Facebook might seem overwhelming. Where do you start? Take a moment to run through these considerations. As you read through them, keep your organization’s goals in mind and jot down ideas as they come to you. Let's go through the list.
Content
Everything you post on Facebook is content. As we know from the News Feed algorithm, how users interact with that content is important. Consider every piece of content you post an opportunity for increased and specific engagement, and don't be afraid to have a little fun. While completely on-brand, you can see many company posts can be a bit unexpected and show they're not afraid to show their human side. Also, images are incredibly effective on Facebook—posts with photos get, on average, 39% more engagement.
Post timing
Also related to the ingredients of your content is when and how you post it. Be sure you're tracking what time of day your fans are most active. Focusing your engagements during these times will help you grow your community. Also be sure to pay attention to things like sentence structure, phrasing, and types of posts that are particularly engaging to your audience. Many Facebook users check the site on their lunch breaks and after dinner, and while the latter is outside of normal business hours, it's worth testing to see if that's a time when your audience is looking for content.
Moderation
Brands have increasing levels of responsibility for user-generated content posted on their walls or in comments. You'll want to proactively think through your stance on inappropriate content on your Facebook page, and your best practice would be to make this stance publicly available. This lets your community know what you will and will not allow, lessens the chance of a surprise, and builds a sense of safety and sets expectations.
Facebook is an open and public space, so you can't control everything people say:
Instances in which it is appropriate to remove user content would include: advertorial content, harassment and abuse, derogatory or offensive language, threatening posts, and posts that contain sensitive information (credit card numbers, addresses, etc.).
Instances in which you should address the comments instead of removing them include: customer complaints, negative commentary, and critical statements. You may not like what people always have to say, but in social, you always have to listen.
Engagement
Because we are building something rooted in relationships, you can take full advantage by joining in the conversation with your customers. They want to interact with your brand, and are going out of their way to do so. Honor that. The type of conversation will dictate the cadence and rhythm of your response. This is largely dependent on your product as well; for example, an airline's response rates to customer service issues ought to be rather quick, as their customers' needs are likely far more time sensitive than those in another industry. Only you can determine what is right for your organization and product, but at least in the initial stages of building a community, it's better to err on the side of faster responses.
Community
Make your audience's experience on Facebook about their experience and their connections rather than your CTR and conversion rates. Concentrate on them, and you'll succeed. Your audience will turn into a community that thrives, grows, and supports one another. By enabling engagement within the audience, you can help increase the level of stickiness and affinity they will have to the brand, moving toward customer advocacy.
User flow
While the page environment Facebook gives brands is mostly set, you want to make sure you're directing your users where you want them to go. If I am a user looking for support or help, will I know where to go? Just as you do when designing landing pages for your website, consider the goals of your Facebook page. What do you want users to do when they land on your page? What information do they need to be able to access easily? Make sure these elements are front and center. You can easily change the order of the apps and even optimize the icons used to display those apps for visibility. JetBlue is a great example of a clear and obvious user flow.
Credibility
A huge part of your brand is built on trust, and the foundation of that trust is your credibility. Grammar and spelling are universally important, and all efforts for their correct uses should be made. Fact-check sources and news before sharing them on your networks. Ensure the safety of your users by not sharing links to malicious sites. Essentially, make sure you don't give your community a reason to believe you are anything other than what you are: awesome!
