20 Tips to Keep Your Facebook Audience Engaged. Build Your Boutique Business By Building Your Facebook Audience
We know, Insert grumpy face here….
Just when you get your groove, it’s time, yet again, to shift your strategy. Facebook may be the most powerful marketing tool you have, even with an algorithm that significantly drops the reach of overly-promotional content by pages.
Why the change?
(Hmm, boutiques doing significant business via Facebook and no cut going to the social giant…we get the picture)
The goal is to tailor the content of the News Feed to exactly what users want to see. At any given time, a user could be shown between 15,000 to 150,000 pieces of content. Pair that with the rise of use on mobile devices which give the News Feed a smaller screen, and it’s time to get serious about strategy.
How does this affect you and what can you do about it?
Facebook is clear that brands that choose to post promotional content “should expect their organic distribution to fall significantly over time.” And they’ve held true to their word.
So here’s the skinny on what’s gotten the slash:
1. Overly promotional content has seen a major drop in reach (now only 1% of fans)
2. Posts that use the same content as purchased ads don’t have organic reach
3. Contests or sweepstakes that have no context have seen a drop (IE – Who wants a $15 Gift Card to start your Day? Just like or comment!)
Have you built your content strategy solely based on sharing new arrivals and asking for a purchase either on your website, by commenting or visiting your store?
Build Your Boutique Business By Building Your Facebook Audience
Insert smiling face here. Here are a few ideas on how to diversify your Facebook content and reach your followers through the change.
Let your customers be the star of the show! These posts flow and blend well in the News Feed so reward your fans that share selfies!
1. Mix it up.
Posting the same type of content again and again isn’t going to work. Mix it up with videos, photos, text posts, links, and DIVERSIFY your content within those posts.
2. Teach your followers something.
The allure of boutiques is that they teach shoppers how to style. Teach them how to wear printed leggings, headbands, or motojackets through photos, videos, or blog posts.
3. Tell a story.
Tell us something entertaining, interesting, something we can relate to, cry about, or cheer for as followers. Tell us something that makes us engaged with you.
4. Be personal.
Sure your followers like your clothes, but you’re going to need more than that. Share a few snaps of you, your team, your store, and your personal life. Shoppers will do business with stores they like and trust!
Kiki La’Rue does a fabulous job at letting us get to meet their owner and #GirlBoss regularly.
5. Ask questions.
Ask your followers to engage with you on any topic, what do they like, don’t like, and what they want to know more about?
6. Share video.
Video gets higher rank in the NewsFeed algorithm, so boutiques that crack how-to’s are going to see great engagement!
7. Keep Facebook a cornerstone for Customer Service.
Facebook is hands down the easiest place for your shoppers to connect with you. Keep your happy shoppers engaged with reviews and pictures, and be responsive to customers with general questions or returns!
8. Keep new photos of merchandise coming.
Yes, too much promotion drops this post’s reach, but shoppers still want to see what you’ve got. Get a few likes and boost this post (make sure to include price, size, quantity and HOW to shop!)
Build Your Boutique Business By Building Your Facebook Audience
While this post from the Red Dress Boutique isn’t screaming “BUY ME” it’s still giving fans a taste of new arrivals and how to buy them. Setting a daily sale time is a great way to create consistency.
9. Make Lists.
People love lists – 5 must haves, 5 best boots, 5 favorite new arrivals, 10 ways to style leggings.
10. Behind the scenes.
Photo shoots, shipping, packing, unboxing – what’s it like behind your computer screen? Women are herd animals – if you’re shipping hundreds of boxes to shoppers, it’s reason enough for me to shop with you!
The Pink Lotus Boutique is so sincere in thanking shoppers for business.
11. What are you wearing.
I love this! What are you wearing? Show us and ask your fans the same – good, bad or indifferent? I smell a theme here. Pajama Day anyone? It’s all about being real… Remember to use #ootd! (outfit of the day)
12. Model specs.
Do your followers know what size your models are? How a particular item might fit? Make models real people (not just a size 0)
13. Stylists Favorites.
Ask your in-store stylists to style a few favorites for your audience. #ootd maybe?
Mainstream Boutique Eau Claire regularly share both staff picks of the week as well as customers wearing the latest arrivals.
14. Fan pick of the week.
Feature one of your followers each week and ask them for their picks. (Increased engagement when you tag them in posts, and they share on personal pages besides yours!)
15. Steal or Splurge.
Love Pinterest? Find cute outfits and compare how to wear your goodies with higher end ones styled like the picture.
16. Create an event.
Create a Facebook “Event” for a shopping event, sale or new release.
17. Create a group.
Groups are a stand alone app as of this week on Facebook mobile, so group activity is about to explode. Create incentives for ‘group members’ to shop with you – post deals, insider tips, and more with your group.
18. Now trending.
By color, by style, by season, by holiday
Molly and Gidget Boutiuqe are all about teaching shoppers how to wear trends and where to find them!
19. Define your audience and speak to them.
There are enough new boutiques marketing to the same audience on Facebook and other social media accounts, why not define your audience and market to them well. Is there are particular hobby or lifestyle that speaks to them? Be unique – don’t try to copy what other successful stores have already done!
20. Well Placed Ads for when you need them.
Ads serve a purpose and although we’ve been spoiled with free, all good things in life are not free my friend! Learn how to create targeted ads, ads to build email lists and successfully boost posts.
Before you start shouting profanities at Facebook, think about how these 20 tips can make you a stronger, more competent marketer of your business. While you may not reach thousands of people like you did a year ago, make it count for the hundreds that are engaged with you.
Happy strategizing friends!