What Happens After the “Like”
Unlike what most people think, a Facebook “Like” is just the beginning, not the end of a relationship. It is the first step a reader has made in engaging with your business. It’s up to you what happens next.
Ultimately, engagement is when people say “Yes, I’m interested in your company. Please tell me more.”
The following steps will help you engage your blog readers and turn them into faithful followers.
1. Develop An Editorial Calendar
If you’re just starting out with social media, keep your calendar nice and simple. Answer this question: what are you going to share and to whom? Create a weekly calendar with specific topics for your audience. This will help you remain organized and focused on your long-term goals.
2. When Share Your Link, Give It A Catchy Headline & Brief Description.
The purpose of sharing your link is to lead the audience to your offer. Most people do not blindly click on links, they read the headline and the description. Write a short lead that includes the key facts of your piece so a hurried reader can quickly get the basics of the story.
Here is how a “normal” post looks like on Facebook and Twitter.
- Facebook Status Update – “Check out my latest post on (topic) – (link)”
- Tweet – “Check out my latest post on (topic) – (link) RT”
These are simple and totally dull messages. Instead, focus on your topic – this is your selling pitch that instantly targets interested readers. Give people a hook so they’ll want to click on your link.
Try these options instead:
- Facebook – “Want more readers on your blog? Here are five tips to promote your blog via social media sites. Feel free to share – (link)”
- Tweet – “How to #promote your #blog using #socialmedia – (link) RT”
3. Know Your Audience.
The more you know and understand your audience the better. Use Google Analytics to see what keywords drive in more traffic. Analyze the Facebook Insights on your Facebook page and use the data to better connect and engage with your community.
4. Ask Your Readers To Respond.
In order to get something, oftentimes we just have to ask. If you want your readers to engage with your content, ask them. Make it easy for them to leave comments on your posts by having a simple comment section and including a discussion question at the end and asking them to share their thoughts with you. Don’t be shy in requesting their engagement via polls, contests, videos, graphics, RSS feeds etc.
5. Always Respond.
If someone asks you a question, mentions you on Twitter or posts a comment on your Facebook wall, always reply as soon as you can. Ignoring your readers is a big mistake and that’s certainly a quick way to keep them from coming back.
Don’t just reply with a boring “Thank you” – add your personal touch to every message. This lets them know that not only do you value their time to send you a comment, but that you acknowledge their input and responded in kind.
Track Your Results
Experiment with various types of content to see what your readers like best. Measure the results and repeat what works. Engaging your readers doesn’t have to be hard – all you need is good content, attention to feedback and persistence. Hopefully, these five steps will help you drive your readers into creating a sense of community around your blog.