It’s no secret that online stores that have thousands of followers experience high volumes of sales due to the fact that these stores are able to build a community of loyal and engaged customers. Popularity on Facebook is a catalyst for business growth, and those who are only starting out will need to focus on getting more followers and likes on Facebook.
Facebook likes can also give you more insights about your target audience and customer base, which will ultimately help in shaping your overall marketing strategy. There are several ways to gain more Facebook followers, and here are some of them:
1: Facebook ads
The best thing about Facebook ads is that you can set your target or goal. There are different goals you can specify for your ads:
- Traffic
- Engagement
- App installs
- Video views
- Lead generation
If you want to increase your Facebook followers, any type of ad will work as long as the ad content is interesting and attention-grabbing.
2: Invite people to like your Facebook page
When you run an ad campaign, Facebook will sometimes ask you to invite people who interacted with the post but haven’t liked your page. This is a simple yet effective way to increase the number of your followers. Just click on the invite button beside the list of people who engaged with your post.
Some page managers report that Facebook has blocked them when they invited way too many people, so keep in mind to keep the number of invites at the minimum in a given time.
3: Focus on content
Creating content that is attractive and engaging is always an effective way to increase your followers. For instance, when you post memes, relatable quotes, and funny videos, your followers will tag their friends in the comments, or share the post on their timeline, increasing your social reach.
Make sure that your post stands out among hundreds of others that appear on people’s timelines. When you catch your follower’s attention, they are likely to engage with your post.
Video content is also proven to have a higher engagement rate on Facebook, compared to images or plain text posts. With the right video marketing, you’ll gain more likes and more Facebook followers.
4: Giveaways
A lot of Facebook pages host giveaways as a way to increase their followers. You can host one on your website and share it on your social media profiles. The most common requirement is for participants to follow your Facebook page to be eligible.
Facebook has strict rules on contests which you must follow as well.
5: Use Facebook like a pop-up tool
You might notice some websites that ask for your email address upon exit. You can create something like this if your goal is to increase your followers, but you will prompt visitors to like your Facebook page instead. There’s also a way to set a timer so that when the visitors are on your website for a specific number of minutes, the pop-up will appear, asking them to like your Facebook page.
A word of caution though: Pop-ups can be annoying, so stick to only one pop-up on your website.
6: Collaborate with Facebook influencers
Collaboration has always been an effective way to increase your social reach, but the key is to find an influencer that caters to a specific niche. Don’t go after an influencer with a diverse fanbase, they are more expensive and won’t really allow you to reach out to your target audience.
If you have a makeup line, for instance, look up “makeup bloggers,” and not just “fashion bloggers” that cater to a wider but less targeted audience.
7: Partner with other Facebook pages
You can get other, more popular Facebook pages to tag you in a shout out by posting a photo featuring their products and tagging them. This will help you become visible to their Facebook followers. Look for a brand that is in the habit of featuring its customers and other brands on Facebook.
For example, if you sell sunglasses, you can post a picture of a person wearing your sunglasses with another brand’s bag. Tag the other brand in the post, and they will most likely repost the photo and tag you as well.
8: Use automation tools
Running an online business takes a lot of your time, and you can’t just spend most of this posting on Facebook or creating content. However, you also won’t be able to gain followers and convert leads if you don’t post often enough. To solve this dilemma, most businesses use marketing automation tools.
You can create content in advance all at once and schedule it for a time when your target audience is mostly online. This way, you can have more time on other equally important business tasks.
9: Add social media links and widgets to your website
Another way to increase your Facebook likes is to add a widget on your website. There is a free Facebook Like Widget app which allows website visitors to like your Facebook page from within the website. It’s also a great way to show and impress them with your follower count.
Also, make sure that your social media links are visible on your website. The theme you use must include your social media profiles either in the footer, header, or sidebar.
10: Engage with your existing followers
Consumers crave for a personal touch, and huge brands mostly don’t give them this. Smaller brands have an advantage if they engage with their followers and build a relationship with them. Engagement isn’t only for addressing customer issues, but it’s also for sales conversion.
The best thing that can happen if you engage with your followers is that their network will likely hear about you and follow you as well.
Increasing Facebook followers
With 2.38 billion monthly active users as of March 2019, Facebook remains the largest social media platform. It is too huge to not include in your business marketing plan. These ten tips will help you start your Facebook marketing journey, and if you look at successful brands closely, they too are doing these things.
