Likes, Comments and Shares: Tactics for Increasing Facebook Friend Activity
The key to succeeding in social media is creating a lot of buzz and activity around your profile or fan page. Activity begets more activity – driving interest and attention, pushing your video, photo or link higher in the news feed.
So how do you generate more likes, comments or shares on your Facebook posts? Try these simple tactics for increasing Facebook friend activity…
Simple Tactics for Increasing Facebook Friend Activity
Be Interesting – No pressure or anything, but the only way to get any friend activity is to be interesting. What counts as interesting depends entirely on your audience, but a good place to start is funny, inspirational or informative content.
Court Controversy – Consider weighing in on controversial or divisive issues, knowing that your friends will start a debate. Ask your friends for their opinion on a current event or share your opinion on an issue you are passionate about.
Know Your Audience – Learn what your audience is interested in. Pay attention to what they like, comment and share. Tune into what gets likes, comments and shares in the news feed.
Respond to Comments – Comments lead to more comments. Simply responding to comments generates more comments. Tag the friend who left the comment so your response shows up in their notifications bringing them back to the discussion.
Play Tag – Tagging people (selectively) when the discussion in relevant to them is an effective strategy for getting more comments. Be careful not to overstep the boundaries of your relationship by spamming friends with irrelevant tags (a good sign is when the friend removes the tag instead of responding).
Ask for Immediate Action – Include a call to action in your Facebook posts. Ask a question in your status updates, or remind people to LIKE, comment or share your links if they enjoyed it. Give them clear instructions of what to do next and they will.
Use Different Media – Use different media: photos, video, or links instead of simple status updates. Know the media hierarchy: video and photos are ranked higher than links and status updates!
Be Consistent – Be consistent with posting at different times of the day and responding to comments on that single post instead of overwhelming your friends with too many posts. A good habit is posting in the morning, afternoon, around 5 o’clock and before bedtime.
Remember, not every tactic is appropriate for every situation. Use your good judgment, respect your Facebook friends and when in doubt, follow Grandma Mary’s rules for NOT being a social media spammer!
Tune Into Twitter – 5 Ways to Use Twitter Follower Lists
Let’s face it – Twitter is a time void…IF you don’t know what you’re doing. But for savvy social media types, it’s a wealth of information, conversation and connections! The trick is tuning into what is relevant to you and tuning out the rest!
That’s where Twitter lists come in handy! It’s a simple way to organize your Twitter stream, assuming you use a Twitter client like Hootsuite or TweetDeck, to create columns of followers you would like to follow more closely.
5 Ways to Use Twitter Follower Lists to Manage Your Twitter Time
The first step in creating Twitter lists is to decide which streams you need to monitor on a daily basis, which ones you want to tune into now and then, and which ones you want to monitor on occasion.
Then arrange them accordingly, placing your daily columns immediately to the left of your @ mentions in order of importance. Next place your now and then column to the right of your direct messages so you spot them when you check your DM’s.
Lastly place your occasional columns in a separate tab of columns or on the farthest most columns away from your daily streams.
#1: Selectively Tune In – Stay in touch with friends, fellow conference attendees, people who you admire and anyone else who you would regret missing what they have to say. You may decide to create one list or a series of lists, but keep in mind that you only have so much room for columns so choose wisely.
#2: Research the Competition – Monitor what the competition is up to by creating a column specifically for that purpose. Chances are you don’t necessarily want the competition to know you are monitoring them so categorize that list as a private list so no one but you can see who is on it.
#3: Monitor the Media – Track down all the editors and journalist who write on topics related to your business and start building that relationship. Don’t just tune into the mainstream media – consider adding meta bloggers, authors and speakers to that list because you never know when an author facing a deadline is going to tweet out a request for sources or case studies.
#4: Stamp Followers with Your Brand – Label your target audience with your brand. For example, all the follower lists for MOMeo Magazine.com are labeled with our #MOMeo brand. The key is to fill in all the list details, including your URL. So if a follower ends up on that list and doesn’t know about MOMeo Magazine yet, they soon will and hopefully they’ll take the time to go one step further and check us out!
#5: Track New Followers – Think of this list as your personal welcome wagon. TweetDeck now creates a new follower list automatically, which is definitely a helpful feature. If you aren’t using TweetDeck, get in the habit of adding new followers to your New Followers list.
How To Connect On Social Media – #1 Tip from @RickiLake
Social media has changed the world forever. In just 140 characters or an update to your Facebook status, you have the potential to connect with a complete stranger in the same town or across the globe. In an instant, Friendships are being formed. Business is taking place. People are connecting. And the world will never be the same.
But it isn’t that easy…
Many people are standing on the sidelines of social media, unsure of how to jump into the conversation and contribute their thoughts. There is uncertainty about how one can form bonds with people they have never met “face to face.”
Are you one of many asking the question, “how?”
That is why we are here and you can know one thing for sure… You are in the right place! We have teamed up with Ricki Lake, one of the most engaged celebrities on social media, to share 5 tips for connecting with people in an instant on social media.
Watch this video to hear Ricki Lake’s #1 Tip for Connecting on Social Media
2. Be Respectful.
Leave judgment at the door and respect that other people on social media have beliefs and opinions that are their own. This is what makes them unique! Just as in offline relationships, if you want to make friends, you have to be one first. If you want people to respect you, start by being respectful of them.
3. Be Inspiring.
People like social media for many reasons. Many will share that they feel uplifted and empowered to live their best life by connecting with inspiring and positive people. If you want to make a lot of friends on social media, be inspiring. Be encouraging. Be a friend.
4. Be Generous.
The more you offer to help others in life, the more “likeable” you will be. When on social media you can help others by supporting their work. Take the time to mention people, and give them positive feedback. When you re-tweet or share the content of others they feel good and are more likely to appreciate and connect with you. Remember, “it’s not about me, it’s about we”.
5. Find a Fun Community!
Following a hashtag community on Twitter or joining a group or community on Facebook is a great way to connect with people who are like you and who are usually looking for the same type of connection you are looking for. Twitter and Facebook are the largest gathering of individuals on the planet. Communities are simply small groups within. Think of communities on social media as you would small break-out sessions at a very, very large conference. The name on the door is the community. Pick the door that tells you that you share common interests with those on the other side. Then, open the door, step inside and say hello via a tweet or a post on the Facebook wall. You will be surprised that many are waiting for… you!
If you are looking for a community that is based on friendship and connection, please join Ricki Lake and the Friends of Ricki for a very special announcement and a first hand look at social media connection on Ustream at http://ustream.tv/rickilake and using Twitter hashtag #FriendsofRicki at 5pm PST this Wednesday, February 1. We look forward to seeing you and connecting with you there!
Do you have any ideas or questions about making connections on social media? Please leave your thoughts in the comments and let’s discuss.
Social Media Savvy: Being Positively Popular – Why the Secret to Social Media Success is a Smile
Is your social media glass half empty or half full?
If you are looking to attract loyal followers and fans in social media, you may want to consider showing off your positive, optimistic, Pollyanna attitude. Being upbeat and cheerful really draws a crowd.
Let’s face it – we get enough negativity in our lives, don’t we? Between the negative outlooks on the economy or the latest depressing news stories, we’re bombarded with negativity.
Why would anyone want to follow someone who gives them more of it online?
Positive posts invigorate all who read them. People who are energized by your happy attitude are attracted to you, and want to hear more. A buoyant approach to social media is the best way to generate a community of active and loyal followers, and build lasting relationships.
How to Generate Loyal Followers Just by Being Positive and Friendly
#1: Be Authentic
Yes, it’s important to have a bright attitude, but people can see if you’re being phony. Don’t pretend to be happy when you aren’t. That’s like pasting a smile on your lips. If it doesn’t reach your eyes, everyone knows you are faking it.
If you want to share about something that is bothering you or making you angry, can you put a positive spin on it? Can you write it in an entertaining way? Add a little humor to your grumpy mood.
Computer froze up 4 times today. I want to throw it through a window. I guess that’s a sign I should take a break and go shopping. Who’s coming with me?
#2: Rebroadcast Positive Posts
Connect with positive people, and repost their inspirational messages to your community. These motivational posts will further the positive image of your brand, catch the attention of key influencers, and help build valuable, lasting relationships.
#3: Roll Out the Welcome Mat
Don’t be shy! Write on your new friend’s wall, give them a shout out on Twitter, or comment positively on one of their posts. When your community is growing very quickly, it becomes almost impossible to extend personal greetings to everyone, but don’t resort to automatic messaging.
These often evoke negative feelings. Select a few interesting new followers and send each a message. Include something personal you’ve learned about them from their page. This will engage new followers and establish authentic connections.
#4: Ignore Negative Nellies (Yes, it happens, even to us Positive Patties)
How do you respond to that guy who calls you names and tells you that your opinion is stupid? You don’t. Spending time and energy in negativity is a detriment to your positive branding. Breathe, smile, and move on.
This approach does not apply when a customer is complaining about your product or company. Ignoring that kind of post can lead to increased anger and retaliation. Use good customer service skills and keep a level head.
#5: Be Funny and Entertaining
What’s the number one thing your fans and followers want? To be entertained!
Get over it! People are not visiting your Fan Page or following you on Twitter to hear more about your products and services. They only come back if you are highly entertaining.
Give ‘em what they want, in your own friendly way, and you’ll generate a happy, loyal community.
Remember social media is a virtual extension of YOU. Let your beautiful smile shine through, and you will establish loyal, lasting relationships based on happiness and success.
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