How Do I Get More People To LIKE My Facebook Page?

Facebook business page, how to get more likes, how to get more fans, more people to my facebook business page

Welcome to My Facebook Page

This is the question that every Facebook Page Administrator has asked at one time or another…if not daily! How can I get more people to come over and LIKE my page? Some of you might even be wishing you would have gone against those stupid Facebook Terms of Service and set your business up as a personal profile so you could just go around clickity click, inviting everyone to be your FRIEND–BUT YOU CAN’T! Don’t do it. A business is NOT a person and you should not have things showing on a business page like “Where you went to school” or “In a relationship” or my favorite…”someone POKED you!”

A business page should be BUSINESS! You don’t want to see Suzi’s cousin’s baby pictures on your business wall because they tagged everyone in it. You don’t want invitations to join Mafia Wars on your business page. Let’s, instead, focus on how to get the RIGHT people over on your page!

Once you set up your page (Here is specific information on how to set up your page) it does take some work…okay, it takes regular work, to drive traffic over to your business page and get them spreading the word.

***Side Note*** Some ask “Why should I put effort into driving traffic to my Facebook page instead of my website?” First, there are more people “hanging out” on Facebook and it is easier for people to click over and check out your Facebook page, comment and share on items they like, than on most websites. Second, if your website is super interactive, allowing people to like and share pieces with their friends and community, then by all means, send them there! But if your website is an online brochure with little if any interactivity or places for your social consumer to interact…send them to your Facebook Page. ***Done with that rant***

Getting more fans, getting more likes, get more people on my business page

WE LIKE YOUR PAGE!

Here are 5 things (and one BONUS tip) you can do to get more people to join your Facebook Business Page:

Sign up for Twitter. That’s right, Twitter acts as a vehicle to engage a targeted audience in conversations about your and your business and then invite them in for viewing photos, more tips, deeper discussions, etc. On Twitter you can clickity-click and follow people just like you can on Facebook, but without having to ask their permission. Find and FOLLOW people who live in a specific zip code, city or other geographic region if that is important to your business. Find and FOLLOW people who are in the arts community if your business page is fitting for that group. The more targeted your Twitter followers are the greater the chance of them wanting to come over and LIKE your business page.
Personally “Invite Friends” from your personal profile. Be careful on this one. Most people don’t respond to a blasted invite sent to them to join pages–since we receive so many. This method should be used to invite specific people you know well enough that they will respond when they see this invite. The INVITE FRIENDS link is to the right on your business page.
Entice people through your personal Facebook status. This is more effective than the last method. On your personal profile, write a status update letting people know that your Page is OPEN FOR BUSINESS and tell them what benefits they will gain by “joining your community” there. Let them know that you will be sharing tips, and offers reserved for this new community. Be sure you have content loaded on your page before you send out this invitation! Post 4 or 5 updates ahead of time. Post this update on your Facebook profile 3 or 4 times in the first week (different days and times to capture the greatest number of eyeballs), 2-3 times the next couple weeks and then at LEAST once or twice a week after that. Don’t forget, when people are connected with 100 others, your posts can easily be overlooked if someone is not logging in right when your content is posted.
Add your Facebook URL to your business cards, email signature lines and other traditional marketing items. Most people forget to integrate their marketing efforts–everything should cross pollinate.
Ask people to SHARE and tell their friends. Sometimes we forget the obvious. Simply ask people to help you spread the word to others who might benefit from your information. At the bottom of some posts, remind people to SHARE this with your friends!

****BONUS**** Now for the BONUS tip most don’t know about. When you are on your business page, on the right column look for USE FACEBOOK AS YOUR PAGE. Click that link, which enables you to go and visit other pages on Facebook AS YOUR BUSINESS PAGE. Find pages that are complimentary to your own. If you are a Clothing store, find and LIKE designer’s pages, television shows like WHAT NOT TO WEAR, as well as your local chamber of commerce page, associations you belong to, charities you support. When you LIKE those pages, you can also like, comment and SHARE posts from them on your business page which leaves a link from your page on theirs and many businesses will reciprocate and promote what you are doing as well. Each day when you log into your Page, click that USE FACEBOOK AS… link and then when you select your HOME page link on the top right, it will show you posts from the businesses you have LIKED. Once you are finished you can click back to USE FACEBOOK AS YOURSELF and that home link takes you to your personal profile home base.

Sure there are many other things you can do, like running contests and advertising, but we will have to save that for another post! I’ve got to go remind people to join our Gettin’ Geeky business page where we share tips and tools to help you build your business and manage your brand! Join us, won’t you?

How to use Facebook for business, Social media for business, Gina Schreck, Gina shreck

Chief Hooligan at SynapseConnecting

Let me know if we can help you create your online marketing strategy, or even manage the daily social activities to build your community and increase sales! Our team LOVES helping YOU SUCCEED!

(I found this Gettin’ Geeky video deep in the vault from a couple years ago when we called these pages “FAN PAGES” but there are more tips in here that are still VERY relevant.)

November 5, 2011 | Filed Under Facebook, Facebook for Business, Facebook PAGES, Social Marketing, Social Media for Business
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Never Hire a Broke Financial Planner, a Skinny Cook, or an Anti-Social Social Media Expert

facebook expert, social media expert, social media outsourced, social media management

Can I Manage Your Wealth?

Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, never trust a skinny cook (or in my case a cook with a skinny family). Most of us have had the experience at a Chamber of Commerce event when a young man approaches in a cheap suit and introduces himself as a “WEALTH MANAGER!” Sorry, but I’d rather take financial advice from Warren Buffet! So when you find yourself looking to hire someone to help manage your social media activities, you might want to look beyond that teenager down the street who knows how to tag photos on Facebook.

There are so many so-called “Social Media Experts” out there today that it is comical. After all, you just need to have a Facebook profile and Twitter account to call yourself a social media marketing expert! If I were looking to hire someone to help me with PR or communications today, I would expect to see them blogging and tweeting. If you are wanting to hire someone to help you with social media, well you should see how they are using it for themselves!

Here are 8 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Social Media “Expert”:

Are people following them on Twitter? (porn & spammers don’t count–they follow my dog too!) Not that big numbers mean someone is brilliant, but if they can’t get 100 people to follow their tips, how will they get people to follow you?
Are they having conversations with people on Twitter? Conversations include other people. They are not just pumping out sales messages to get people to sign up for a webinar or newsletter.
How many times has the person been LISTED on Twitter and how are others categorizing their “expertise.” It is one thing to say you are an expert at something, but who do OTHERS say you are? Go to their Twitter profile and click on LISTED in that upper right.
Do they blog? Again, there are many brilliant people who do not have time to blog, but blogging can show you their writing ability and style.
Do they maintain their own Facebook Business Page? How are they getting business? Are they showing how they use Facebook apps and tools that they will use to help you engage with a community?
Are they involved in groups on LinkedIn? Where are they sharing their knowledge and showcasing the skills they are saying they will use on your accounts?
Do they have a Google+ account set up and running. Since this is a newer platform, they should be out in the front experimenting with new tools to help YOU grow your business.
Can you look at some of the accounts they are managing on social platforms? Do you like what you see there?

Obviously checking references or getting a referral from another trusted source are also big parts of identifying and beginning a relationship with a social marketing firm. What are the other things you feel are important when hiring someone to help you manage the growing task of Social Media and Social Marketing?

Now to go open a can of Spaghetti O’s for dinner; my family is hungry again!

Gina

Gina Schreck
President & Chief Hooligan at Synapse 3Di

@GinaSchreck

November 4, 2011 | Filed Under Social Media Management
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Survive Daylight Savings With These Tech Tools

Daylight savings, why do we do daylight savings, technology, time saving apps, social media for business

Only 74 More Clocks to Change

Sometime long ago, a group of government officials decided they would mess with people’s natural sleeping patterns and throw them off for weeks by telling everyone in most of the United States (except for people who live in Arizona and Hawaii) that suddenly in the middle of fall (used to be the last week in October, but it’s now the first week in November), the overworked citizens would be given an extra hour to sleep, or use however they would like. But it isn’t a real gift, it is more of a loaner, because five months later (used to be in March but is now in April), that hour will be taken back, and the fine citizens of 48 states and a few US Territories will once again be out of whack!

Not only do we walk around for weeks completely off kilter, but the day after this magical time change takes place, people have to go around their homes searching for every clock they own to either make it fall back or spring forward, thus wasting the very hour they were just given.

So as you begin to take inventory of all your time pieces this week, I decided I would share some fun apps and tips to either save you time, or fill the time you will have after missing your flights and appointments. Perhaps you should just throw all clocks away and start your own time zone! I’d love to hear about the apps and tools you are using to save (or make up lost) time.

Glympse (available on Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows7) This app is for those of us who will be at least an hour late for every appointment because we set our clocks back an hour after our spouses had already set them. Open the app and send a link via email or text message to the person you are meeting with and let them track you on the map. It’s like watching Santa fly over Kansas on his way to your house via NORAD tracking. Very cool.
GateGuru (available on both Android and iOS) This app will save you time while traveling especially when you have that one hour layover and need to find a quick bite to eat but you are hankerin’ for a Quizno’s sub. Open up Gate Guru and the GPS will show you what exactly is available in that concourse and it includes reviews by other travelers!
AutoPark (on iOS only) This is the app that will save you time and money. As you walk around for the next few weeks not paying attention to where you are parking your car, AutoPark will help you find your parked car, tell you how much time is left on your parking meter, and will show you nearby services such as banks, car-washes, parking lots and more!
Banking Apps (Wells Fargo; Chase; BofA and more) This is not our grandma’s Savings and Loan anymore! We can save loads of time by taking our tasks on the road and it is safe. Most banks today have mobile banking features that allow you to pay bills, transfer money and even find nearby ATMs all with your mobile device, and now we are seeing apps for many banks that are taking it further allowing you to even deposit your checks by taking a picture of the check with your phone! WOW- you can get your banking done and go back to bed for another hour!

So as you FALL BACK on November 6th, be aware that you will probably spend the next few weeks recovering from the confusion that comes from not knowing if you really gain an hour or if you have you spent more time telling yourself “It’s really 5 o’clock right now, not 6.” Remember when people tell you that time is your enemy, you can tell them that fortunately technology is your friend and together you have made peace with daylight and night time. They won’t understand what you are talking about and you can just walk away…saving MORE TIME!

Gina Schreck, Shreck, Social Media for Business, Social marketing, technology

The Time Challenged, Gina Schreck

Gina Schreck is the President and Chief Hooligan at SynapseConnecting. If you have time this week and need to chat with someone about your social marketing needs, give her a call…She’s got TIME!

——————————————————————-

This blog post has been sponsored by CLEAR, the service that speeds you through airport security. CLEAR members save so much time at the airport, it’s like having Daylight Savings every time you travel! CLEAR, the (self-proclaimed) Official Sponsor of Daylight Saving Time, is celebrating the extra hour we get on Nov 6th with a series of travel and time-savings posts on their blog - and here, on my blog too.

Time saving technology, Daylight savings, Clear, airport travel

To help you see what CLEAR is all about, they are offering my readers a special 3-month FREE trial! Don’t settle for just one extra hour this Daylight Savings. No need to deal with unpredictable security lines, the stress of rushing to your gate, or the time you waste getting to DEN extra early. Click here to get your pass and try CLEAR’s enhanced travel experience for yourself. Just enter my code (CMNDST09) in the promo code field on the payment page.

October 27, 2011 | Filed Under Android, Apps, iPad, iPhone, Mobile Technology, Technology
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When Artificial Intelligence Gets a Personality You Fall In Love With IRIS

Android, IRIS, SIRI, iphone, personal assistant

My Robot Brings Me Shoes!

iPhone users have been talking about their new personal assistant, SIRI, and I have to admit, I was intrigued and a bit envious. I want a robot assistant to bring me coffee, shoes and make my flight arrangements! And then Friday night I learned about IRIS.

Since the Android platform already has several voice recognition and search apps, a brilliant group of developers over at Dexetra took on a challenge to create SIRIS’s twin (IRIS is SIRI spelled backwards). They wanted to see if they could create an app that would take voice recognition, search, a pinch of personality, and roll it into an Android personal assistant! Like Frankenstein, IRIS was born in 8 hours!

So she may not always answer your questions correctly, even though she understands you perfectly, and at times she just downright refuses to tell you the answer, IRIS will make you laugh until you have to ask her where the nearest restroom is. Here is a bit of the dialog my husband and I had in our house with IRIS this weekend:

Gina: How far is the sun from the earth?
IRIS: A long way

Gina: How far Iris?
IRIS: 93 million miles

Gina: Name the Planets in order from the sun.
IRIS: No

Gina: What are the planets in our solar system?
IRIS: Earth, Venus, Jupiter, etc.

Gina: What shall we have for dinner
IRIS: Turkey or Pork

Kirk: Who’s playing in the world series?
IRIS: Im from the planet Pluto

Kirk: Who is Gina Schreck?
IRIS: My cat

Gina: Are you always sarcastic IRIS?
IRIS: Are you always obnoxious?

Kirk: Is it time to get out of bed Iris?
IRIS: Not yet, it is stil early

Gina: Should we go to church?
IRIS: Yes

Gina: What are you wearing IRIS?
IRIS: Did you seriously just go from religion to hitting on me?

So if you want to download an app that helps you find the nearest grocery store when you are in a new city, IRIS may not be very helpful, but if you want a good time…. CALL IRIS!

Chief Hooligan at SynapseConnecting

Gina Schreck is the President and Chief Hooligan at SynapseConnecting. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook or check out our Gettin’ Geeky Page for lots of fun and geeky apps, tips!

Gina Schreck
President & Chief Hooligan at Synapse 3Di

@GinaSchreck

October 23, 2011 | Filed Under Android, Apps, iPhone, Mobile Technology
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Will All My Facebook Fans Be Gone on October 31st?

FAcebook Pages, fans leaving, social marketing for business, facebook removing fans

All Of Your Facebook Fans Are Leaving!

I have had many people emailing and posting on our Gettin’ Geeky Facebook page their concerns over a partial rumor circulating the internet and thought I would post a quick write up trying to shed light on it. I haven’t personally seen these rumored posts, but people are saying they are getting notifications from Facebook stating that “disengaged fans” will be removed from business pages on October 31 unless these fans LIKE or COMMENT on something.

First there ARE some changes taking place on Facebook (shocking, I know!) on Oct 31. The discussion and recommendation tabs indeed ARE going away– Mostly because these tabs or links are rarely used. (Although I have seen a few pages with loads of discussions on that tab and those folks will have to transfer them to the NOTES link or, I would create a blog post for them)

But the change that people are most concerned about is the one where Facebook is saying that people who have not been engaged with your content will most likely not see your content in their stream. First, this has actually been in place for quite some time. Because of the EDGERANK score (algorithm) that Facebook gives to each post, the amount of engagement fans have with your posts and pages directly affects whether or not they will see none, some, or all of your posts in the future. If someone engages (likes, comments or shares) with your content, they are more likely to see your next posts in their TOP NEWS stories.

If someone LIKED your page for whatever reason (bribery, family member guilt, or a contest) but they never engage with your content, your posts are probably not even seen by them because other content that they DO engage with pushes yours out of site…and out of mind! The disengaged fans are not removed from your page, but your content may seem invisible to them, and in order for them to start getting your content back in view, they would have to see your post on someone else’s page from a discussion, or they would have to come to the page and reengage there! Confusing… but not new.

So the bottom line is, if you want to try and scare your fans into LIKING, SHARING and COMMENTING on your content, tell them all of their personal photos will be shared with the world on October 31st unless they engage with your content. Telling them that they won’t see the posts, that they are NOT engaged with any way, is probably not a motivator!