More often than not, people tend to confuse two things; being famous and being popular. When you’re famous, you’re like a scourge, many people know you exist but they don’t necessarily like you. However, when you’re popular, many people know you and actually like you. You’re like the Nike of human beings.
The online space pretty much operates in the same way as the two words. Over time, social media channels have evolved and many businesses have ventured into social media platforms as a marketing channel. Once you’ve invested in media buying and have reached 100,000 likes, what next? Most businesses tend to view the number of page likes as an indication of the number of people that actively follow the brand. Sorry to burst your bubble but likes don’t necessarily translate to brand engagement.
Page likes don’t translate to engagement
There’re a number of reasons why page likes on your company page probably haven’t translated to sales or engagement.
Believe or not, only about 4% of your organic posts reach the people who like your Facebook page.
Due to the competition in the different marketing media, the reach of organic content barely reaches 4% of the total page audience. Online media is borrowing from traditional media where you have to pay to get your content out there. The more strategically a billboard is located for example, will determine how much it costs.
Similarly, to get your online content to the masses, you need to pay to target the right audiences. Between 2007 & 2009 internet consumption in Kenya has increased by over 500% as compared to traditional media which have all experienced a decline in audience reach. Facebook advertising when pitted against traditional media advertising has more value when the cost and audience reach are put into perspective.
Facebook is like an open air market. The type of market where it’s first come first served and the vendor that arrives earliest to a strategic location reaps the most benefit. As a business, you cannot solely rely on Facebook to interact with your audience.
Supplement your Facebook likes
Facebook has made it easier for you to reach specific audiences with targeted marketing. This feature enables businesses to reach audiences that don’t necessarily like your page. Page likes however, play an important role when it comes to retargeting audiences. Using the users that like your page, Facebook can target audiences with similar preferences for your marketing communication.
To build a core audience from social media, your brand needs to have content that the audience can access at any given time and interact with the brand. Page likes need to be supplemented with content that will make the audience stay on the page and remain loyal.
Owned media is an avenue to supplement Facebook content. Owned media refers to content that a brand builds on its own platforms. These platforms may include websites, mailing lists, newsletters, apps etc. Owned media builds a community that engages with the values of a brand.
Page likes is not engagement
Engagement come sin many forms; post likes, comments and shares. Your page may have 10,000 likes but none of your audience really engages with any of it. Engagement is achieved by the nature of content that you post on your social media page.
When developing content, update it with pictures, blog posts, updates, videos and other material that will set your page apart from its peers. Make your content interesting and build your page to have value for the audience. The content plays the most important role in attracting new audiences and retaining the existing ones.
For your business to fully utilize the number of likes it has, you have to blend interesting content, other information sources linked to your company and strategically engage your audience. Engagement and conversion go hand-in-hand. Likes are a only as good as how many people relate to your brand.
Engage your audience at a personal level. Let’s talk.