Are you getting little or no response on your Facebook page? Would you like more interaction from your fans? Have you just launched your Facebook page and you don’t know where to begin? Running a Facebook Page for your small business can test your ability to staying committed to being there for your audience.

It’s time to get ready and get happy about boosting your fans like only you can.

The benefits of greater Facebook fan engagement

Facebook has incorporated a ranking system, known as EdgeRank, which determines which posts should appear near the top of individual users’ News Feeds based on their interests and interaction.

EdgeRank is determined by how often an individual interacts with your posts, how visual and interactive they are (images, videos, etc), and how recent the posts are.

You can read about EdgeRank in more detail in Mari Smith’s article about Facebook EdgeRank, where she quotes Jeff Widman of BrandGlue.com as concluding “some 88% of Facebook users never return to a fan page once they’ve clicked the Like button. Instead, they see and engage with your content in their News Feed.”

Because of this, it is now more important than ever to engage with your Facebook fans. Here are some tips that will help your business shine on Facebook.

1. Be interesting

Post like you want to grab someone’s attention. Your fans have busy days, and busy News Feeds, just like you. Don’t post humdrum that just blends in with the grey. Have some personality and colour.

You can keep it interesting by varying your content and still make it relevant to your business offerings. Create a mix of statements, images, videos and feel free to share other people’s content, if you think that will interest your fans. If you sell nails, don’t just talk about nails – post items about furniture, hobbies, architecture or anything related to the items you sell. Bring life to your subject.

2. Talk about your consumer, not about you

People love to talk about themselves, so make your community feel like you are listening to them and you are aware of what they need. Don’t constantly talk ‘at’ them about how great your business is. Talk about a customer’s outcomes due to what you have done for them. Go over needs and wants amongst your fans, and offer them a solution. Be a valuable resource. Make their day.

3. Ask questions

Aim for questions that are specific so they require only short answers, such as yes/no questions, or ‘what did you have for breakfast’. These types of questions get the most responses.

You can use the Facebook Question feature to create a simple poll as a post.

Ask for help or advice. You may be the authority on your subject to your Facebook fans, but this in itself can make them feel extra thrilled about taking part and offering their point of view.

4. Create a contest

This is a great way to get your fans involved in posting on your wall. Whether you offer them a valuable prize or simply the chance to be a star for a day; if you give the contest a fun edge and make it simple to participate, you can be the winner.

5. Hold a live Q & A session on your wall

Establish a day and time to be present on your Facebook wall and answer questions in real time. This can add a real sense of personal connection with your audience. Announcing ‘Q&A Friday’ sessions to your fans could really create the grounding for a regular community hangout. Depending on the size of your community, you may want to consider creating an event.

Whether you are just starting out with your Facebook page or not, it pays to be creative, thoughtful and positive about being there for your audience. Give them what they want, and be rewarded with better News Feed visibility and a growing fan base.

Do you have any tricks up your sleeve for boosting Facebook fan engagement? Share your thoughts in the box below.