A couple of days ago I came across an interesting article from Hindustan Times, mentioning that Facebook Inc shares could rise 16% to $200 within a year, as it expands its reach in video advertising while strengthening its grip on the existing strategy. According to the article, Facebook is also eyeing more lucrative advertising income via Instagram, Messenger platforms which they plan to insert ads too and the paid News idea they’re still working on. As a company, they should make money as they have been giving away free access to everybody and brands for years. I can still remember years ago when Facebook was listed on Nasdaq, the shares was experiencing almost like a free fall and analyst was quoting that Facebook can hardly recover. Now, the shares are heading towards the $200 evaluation. After years of struggle, they deserve to be where they are at now.
Right after I read this interesting updates, quickly I wrote a straight-to-the-point insight on all my social media channels on several takeaways for all readers to take note of the latest development. I can still recall those days when life was very simple, without any intervention of algorithm. People don’t quite realise that we are now at the mercy of algorithm everywhere virtual. From LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram to Google Search, SEO and Ranking, every single of these things are being run by algorithm. It is us against the machine now, sort of.
Like any other channels, algorithm runs Facebook too. Everything is being dictated by it and any marketing campaign or awareness programs that you want to do that involve Facebook will involve money too. On the other hand, you are just a part-timer who is about to try your best venturing into entrepreneurship with no money. With the salary that you earn from your day job or freelancing gig, won’t be able to cut for this adventure. You just couldn’t afford it. For the first time ever in your life, now you feel lost. The battle seems are eating you up alive even before you start fighting. You are simply stuck.
Do not despair. I am going to share with you several tricks that you may find them useful. These methods aren’t suitable across all industries I must warn you but with the right fine tuning work on your Facebook strategy combines with these tricks, it may work great towards your advantage.
Just forget Facebook Ads, boosting your post using paid ads or even promote anything that uses money on Facebook. Instead try these methods first.
Get your posts easily shared by posting useful, beneficial content. 80 percent of the time, you must post something that your audience can learn from. Don’t sell. People hardly appreciate content that makes them losing money. Instead, they will appreciate more if you share a knowledge-based content. Something they can improve their life or career. It can be a simple posting of status with a relevant pictures attached to it, an infographic, a short video, tips and tricks on something related to your industry and so on. Keep it simple, using easy to understand sentences. By sharing your knowledge out, you will see some reactions by your audience. They will start showing their appreciation by donating their likes, comment on it and share it out. Once you get high engagements like this, their friends will be able view the post that being liked, commented or shared earlier. You will find more eyeballs like this without realising it.
Prepare your Shop section nicely and tag relevant products that resonate with your posts. On your Facebook Page, the best way to keep your audience’s attention onto your brand is by creating a Shop. Choose the right Facebook theme that has Shop on it. Make the content within it looks very clean, with high resolution pictures of your products, error-free spelling and grammars and make it in a flow and systematic. When you upload your posting regularly, ensure that you tag the right products in the Shop together with it. This is to indirectly tell the reader that just in case if they need the products related to the posting written, are available at the shop and it is just a click away.
Get your team members to repost your posts. Let’s say you have 3 people working under you, and most probably each of them will have at least 1,000 friends on Facebook. By combining your subordinates’ friends with your 2,500 current friends and followers on your personal Facebook, easily there are 5,500 eyeballs that you can reach. Prepare beforehand the posting and the right image to be attached with the text, and send it over to your personnel. Get them to help repost that posting on their respective Facebook, and at the same time get them to help share the original post at the Facebook Page too. The repost and sharing efforts will ensure the content is well distributed.
Work with several micro influencers and bloggers who are open for a barter trade deal. Micro influencers are those individuals who are very popular among their friends. Most of them easily own at least 3,000 to 500,000 friends and followers combined. These people are very active online, either on their social media, blogs or both. Majority of these micro influencers will ask for money in exchange for posting out your content, however there are also some of them who are willing to barter trade their posting with your products. So, instead of offering them money, you can also offer them your products for free. Get them to use your products and snap some cool pictures while using it. Once done, posts the pictures out with great captions.
Utilise your Facebook Group followers. You can make use of your membership in some of Facebook Group joined to spread the information. Ensure that you don’t flood your posts in the Groups every hour or else, you will become the most hated person there one day and eventually get blacklisted from those Groups. Never ever try to sell.
Get help from your audience on some decisions. If you notice within your Facebook timeline, there are some people who play their cards differently from others. They are involving their audience, get them to help out some decisions. As you know, people just love to help another fellow human being. Here’s one example. Let’s say you are designing a new logo for your company. Instead of making the decision internally on which option to go for, try post those options out on your Facebook Page and get those people out there to pick one for you and get them to share the reason why too. It’s like a survey and you will be amazed by the reactions you’re going to get from both followers and non followers of yours. You can tag some followers who you think are close to you and strong supporters of your brand in the posts. However the caveat is this. Never ever tag their name too often or every time you post. They will be extremely offended.
Offer a deal they can’t refuse for a limited time period. To attract eyeballs and attentions, you need to do something crazy. I recall a short article I read a few months back on Flipboard about this guy who offers his initial digital marketing consulting services for only $1 in order to attract people. He was asked, how do you survive then? He answered, that $1 is only for the first time appointment. The clients really make use of him during that session due to the price. They took advantage of him really well. However even 24 hours isn’t enough to get hold of everything. There will be follow ups, and this is when his normal per hour rate will apply. Yet the customer is happy. I believe you can also do similar stunt like this guy. Things will surely go viral once you open up your mouth on this hard-to-refuse offer.
Comment on your competitors’ Facebook Page. One of the best way to promote your brand is to stay close with your top competitors. Their audiences are indeed your potential customers too. Be brave and start commenting on their Facebook Page’s posting. Remember, be positive and gentleman. Never ever attempt to steal their followers or write negative remarks towards the competitors. People just hate negative brands.
Build conversations at the comment section. Certain brands are very good at this. They know how to crack jokes while replying to comments made by their followers on each post. The aim is to get the comment’s thread for as long as possible. It will help to make your post visible to the friends of the commenters or likers.
