Get Noticed on Facebook: Improve your EdgeRank and Engage your Fans

As a Facebook Page owner, you may have wondered just how many of your fans actually see any given post.   After all, each Facebook user’s news feed is unique, displaying only a small sample of recent posts from people and companies they follow.   How do you make the cut?

While this selection of updates may seem completely random, there are actually some complex processes at work behind the scenes.  Your news feed is essentially Facebook’s best guess at which activity you will find important or interesting.

At its core, it's a very simple and logical principle: the more effort a user makes, the "closer" the relationship.  If two people communicate regularly, Facebook will naturally assume they are friends.  If one person routinely shows interest in a particular page or product, Facebook will make sure they see more.

This calculation is called an “EdgeRank".  In plain English, it all comes down to a simple rule:
Readers need to react to your posts to see more of them.

The following steps will encourage your readers to respond, ensuring a closer community and greater long-term Facebook exposure.

How to improve your Facebook EdgeRank:

• Start a discussion. End each update with a question.  Give your followers the chance to share their experiences and advice, and when they do, make sure you respond in kind, even with a simply “thank you”.  Your Facebook page is a community, not a one-way channel.  Be sure to make the most of it.
  
  
• Post a question or poll. Facebook’s recently-introduced “Question” feature is a fantastic way to encourage easy interaction.  When somebody votes, their fans may be notified, allowing a broader audience to participate.  (While contentious issues and hot topics are great for encouraging discussion, be careful not to make a question too heated or political!)
  
  
• Post pictures, audio and video. Not only does this make your Facebook page more visually appealing; it’s also a perfect way to improve your EdgeRank.  If a reader clicks “play” or simply opens a photo, they have already participated!
  
  
• Ask your fans to click “share”. There is no harm in simply asking.  If your update or link is genuinely worth sharing, someone will be happy to oblige.  (This can be very powerful when spreading a positive message or promoting a good cause.)
  
  
• Link to useful or entertaining pages. This content does not need to be your own.  By sharing a helpful, relevant link, you’re still improving your public image as an expert in your field.  Never underestimate the pulling power of an entertaining YouTube video!
  
  
• Promote your Facebook presence in other media. If response rates are low, ask website visitors or newsletter subscribers to join in.  Hold special Facebook-only promotions, or better yet, embed a permanent Like Box on your website's front page to do the promotion for you.  Remember that only a small percentage of readers tend to reply in an online environment.  A little extra effort enticing them will go a long way.
  

Happily, these are all great social media marketing techniques regardless.  Do your best to connect with your community, and Facebook will reward your good work.

Interested in getting the most out of your social media?  We'd love to help!  Call Sustainable Marketing on 1300 699 085 and book a meeting today!

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