There are probably hundreds of ways to increase your engagement on Facebook. And most people go for those that involve spending money such as boosting posts, hosting giveaways, and running contests with prizes. It’s understandable, though since these tactics are proven to yield desirable results, including an increase in engagement and Facebook page likes.
However, there are several methods in spiking up Facebook engagement that doesn’t cost you any money. They are effective, too if done correctly.
Cost-free ways to increase Facebook engagement: Photos
Creating better photos is a surefire cost-free way to increase your engagement on Facebook. People are naturally drawn to beautiful things, and this is true even on Facebook. Posting an exciting and high-quality picture at the right time can boost engagement.
Image: Buffer’s photo post. Photo taken from Buffer
Photos also tend to get more engagement compared to status updates or shared links since they are easy to look at. When a photo catches your followers’ attention, they will likely read the caption and comment on your post.
Guest post on other Facebook page
Collaborating with another brand that complements your product is an effective way to reach out to your target audience who are not yet followers, and in the process, increase engagement. You are not in direct competition with each other, but your target market overlaps. For instance:
- You sell sunglasses
- Look for a company that sells hats and caps
- Agree to guest post on each other’s Facebook page.
- Your product will be featured on the other brand’s Facebook page, and vice versa
Both of you can benefit from this as both pages get more exposure.
Image: Guest Posting on other Facebook Page. The screenshot was taken on July 31, 2019
Share your product link
If you have an e-commerce site, you can share product links from your website to your Facebook page.
Image: A company selling mouthwash with shop link on their post. The Screenshot was taken on July 31, 2019
You can even inject a giveaway by telling your followers that they can get a free product when they comment on the post and share your page.
Post relevant memes and GIFs
Memes and GIFs are great conversation-starters. These two types of content usually become viral because they’re funny, and Facebook users love a good laugh.
Image: A blogging site sharing meme. The screenshot was taken on July 31, 2019
There are royalty-free memes and GIFs that you can edit to make it specific to your brand or industry and to make them more effective, you can choose those that are related to current events.
Tag people
Image: New York Times mentioned Fortnite in their post. The screenshot was taken on July 31, 2019
Since the goal is to increase engagement and start a conversation, why not tag people in your posts? This tactic works especially when you want to hear from an influencer or personality in your niche. You can ask them a question about a particular topic and go from there.
Be involved in groups
Art Business sharing post on the Graphite and Charcoal Art Group. The Screenshot was taken on July 31, 2019
Joining Facebook Groups don’t cost a thing, and it’s a great way to meet other people within your niche. If you’re in the travel industry, you can find hundreds of Facebook groups dedicated to it, and some are even categorized further by country, city, or destination.
If there’s no group related to your brand yet, then you can always create one and ask industry players to join. Remember to be consistent in posting on the group’s page, but make sure that you don’t promote your product in every single post.
Use Facebook live for Q&A
Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative Livestream Q&A. The screenshot was taken on July 31, 2019
Doing a live stream creates an opportunity for your followers to engage with you in real-time, and it also makes you more authentic to your customer base. You can ask your followers to throw questions at you, and you can answer them live. You can even spice things up a bit by inviting an industry expert and have them answer the questions.
Plan your content
People follow your page with some expectations in mind, so it’s best to continue meeting and if possible, exceeding these expectations so they will continue to engage with you. The only way to do this is to plan out your content so you won’t be pressured into a hurriedly done content when the posting time is near.
Planning ahead also makes your content more consistent in terms of tone and content type. Preparing material for major and minor holidays in advance is a must.
Set your tone and language
I talked about tone in previous points, but what tone is the correct one? It could be different depending on the industry you’re in:
- Some brands go for formality
- Others prefer a friendly tone
- A few brands find it necessary to inject some cuss words in their posts.
Whatever works for you is good, but avoid sounding too much like a salesperson. That’s the tone you should stay away from because people find it annoying and you could lose your followers instead of gaining more.
Increasing Facebook followers
Yoga International Facebook Ad. The screenshot was taken on July 31, 2017
Facebook advertising is quite expensive, and relying on keywords for your captions may be challenging as algorithms change all the time. The tactics mentioned above are free of cost, and they are sure ways to increase your engagement rate. All of them require hard work and a lot of thought, but every marketer knows that this work pays off.
