SIMPLE Facebook tips to help build a community and get traffic. The Common sense way to connect with your readers.
1. The Page itself. You need to sign up for an actual Facebook PAGE. If you are a blog or a business, trying to build a community using a Facebook Profile just isn't a good idea. If your readers have to Request to be friends with your blog or business, you are going to lose out. Besides, a Facebook PAGE has resources and applications that you just can't get on a profile.
2. Keep it simple. I've seen a lot of pages that have all sorts of tabs and applications attached to it. Some are worthwhile, but too much is just going to get lost. In all honesty, most people don't look at the tabs. They read the wall and then move on.
3. Be there. Don't expect that your readers will like your page and stick around to read it if you aren't there posting. You need to interact with your community to have a community.
4. Avoid "ME". When you are posting, try to avoid the ME posts. For example instead of saying, "Thank you for liking MY page", Say "Thank you for joining US." Refer to the page as a we page. This makes your readers feel important and part of a community. Also avoid referring to your readers as "fans" or "likers" or "followers". Refer to them as FRIENDS. This also promotes community.
5. ALWAYS try to post a picture with your blog posts. Some use Networked Blogs for publishing their posts. A picture post gets 80% more clicks then just a link post does.
6. Promote your likers. Do a Facebook Follow Thursday. Readers post their pages for you to like and others to see. If your readers can count on you, you can count on them when you need a little help.
7. Be yourself. When people ask you questions or leave comments, you need to reply. Be yourself. Have fun. If you make it personal, your readers will also. They will be able to form an attachment to you and your page. If they LIKE you, you can count on them to share.
8. Share posts from other blogs. This is a great way to give your readers interesting content, and to promote your page. If you share a post with your reader from another blog, that blogger may well return the favor! Just make sure the post you share is in line with the subject of your page. If you are a food blogger and you share a post about breast feeding, it isn't going to get much notice.
9. Market yourself. In order to build a good community around your Facebook page, you need to market your page just like you do your blog. Find other pages similar to your's. Like them and participate in their community. You can also find Facebook Hops to help promote your page.
10. DON’T SPAM. If you post your link on other pages walls just out of the blue with no reason, it will just be deleted. When you like a page absolutely post, "New Fan from (your page). I love your page and your blog! Drop by and say hi sometime." DON’T be demanding, "Liked you from (….) would appreciate a like back." That will not get you many friends.
If you would like to post something like a link on someone else's wall ,why not ask them first? 9 times out of 10 they will say yes. If you post without asking, 9 times out of 10 it will be deleted. And please, don't post on peoples pages asking for votes! Very annoying!
Tips from MommyDsKitchen (now closed).
