each other get up to that magic 100 of their pages. Then a short while later, Facebook quietly brought the threshold back down to 25! Whew!!
@Kristi - you might like to try Networked Blogs to import your blog posts now instead/as well as the Notes app. If you blog a lot (3 x or more a week), I would pick one. The main advantage Notes has is you can tag anyone in the post (note). But Networked Blogs is a whole powerful network of other blogs, people can subscribe/follow. Pete Cashmore/Mashable uses it extensively. ;)
by Mari Smith Fri Dec 18, 2009
@Zeynep - to import your blog using the Notes app, here's the direct link: http://www.facebook.com/notes.php - then click the link towards the top right that says "Import a blog." You'll need to paste in the actual RSS feed of your blog, then you'll get a preview of the imported posts.
@Michele - great question. Only profiles can become fans of fan pages. To reach your target market of golfers, I would suggest a) a nominal budget for Facebook social ads, b) join active groups with and for golfers and participating, c) use Facebook's deep search feature to find when members are talking about golf, d) build out your Twitter following by following your target market and most will follow you back - see sites like twellow.com and listorious.com to find your audience. Then tweet about your fan page on a regular basis, among other content like tips, resources, useful info for your target market... of course you can also drive people on Twitter & your fans on Facebook to your regular site.
Hope these ideas help!! :)
by Kirsti Fri Dec 18, 2009
Sorry to bug you, again, Mari, but how do I use the notes? Do I just copy and paste from my blog? Thanks for all the help!
by Mari Smith Sat Dec 19, 2009
@Kirsti -- aha, sorry I misspelled your name, but did suggest above you might try the Networked Blogs app instead/as well.
And then in my reply to @Zeynep, here are the steps to import using the Notes app:
To import your blog using the Notes app, here's the direct link: http://www.facebook.com/notes.php - then click the link towards the top right that says "Import a blog." You'll need to paste in the actual RSS feed of your blog, then you'll get a preview of the imported posts.
Hope this helps!!!
Cheers,
Mari
by Kirsti Sat Dec 19, 2009
Thanks, Mari! I had to go to edit page and then I saw the magic button for importing the blog feed. Thanks so much! Now I don't have to do it by hand!
by AllPetNaturals.com Tue Dec 22, 2009
Wow great ideas but adding the landing page is easier said than done and that's what bugs me. What about a link to a site that tells you how to write FBML code so I can create a landing page.
by Doug Wed Dec 23, 2009
Great tips. Well written. Thanks!!
by The Blog Builder Guy Wed Jan 27, 2010
Just one more reason I'm glad I joined Marketing Profs! Thanks!
by Mari Smith Wed Jan 27, 2010
@allpetnaturals -- see the post I just wrote on whyfacebook.com -- http://whyfacebook.com/2010/01/21/how-to-add-a-custom-landing-tab-to-your-f...
@blog builder guy - cool!! Glad you enjoyed. :)