by Geoff Livingston
Facebook fan pages have become immensely popular for companies and organizations. They love using pages to communicate with their stakeholders. The following eight suggestions will optimize your fan page to create the most vibrant community possible (for more tips also be sure to check out Facebook’s best practices page, too):
1) I differ with Facebook right away on function. Don’t split the conversation stream between the organization and “just fans.” You want fans to see each other communicating online. It’s about fostering a community. To split your updates from fans signals that:
- You are controlling the message,
- Organizational message delivery is the primary reason for the page; and
- The organization doesn’t value fan content or participation as highly as its own
2) Compelling conversations matter! That means doing more than just dropping a post, a link or a picture periodically on the page. Comment on fan posts, add value to those posts with additional information, and encourage more. Make sure people know that humans update the page, and not corporate stiffs.
3) Intelligently integrate other web properties and Facebook applications (including your own Facebook app). The tabs on top of the page should be intelligently selected with one goal in mind: Enabling your fans to do more and spread the word. No matter how much the organization thinks it’s own pushing will drive “the message,” in reality, fans need to carry the baton.
Make badges on the columns and tabs that are obvious, make sense and inviting. Ensure these tabs connect easily to applications and to your blog, twitter, MySpace and other accounts and sites. Make sure you don’t over-clutter with every app on earth. Be selective. See Mashable’s top five features of Facebook fan page for more.
4) Pay attention to the statistics: Insights allows you to understand which posts are truly motivating your fans to interact. If they are like Ning users, they love photos and videos! Whatever is working, give them what they want! And while you’re at it cater to your demographics, too.
5) Make your fans feel special. Reward fans for participating, let them know you are watching and foster further engagement. Make a fan of the week, allow fans to badge their page and site with something that clearly marks them as an extended member of the brand family. Do things that are unique to your Facebook fan page only, and make sure the fans now that such contests, brick and mortar events, etc. are specially designed for them.
6) Use outside properties to promote the page: So many times people build it and wonder why they don’t come. Use all of your communications properties to build up the Facebook application page, and use the Facebook application page to promote the other properties (as well as opportunities to donate and/or buy product), but be smart. If you place promo in front of conversation on the Facebook fan page, expect a dormant community.
7) Don’t assume your Twitter audience is your Facebook group, too. It’s not. Yes, you’ll have a healthy minority who are on twitter, but the community that participates on Facebook tends to be different than the voiceiferous on twitter.
8) Did I mention that Ning users love photos and videos? So do Facebook users! Tagging your fans from event photos and videos is just a simple, obvious way to make them feel like they are part of the community. In fact, you should be encouraging them to upload their own photos and videos.
What tips would you add?
Great suggestions, Geoff. Some companies seem to think that simply having a Fan Page is “enough,” and that the page will build itself from there. Smart growth takes time and strategy, even at this level.
One additional suggestion: make sure everyone managing your fan page is clear about the page’s intended goal(s). Otherwise, you may find your team — or even yourself, if you’re working alone — at cross-purposes over how to moderate the message.
Great tips! With regards to #6, I recently wrote a blog post with suggestions on promoting your Fan Page: http://bit.ly/4jgWbz
Very useful tips and insight here Geoff. I genuinely think that too many organizations (and even their hired agencies) are using it either to blast information/news out or to host contests, etc.
Contests are great, but I think it’s important for brands to really learn how to cultivate a community and highlight it’s consumers/fans in other ways. Creating conversations, making fans feels special, and highlighting members via photos, etc. are a great start.
I’d also suggest making a concerted effort to find like-minded people and connecting them. Even when they’re not buying your brand if they’re coming to your Fan Page as a way to connect with each other your brand stays at the forefront of their mind.
Great tips Geoff. I would add that it’s a good idea to ask the community for feedback often. Let them know that they are part of the process and their opinions matter. This can be as simple as a question on a wall post, or it might be a poll. The point is – let the audience provide guidance, and then act on it. Stay engaged and the community will thrive. Thanks for the post!
Geoff,
Excellent suggestions. I’ve often found that working with companies that manage their own pages and blast content limits the effectiveness of an entire social media program. It’s almost like working with one hand tied behind your back.
If engagement is critical, communication manageable, and relationships valuable, then it requires more than transplanting one-way communication. Social media is fluid and situational.
Best,
Rich
Good suggestions here, Geoff. Two really stick out for me:
5) *Make your fans feel special.* I like to advise brands to create some content that’s original for the Facebook Page. It’s OK to use some repurposed/repackaged content, but it shouldn’t *all* be that way. Give fans a sense that they’re getting content on the Page that they can’t find anywhere else.
6) *Use oustside properties to promote the page.* Andy Sernovitz and GasPedal are doing a great job of this right now. GasPedal is using its blog, Andy’s blog, and their e-mail newsletter to drive people to the GasPedal Facebook Page–http://www.facebook.com/GasPedal–where they’re compiling a series of interviews with speakers for an upcoming conference.
Great post, Geoff. Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that can have the biggest impact, like rewarding people who participate.
One thing I’d add: Pull back the curtain and let the fans know who is actually maintaining the site so they have the opportunity to build relationships directly with that person or those people.
Best,
Jason
Some great additional insights here. Thank you, gentlemen, for your comments!
Geoff:
Cheers! Very informative and you saved me having to write a blog post now, giggle. I will give this to every client.
And you hit the nail on the head about Twitter fans and facebook fans being different animals -BOY ARE WE!.
Great Tips!! for promomting FACEBOOK Fan Page….
Thanks,
adloussopy,
http://www.facebook.com/pages/SPACIFY/79444799925
Thanks very much for these very helpful hints.
Fantastic list of best practices!
One extra tip would be to encourage fans to participate in-real-life. Taking social networking to action outside of Facebook (then they can share their real life experience back on Facebook).
Nice overview. So true about the Twitter vs Facebook
A list with Best Practices Facebook Fan Pages: http://inside.aviseo.at/2009/11/23/best-practices-facebook/
Great tips. I’m a newb at fb pages and found your post very helpful. I also shared it with some colleagues.
Thanks a bundle.