Why is it important to get likes on Facebook to improve your marketing with Facebook?

When it comes to marketing with Facebook, the importance of a “Like” is more than just something to show off. Someone directly interacting with your page in this way shows some measure of interest in your business. This is an essential channel to have open as a Facebook marketing partner. This allows engagement from your customers in a non-invasive, friendly way without any coercion that could cause a backlash.

While a customer may not shop with you that often, depending on your service or product, having them “Like” your page means that you can still talk to them in a meaningful way. Sending out emails with special offers are hit and miss and could land you in the spam folder.  Using Facebook marketing you can post often and keep your customers engaged. It doesn’t have to be specials or targeted posts, simply posts that keep your customers enjoying your page. When marketing with Facebook, even having Edge rank only reaches around 15% of your audience. Posting often ensures that your potential customers see your posts and keeps your business at the forefront of their minds.

There are numerous ways to increase likes in an organic way, both on and off Facebook. You don’t have to be an expert to do it either. As a Facebook marketing partner, you can learn to use the Facebook “Like” button plugin as well as “Like” gates to increase your page likes.

Here are  7 ways to get those likes!

Contests

Facebook marketing using contests is one of the easiest ways to get new fans. People are lured to your page with the promise of a prize that is relevant to your brand, and hence your target audience. Once on your page, interested people are far more likely to hit that “Like” button to hear from you in the future.  Many contest apps have features known as “Like” gates. This allows people to only see the contest once they have liked your page. Enabling the “Like” gate on these contest apps will ensure you receive many more fans interested in what you offer.

Coupons

Just as with contests, when marketing with Facebook, you can also offer coupons to your potential customers hidden behind a “Like” gate. Having this in place for redeeming coupons means the coupon cannot be used unless the page is liked. Some sites only allow coupons to be redeemed once enough people have claimed them. This can also ensure more traffic as interested people will share with friends and family in order to reach the threshold at which the coupon unlocks. You can use these on your website as well, gaining added likes from customers already interested in your product or service.

E-books

Education can incentivize many people that prizes and coupons may not. Offering free content that is helpful to your market can go a long way to boost your Facebook marketing goals. Like-gate the content on your website to gain those likes before your customers can download the e-book. Your conversion rate should also be improved by this if your Facebook Ads link to pages on the Facebook site, rather than ones that link directly to pages.  For example: Create an online form that can be added to a Tab on your Facebook page which needs to be liked to gain access, and has the download on the Tab. Instant likes and higher conversion rates!

Facebook Ads

Facebook marketing would not work without Facebook Ads. These ads are targeted to your audience directly and get your page seen by the right clientele. This is not AdWords which needs only a clear offering which can then be searched and clicked on. Facebook Ads will be shown to potential clients while they are browsing and may not have done searches related to your product or service, providing an incentive in these Ads is often necessary to drive customers to your page.

You can use one of the incentives above in your Ads to get the likes from your Facebook marketing efforts. Using the “Get More Page Likes” Ad will target people who have not already liked your page and also include a button to “Like” your page. Driving customers to your page for the “Likes” can be as simple as running an Ad saying “ “Like us to get 10% off your next purchase” or something similar. Make sure the offer is “Like” gated, so even if they don’t click on the page from the Facebook Ad, they still need to like your page to get the incentive.

Blogging

Add a button on your blog that will create a “Like” on your Facebook page on your blog. Visitors on your website, who enjoy your content are then stimulated to like and follow you on social media.  This can avoid the email spam situation but still allow you to interact with your customers in volume. Make sure the button is one of Facebook’s social plugins to make it easier for your visitors. They can click the Like without having to go through the process of going to the Facebook page first. By making it simple you can dramatically increase your Facebook marketing attempts without any extra effort on your side as well.

Website header button

Just as simple as adding the buttons to your blog, you can also add a “Like” button on your Website header.  While this may not bring in a ton of “Likes” on any given day, it adds up over time and dramatically improves your Facebook marketing efforts.

Exclusive Videos

People love exclusive access! By putting a “Like” gate in place and offering exclusive videos such as live events, interviews, behind-the-scenes and other interesting media, you can gain a ton of extra likes. Just as with the e-books, have the videos “Like” gated and on a Tab on your Facebook page. There are many 3rd party apps that can assist with this.  Remember, to keep your customer’s trust, these need to be genuine videos that they can’t find elsewhere. With the range of media available to the public, the videos would need to be special to bring in the “Likes”.

When it comes to marketing with Facebook you can use a combination of any or all of the above to garner extra “Likes” on your page which could result in added sales. If you don’t have a huge budget as a Facebook marketing partner, you must expect the likes to come in slowly over time.  This organic growth is preferred and you end up with “Likes” on your page from genuinely interested people.  Don’t forget your call to action on all your traffic touchpoints to get those “Likes” flowing in!