You want to get Facebook followers fast, don’t you?
You’re looking for that super-secret hack.
A way to get followers and a ton of likes without doing anything, huh?
Well…
Go somewhere else.
This post is about building a true following for your Facebook business page.
You’ll find a set of smart ways to launch toward 1000 fans so it’s not just a number…
…you’ll get engagement by creating real shares, comments, likes, and sales.
Building a True Following on Facebook and IG
What do we mean by a true following?
I’d define it as so:
- Loyal
- Engaged
- Vocal
These are followers liking, sharing, and commenting on your status. Not all the time, but frequently enough they’re helping build a brand.
We like seeing big numbers on social media.
What’s the point if nothing happens? You’re running an affiliate business, and the business relies on generating sales to stay afloat and profitable. Likes, shares, and comments don’t pay the bills.
True followers… are the people willing to buy what you’re offering.
Want to get more followers on a Facebook business page? Here’s how.
FB Fan Building Method #1: Funnel Customer Lists to a Fan Page or Group
It’s business as usual:
- Export your customer list for the sales database
- Import the list into an email marketing platform
- Send an introductory email and ask people to follow you on FB
You could import this list into the Facebook ad platform, creating lookalike audiences too. This creates an FB ad campaign reaching people much like your current customers.
Don’t have a customer list?
Use an email list.
Build one using email marketing tools:
Email followers signal they’re willing to follow your brand. They’re no different than a customer list. Funnel them using the same method.
FB Fan Building Method #2: Embed the FB Social Plugin on Your Site
Adding the social plugin to your site will get Facebook followers fast if you’ve got decent site traffic.
Pros of adding it:
- Easy-to-notice
- Gets followers on-site
Cons of adding it:
- Can slow down the site
I think it’s a decent trade-off when you’re building a Facebook following. Plus, you could use a lightweight FB follower plugin in place of the official code snippet/plugin.
To get the Facebook embed code:
- Go to https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/page-plugin/
- Fill in the Page URL, select the tab, choose the dimensions, and opt for extras
- Click ‘Get Code’
The sidebar is the likely candidate where it’ll go. Or the footer.
- WordPress: Embed it with a sidebar widget
- Other sites: Embed it by copying/pasting the code
Now you’ve alerted visitors to your Facebook business/fan page. Plus, gave them a one-click follow button — this should increase your fans & followers fast.
FB Fan Building Method #3: Create and Share Likeable Content
Your best content won’t always do well on social media.
Facebook users get flooded with content. They’ll scroll and scroll until something catches their attention. Or, they notice friends & family sharing & engaging in a post.
They often want something quick & engaging, tapping emotion.
Think:
- Happiness
- Shock
- Laughter
I suggest you check out our mega list of Facebook content ideas – but here were some of my favs:
- Story-telling. Sharing something unique that happened to you or the business. This lets people project into the story, engaging their interests and emotions. It resonates with the audience.
- User content. Turn your FB page into their platform by sharing their stories. People love the limelight, put them in it and people will help promote the content and page.
- Q&A. This works with written content but even better using FB live video. You could start an AMA (ask me anything), answering questions and funneling interest back to the business.
The point is being in-tuned with your audience, giving them what they want. Dig into the FB analytics to see which posts do best, then keep posting those.
Another way to do things:
- Promote a “fluffy” post like quotes or a great photo
- Follow it with educational/promotional content
The “fluffy” content puts you back on their feed – if they engaged – so your next post (educational one) is more likely seen.
FB Fan Building Method #4: Invite Users
Don’t be shy.
Facebook suggests you invite users to the page who showed engagement. You’ll get a notification after an FB campaign completes. You’ve “locked” them in with the post, now get them a regular user.
You could also:
- Click the “…and others” under the post
- Sort to see who’s not an FB fan
- Send an invite
You can do this up to about 100K users before it cuts off. I wouldn’t go overboard, spamming it every day. But, make it a regular thing whenever checking your FB page. You could pick up a few extra followers shortly after their post-engagement.
FB Fan Building Method #5: Optimize the Business/Fan Page
Yes, you can apply SEO tactics to a Facebook fan or business page helping it reach more people. Plus, a well-ranked FB page and presence can help boost social signals for the business site. It’s a win/win.
Here’s what you’d do:
- Pick a name relevant to your brand or industry, tapping a keyword
- Update the vanity URL (when available) to include a branded or rich keyword
- Fill out all the good parts of the FB page like images, about, and contact
Keep in mind:
- Creating strong hooks and offers to entice post-content clicks
- Giving video content a try, creating small videos for your FB audience
- Adding page tabs for a shop, blog section, and other neat features
I suggest treating your FB page like your website.
What does that mean?
Spending time creating unique content for that audience. Or, promoting it the same as you would the site through guest posting, advertising, and mentions. Seeing it as a business asset.
FB Fan Building Method #6: Do Contests and Promotions
Try one of these social media contest tools:
- Woobox
- Rafflecopter
- Wishpond
These provide an easy way to create and share referrals promos, voting, and media contests.
Try:
- Photo submissions of using your products
- Caption contests with fill-in-the-blanks
- Quizzes with prizes for top-scoring users
- Referral bonuses to best performers
- Fan voting for coupons and exclusives
People love free stuff.
The fan quality attracted from freebies and giveaways isn’t the best. I recommend you keep contests within the community – use them as a reward for passionate followers.
The inclusion will attract like-minded others when followers onboard their friends & family.
FB Fan Building Method #7: Advertise the FB Page
FB advertising is insanely targeted if you know what you’re doing.
I’d recommend:
- Test content using a boosted post, seeing what resonates
- Rework the post into an ad format, stripping fluff and improving CTA
- Selecting targeted users using your market and audience persona criteria
You could also:
- Import a customer or email list
- Create a lookalike audience
- Send ads to those individuals
Make sure to have this ad going on Instagram, too.
The ad should tout the page’s benefits like:
- What you share
- Value you provide
- Incentives and offers
Yeah, it’s paying for followers, but this selective advertising will attract the best types. The one person willing to engage is well worth the investment vs brand exposure that goes unnoticed.
Getting Facebook Fans is a Marathon, Not a Race
Getting fans parallel viral traffic in some ways:
- Tons of attention
- Little, real engagement
Many businesses will pay for fans – funneling low-quality users, often bots, to the page. This may look nice in numbers, but the engagement is abysmal. It’s far better to gain a tight-knit group of fans.
Try one of the FB strategies I’ve got on this list. See what works.
Then… repeat it day in and day out, and you’ll get to that 1000 true fan mark soon enough.
