Searching for Facebook’s Value? Graph Search Makes It Easy to Find
Facebook is the place where millions and millions of people spend their time online. So if you want to get those prospective customers’ attention, you need to hang out where they do. Most savvy florists recognize the importance of this and have created Facebook pages for their shops.
But now Facebook us upped the ante on how important it is for your shop to have a Facebook page—and also why you need to have lots of likes for that page. Facebook has created a new search option for the mega social networking site called Graph Search.
This powerful search function relies on an algorithm that combines a person’s social connections with the businesses listed on Facebook to deliver search results.
What does this mean for your florist shop? It means that the number of likes for your Facebook page has become more important than ever because the more likes you have, the higher you’ll rank in the Graph Search results.
So if your Facebook page has been languishing with only a handful of fans, how can you get more to boost your ranking? It’s easier than you think and can be boiled down to these three tips:
1) Ask!
If you simply ask, many customers will take the steps to like your page. You can even explain why it’s important so that they recognize that their participation can make a real difference in aiding your business.
Thus, include the request in all of your communications, from newsletters you send out to email messages, brochures, your business card and other printed and digital publications. Don’t forget to add it to your printed receipt if you can, as well as on bags and boxes, below your email signature and on a sign next to your register. When customers are in your shop, ask them if they have ever visited your page. Then mention how much you would appreciate it if they would click on the “Like” button next time they are online. If they’re already a fan of your shop, they’re an easy sell!
2) Offer an incentive.
Promote a deal such as a 10-percent discount to fans of your page. Every month (or week if you have the budget to do so), offer a bonus such as a gift card to one fan whose name is chosen from a drawing of all those who have liked your page. Regularly communicate whatever deal you offer so clients will understand the benefits of being a fan of your page. But take care how you word your deal. It is against Facebook’s rules to run “Like our page to enter” or even “Like this post/picture to enter” contests (though you see them all the time). Another option for a giveaway to encourage fans’ interest: give away a prize in-store, such as the 50[SUP]th[/SUP] customer of the week. Then post a photo of the winner with his or her prize on Facebook.
3) Make it easy.
People don’t usually search on Facebook for retail shops like yours to enter. So make it easy for them to like your page by reminding them with easy-to-access inks to your Facebook page in your emails. Include them in some of the same places mentioned above, such as on email messages or via your email signature. But don’t forget the obvious spots: on your website, on your blog and anywhere else you provide content to educate your customers.
Have you found an easy way to increase your fans on Facebook? Send a note to [email protected] so she can share it with other FlowerChatters.
Facebook is the place where millions and millions of people spend their time online. So if you want to get those prospective customers’ attention, you need to hang out where they do. Most savvy florists recognize the importance of this and have created Facebook pages for their shops.
But now Facebook us upped the ante on how important it is for your shop to have a Facebook page—and also why you need to have lots of likes for that page. Facebook has created a new search option for the mega social networking site called Graph Search.
This powerful search function relies on an algorithm that combines a person’s social connections with the businesses listed on Facebook to deliver search results.
What does this mean for your florist shop? It means that the number of likes for your Facebook page has become more important than ever because the more likes you have, the higher you’ll rank in the Graph Search results.
So if your Facebook page has been languishing with only a handful of fans, how can you get more to boost your ranking? It’s easier than you think and can be boiled down to these three tips:
1) Ask!
If you simply ask, many customers will take the steps to like your page. You can even explain why it’s important so that they recognize that their participation can make a real difference in aiding your business.
Thus, include the request in all of your communications, from newsletters you send out to email messages, brochures, your business card and other printed and digital publications. Don’t forget to add it to your printed receipt if you can, as well as on bags and boxes, below your email signature and on a sign next to your register. When customers are in your shop, ask them if they have ever visited your page. Then mention how much you would appreciate it if they would click on the “Like” button next time they are online. If they’re already a fan of your shop, they’re an easy sell!
2) Offer an incentive.
Promote a deal such as a 10-percent discount to fans of your page. Every month (or week if you have the budget to do so), offer a bonus such as a gift card to one fan whose name is chosen from a drawing of all those who have liked your page. Regularly communicate whatever deal you offer so clients will understand the benefits of being a fan of your page. But take care how you word your deal. It is against Facebook’s rules to run “Like our page to enter” or even “Like this post/picture to enter” contests (though you see them all the time). Another option for a giveaway to encourage fans’ interest: give away a prize in-store, such as the 50[SUP]th[/SUP] customer of the week. Then post a photo of the winner with his or her prize on Facebook.
3) Make it easy.
People don’t usually search on Facebook for retail shops like yours to enter. So make it easy for them to like your page by reminding them with easy-to-access inks to your Facebook page in your emails. Include them in some of the same places mentioned above, such as on email messages or via your email signature. But don’t forget the obvious spots: on your website, on your blog and anywhere else you provide content to educate your customers.
Have you found an easy way to increase your fans on Facebook? Send a note to [email protected] so she can share it with other FlowerChatters.