
The #1 social media challenge? How to get more people to "like" your business on Facebook. (*photo: 123rf.com)
No doubt about it, being liked is important to many people. One of the questions we’re most frequently asked is “how do I get people to like my page?”
It’s no wonder all this social media marketing stuff sometimes seems more like an obssessive popularity contest than a communications strategy. There is, however, a great deal of value to being “liked” on Facebook, followed on Twitter, connected on LinkedIn, or circled on Google+. You might not be using all of those channels, and that’s okay; they each have their own advantages and unique audiences. Most small business owners start promoting their businesses through social media by setting up a Facebook business page. Whichever channel(s) you choose, the important thing is to develop positive relationships with the people who are most interested in your product or service.
Put People First
Always remember that whether you’re talking about life, business or social media, relationships are the key. In most cases, people prefer to do business with people, companies or brands that thrive on excellence, are knowledgable, ethical, fair, trustworthy and fun. If that is who you are and who your customers see you as being then you have an great chance of being “liked” on Facebook.
Are Numbers Really Important?
The number of likes you have is not simply an indication of popularity. One of the ongoing debates between online marketers and social media watchers is about the importance of the number of “likes” or followers a business has. Some argue that tracking and placing a heavy emphasis on such numbers is necessary to demonstrate return on investment. How else can you justify the time and/or expense involved in using social media to promote your business without a number to measure your progress?
The other side of the debate suggests that the quantity of followers isn’t as important as the quality. Better to have 500 actively engaged followers who like, comment, and share your posts than 5,000 who have no interaction with you.
It’s true that measuring ROI in business is important, and the number of followers can be read as an indicator of whether or not your social media efforts are delivering value. When people “like” your page they have the opportunity of seeing your posts in their newsfeed. Having a large number of people “like” your page means you are reaching more potential clients to develop relationships with. So, having a big number of followers is what really matters, right? Not necessarily.
Get Engaged
On Facebook, having an engaged fanbase also drives value, and ultimately, is one of the more important factors in reaching more clients. Facebook has its own algorithm or formula for determining what items you see in your newsfeed. Like Facebook, this is constantly evolving, but the amount of engagement (likes, comments, shares) a post receives is one of several factors weighting the visibility and lifetime of a post. And you will want your posts to be seen by as many people for as long and as often as possible, yes?
Engagement is also the way in which you develop those relationships. How much of a relationship do you have if people won’t respond to you? Could you describe it as being a good one? If people aren’t engaging with you it’s difficult for those relationships to blossom.
Be More Likable
What will make your page likable is if you are sharing posts to which others respond. Why should someone like your page if you never post anything? Or if your posts aren’t offering useful or entertaining content in a personal way?
People use social media to connect with family and friends, share interests or to be entertained. This means that you have to offer something of value for people to allow you into their social space. So before you ask for more people to like your business page, make sure you’re giving them a good reason to do so. If you are, you’ll be more likable and people will click that button.
For more on social media or other business communications help, be sure to click our “like”.



























