As every successful blogger knows, you need a Facebook fan page: one that encourages fan engagement – whether through posts, likes or recommends. But a really successful fan page needs the dedicated attention that a lone blogger can’t always provide – until now.
Scheduling automated updates and posts might seem fraught with potential disaster, but it shouldn’t. Today’s tools make it a breeze, and combined with a few invaluable tips (which, naturally, we’ll tell you) you’ll literally be able to do it in your sleep.
First of all – use Hootsuite to schedule your updates. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is not just to maintain your Facebook page, but other social media sites like Twitter, and keep your audience engaged.
Hootsuite will also get rid of those pesky problems with appearance – if you’ve ever woken up to find your carefully constructed post has been mangled by RSS Graffiti or Social RSS, then it’s time to switch.
Next, consider carefully the best time to post. You might have fans across the globe, but if you’re only posting at one time, half of them will be tucked up in bed. So think about your target audience and make sure they are prioritised.
Effectively segmenting your audience will also help – for example, if you have a fan base in the UK and the US, a message tailored to the US audience for when the UK are offline, and vice versa, will keep you on the ball. But don’t update several times in a row – you’ll just encourage ‘like’ fatigue in your fans.
And finally, because fan page are about encouraging two-way conversation, make sure your posts are conducive to this! Ask questions, make a witty comment or quote – you are looking for active responders, rather than just passive listeners.