We all hit a bit of a marketing ‘content creation’ slump at times. Suddenly, we can’t even come up with a single interesting idea and our Facebook page feels like its dying from inactivity. That’s quite reasonable; we have a lot on our minds (like keeping all the other plates spinning in our business).
Here’s a quick refresher on 5 proven ways to create shareable content with business Facebook posts (the more things get shared, the more people you reach). Each idea starter showcases your business story in a unique way and helps you stay connected with customers and reach new prospects.
The big idea here is to Use Visuals; photo, video, quotes or memes – people pay more attention to (and respond better to) posts with something to look at by a factor of two, sometimes three to one.
1. Make a Quick Video
I can’t say it enough: People would rather watch the internet than read the internet. Video content rules the social landscape these days. So post short videos about your business, about your products and services (how to use them and showing the benefits), something cool about your employees, a quick customer testimonial or compliment. Share videos that share your business story in a particular way.
You don’t need professional equipment to create a video. Use your smartphone and be yourself. The most important part about sharing any aspect of your business story though video is…you!
Upload the video directly to Facebook for the biggest image (posting YouTube Videos to Facebook just puts up a little thumbnail) and the best reach. I’ve noticed that the videos we put directly on Facebook get many more views than the links to YouTube.
2. Share Quotes.
A great quote accompanied by a cool image makes an immediate impact and is easy for your followers to share to their friends and family. This is a fun way to express some of the values your business stands for – and it’s also a way of sharing your business story without even talking about business. Use a real person in the photo and a real quote from them (or you) – make it fun. There are plenty of profound words of wisdom floating around the internet for you to choose from. And there are many image editing services that you can use. Try www.picmonkey.com for free. And www.canva.com is a great site for creating beautiful quotable pics. I use the ‘Cover’ and ‘Instaquote’ apps on my iPhone with ease. There are many options for ios and android.
3. How-To articles.
Everyone likes to learn something. You know something. So teach your followers something useful. As a small business owner you have a wealth of information you can offer folks – so write a series of blog posts that help customers learn how they can use your products and services both creatively and effectively. Your job is to make some aspect of their lives better. So let your authority shine through your blog and then share it out to your FB followers (of course using an eye catching image). This is also a great way to drive traffic back to you blog from readers who like what you have to say and want to explore your other posts.
4. Curate Cool Content.
Simply put; post other people’s stuff that matters to your followers. No business owner operates in a silo. The people who influenced you and helped you become an authority in your area of expertise may be the people whose blogs or posts you follow to keep abreast of industry trends. This is information you can easily share with your Facebook followers. Your willingness to talk about the folks who influence you in your career actually increases your authority with your audience. And another benefit of sharing curated content is that you create connections with professionals who appreciate having their content shared forward.
5. Ask a Question.
Engaging with your followers is part of the fun of Facebook. Unsure how to start a conversation? Ask a question! You can pose it as a problem you need help solving. Ask a question a customer needs help solving. Ask your customers what they would like – you may be surprised to find a need that you can easily solve, just because you asked..
Try any or all of these 5 tips for creating and sharing great business Facebook posts and pretty soon you’ll see which ones generate the most likes, comments and shares. Focus on those types of content and offer more of it to your followers. As you do this, you’ll find that your content creation comes more naturally and you’ll begin generating fresh ideas for topics to share. Your followers will connect more often and your business Facebook page will be more effective.
