We were asked in a webinar how to get more likes on Facebook. This is a fabulous question because Facebook is a great tool for building your online presence, buzz and ultimately, your business prospects. Follow these tips below for how to get started.
1. First off, make sure your business is on Facebook.
Showing up is half the battle, right? To get Likes, you first need a presence! You most likely already have a personal page for your friends and family to share content, but you should also create a Fan Page for your business.
Why? There are many reasons but really you want your clients to view content from your studio–your blog collages, recent photo shoots, news, packages and services, etc.–plus you don’t have to worry about separating out private and personal posts vs. professional ones. I can’t tell you how many times I’m searching for someone on Facebook under the studio’s name and I can’t find you! Make it easy for your clients to find your business online and create a Fan Page.
Also, sometimes I get, “But I don’t do Facebook.” I hear this all the time from my parents and that’s fine for them, but if you’re currently running a business and there are roughly 1 Billion users on Facebook, chances are, a lot of your customers are, too. So, set up a Fan Page, keep it professional, only post what you want clients to know about you and why they should choose to do business with you.
2. Create great content.
Someone is more likely to visit your Facebook page and potentially your website if you have something that interests them. Your clients would love to Like you if you engage them. If your page is full of your beautiful imagery from previous sessions, quotes (everyone loves these!) or helpful tips on local events in the neighborhood, vendor info., etc., they are more likely to Like you. That way, they’ll receive all these helpful tidbits right in their newsfeed.
3. Offer discounts, giveaways, or something your clients want in return for a Like.
It’s perfectly OK to run a contest or offer a promotion in exchange for Likes. It’s become commonplace these days. Simply set up a contest with a third-party service, such as ShortStack or Woobox, among many others. This allows you to collect emails from your promo and you can then gift those people who have liked you something special or send an email with a coupon code for services you offer.
(snapshot above of a free eBook from Fundy Software)
Here’s a short list of ideas for something to give away:
- An eBook Posing Guide,
- PDF on what to wear to a portrait shoot, or
- Wedding day flow/checklist for newly engaged couples.
4. Ask for Likes.
You should be email marketing and sending at least 2-3 campaigns a month (that’s a different blog post altogether), but what a great email to send to former clients–ask them to Like your page. This is key for a couple of reasons. The old saying goes, it doesn’t hurt to ask, right? Say hello to your previous clients, remind them of your fantastic services you provided them and ask for a favor in return by Liking you. And if necessary, go one step further and offer them 10% off an additional session or product in 2013 in return for the Like.
Why is all this Liking business important?
It’s important for a variety of reasons. As your business grows, you want your social media presence to grow with it. The more Likes you have, the more reach you have for your posts of your work to get passed around (branded, I hope! That’s another post, too) and potentially get in front of new clients in your community. Also, if you promote a post, which you can do for as low as $5 via Facebook, this will get sent out to your Fans and friends of Fans, so this widens your reach as well. See our previous blog post on Promoted Posts here.
(Above: Here’s an example of a contest we’re running. You could easily grab an image from your last shoot and put some copy on there about a promotion you’re running this Fall.)
Everybody wants to be liked, right? So pay attention to your social media presence. Also important: Pay it forward. Remember to like your friends’ businesses, too. If you Like all the vendors in your community, feel free to ask for a Like from them. This connects you to them online and their customers may see your future promoted post for a portrait/wedding/senior session and book you.
Happy Liking!
