12 Free Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Facebook Page

Your fancy new Facebook page is ready for the world to see.Now you want to know: What do you do to build followers? It’s tempting to click that little “Invite Friends to Like this Page” button ... but don’t!" Okay, maybe your mom, Uncle Mike, and that weird kid who sat behind you in high school geometry class will oblige you, but the people you need to engage with your page aren’t the friends you already have. You need to drive new traffic to your page - the right kind of traffic that is more likely to convert to customers.Another tempting tactic is to buy Facebook ads. With Facebook’s ad manager, using a customized audience to target your ads to could help drive the right traffic to your page, but unless you really understand the ROI of your Facebook efforts, you could be dumping a lot of money down the drain.Before you invest any dollars, try these simple, free strategies to help you drive traffic to your page. This list of eight includes things you can do within the content of your posts to get people clicking that Like (or Follow) button. An old colleague of mine used to use this metaphor: “before you can have people over, you have to get your house in order.” In the context of driving traffic to your Facebook Page, here are eight ways you can really “spruce up the place.”

1. Offer exclusive deals

Verbiage such as “Follow us on Facebook for our best deals” coupled with a “Follow” button can incentivize Page visits and followers. Make sure you mention “This deal is exclusive to our Facebook followers.”

2. Run contests (especially voting contests) to drive traffic that will engage with your page

People who participate in your contest will reach out to their friends and family and ask for their votes. Contests are especially helpful when trying to get fresh eyes on your Page.

3. Run a giveaway

Much like offering exclusive deals, giveaways drive traffic. The bonus of running a giveaway is you can also collect email addresses, which will help you in other aspects of your marketing efforts.

4. Make sure you’re posting often enough, and varying the types of posts

In the “good ‘ol days” Facebook would show all of your posts to all of your Fans. These days Facebook's "algorithm" decides which posts will appear in each of your followers’ feeds. On average, as few as two percent of your followers will see the content you post. In addition to posting often, and varying the types of content you post (video, photos, stories, etc.), there are other ways you can beat the Facebook algorithm. Just remember there's a fine line between posting often enough and too often -- and most Facebook experts say posting one or two times a day is plenty.

5. Post content relevant to current events

This case study shows how a business combined the power of a giveaway with the relevancy of a 2016 election. Their marketing included “Breaking News” video clips to tell a story about the giveaway, and to parody election coverage. The giveaway collected 126k entries, so just imagine the traffic they were able to drive to their Facebook Page!

6. Engage with users

You’ll obviously need to respond to comments and messages directed at you, whether they're questions, complaints or compliments. The last thing you want is for people to think you're ignoring them.

7. Offer exclusive info on your page, and always keep it updated

Perhaps your business is affected by weather. For example, a ski resort would keep their Page updated with snow conditions, traffic conditions, which parking lots still have space, and even the length of the lines at the lifts (or at the bar!). Updating your Facebook Page is a piece of cake - making constant updates to your website may not be. A word of advice: If you're going to use Facebook to update customers about your business, just make sure you do it on a regular basis so people know where they can reliably get the information they need.

8. Ditch the sales pitch

It’s one thing to offer deals and discounts on your Facebook Page, but it’s entirely another thing to always be selling to your fanbase. Make sure you’re offering content that isn’t screaming “BUY OUR STUFF.” Mixing in posts that are humorous and offer relevant info related to your business (for example, an exterminator might post tips to keep summertime ants at bay) will keep your content light and inviting.

These next four ideas are things you can do outside of Facebook to help drive potential new followers to your Facebook Page:

9. Promote the exclusive deals you’re offering on your Facebook Page

It’s not enough to offer exclusive deals on your Facebook Page - you have to tell people about them. From your online store, website, blog, Instagram posts, etc., say something like, “Want to get 30% off? Go to our Facebook Page for deals like this one and tons more.”

10. Ask participants to Like your Page as a step to participating in a contest or giveaway

Although it’s against Facebook’s Page Guidelines to require participants to Like or Share your contest when entering, you can always ask them to. For example, your “Steps to Enter” could read, “1. Like this Page, 2. Fill in the Form, etc.

11. Promote the exclusive info you post on your Facebook Page

From your website, blog, or other social media sites, direct people to find the info they’re looking for on your Facebook Page. In the example I mentioned earlier, a ski resort could keep their Facebook Page updated with snow conditions, times for lift lines, etc. The ski resort could post one static message on their website saying, “For the latest snow conditions, parking, and lift line length, visit us on Facebook."

12. Invite followers from other social media channels

If your Facebook Page is where you want to drive traffic, let followers on your other social media channels know that Facebook is where the action is. For more Facebook Page promotion tips as well as other ways to boost your social media marketing, subscribe to our blog.

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