via: ipage
Written by Jessica Ann
The Top 5 Promotions To Run on Facebook
Facebook business pages are a bit like nightclubs as there are two broad types. You can use Facebook’s Graph Search to see the first nightclub as a place that is hiving with people (the right sort of people), queues down the block, and a general buzz of excitement. The second is a depressing place containing a handful of sorry souls drinking away their sorrows.
It’s not hard to decide which nightclub you’d prefer. And it’s the same with Facebook: your business Facebook page should have the crowd, the buzz, and the excitement. But how do you get it?
One proven method is borrowed directly from the world of nightclubs – run promotions.
Facebook promotions give users a reason to interact with your page in order to build enthusiasm. There are many types of promotions that you can run. Here is the top five:
1. Competition
For small businesses this is one of the most common and effective types of promotion to run. There are many different ways you can set it up but the basic principal is that you offer the user a chance to win a prize if they do something in return.
The thing you get the user to do is usually to like your page, but you can decide if other objectives are more important for your competition, like building an email list.
You can run competitions by yourself on your own timeline, but the best way to set one up is to use an app. By using an app you can be more confident that your promotion is adhering to Facebook’s rules, plus it looks more professional. Most apps also have a fan-gate that is very useful – with a fan-gate users can only enter your competition if they like your page.
There is one other thing to consider when running a Facebook competition: the prize. Make sure it is of value and is relevant to your target user. Keep in mind that prizes where the winner is required to spend money (like a $50 voucher for a shop where everything is $500 plus) are rarely popular.
2. Special Offer
A special offer has more limited uses than a competition but this type of promotion can still be very effective. It usually takes the form of a coupon or discount and is linked to a user liking your page in order to get the offer. The best way to run a special offer promotion is by using an app that has fan-gate functionality.
3. Exclusive Content
This is another style of promotion that generally requires an app in order to make it work efficiently. With this promotion you offer the user something in return for an action (a like or a share on your page). The “something” could be an eBook or another item that can be downloaded.
Just make sure your offering is desirable and of good quality or else this type of promotion will not work.
4. Contest
A contest is different to a promotion as it has the potential to generate engagement as well as new likes. The whole idea behind a contest is interaction. It usually starts by asking the user to contribute something. This could be the answer to a question, such as “What is your favorite thing about owning a dog and why?.” Or you can ask your fans to send in a photograph or a video of their dog enjoying life.
You then get the other users of your Facebook page to vote on who they think should be the winner (who gave the best answer, had the best photo, or submitted the best video).
There’s a lot of interaction with this type of promotion (both in the participation and the voting) that will help to build your page, and drive visitors to your website.
5. Poll
This type of promotion is harder to execute and it doesn’t suit all businesses. But if you’re in the right sector and come up with great ideas, polls can work. It could be “Do you like the latest Tom Cruise movie?” with the option for the user to click either yes or no. Or you could run something much more local and specific to your business. Participating in the poll means interacting with your page, which is always good.
Become a Popular Place to Hang Out
Remember that while Facebook is a great way to build your Facebook page and encourage interaction, there are also reasons why your business should be on Google+ and other platforms. You’ll want to assess all of your social media options, and have a good understanding of the objectives you want to achieve. If you do this right, you’ll know what you’re getting into with Facebook promotions. And you won’t end up hanging with that sorry soul in the nightclub.
via: ipage
Written by Jessica Ann
