16 Ways to Grow Your Facebook Likes
Facebook “Likes” are more than a popularity poll: They are a measure of interaction and views.
They also qualify you for Facebook Insights, Facebook’s own metrics toolkit.
In short, “Likes” help you see where you’re on track with your fans and followers – and when
your posts leave them cold.
Here are sixteen easy ways to help you quickly grow your Facebook “Likes”…
1. “Like” posts, photos and pages offsite from Facebook. Ever landed on a story and
wanted to share it? Of course you have. Chances are you hit the “Like” or Facebook
“Share” button…
When you do this, a link to your like (plus thumbnail photo) will either appear on your
Timeline or in your news feed – or in both!
Not only that, but your name and Facebook profile photo may be displayed. Your name
may also appear in ads or social plugins off Facebook.
Plus there’s the element of reciprocity: When you “Like” others, they often return the
favor!
2. Put a “Like” button on your own website and in posts. Want to add a “Like button to
your own website? There have been changes with this function to, so head on over to
Facebook Developers to get complete instructions.
3. Take out an ad! This is the quickest way to bring your Page to your target
demographic’s attention – and gather those all-important Likes. And you can create your
ad from right within your Facebook Page.
Just make sure you specify your ad goal as gathering Likes.
To get started quickly, just follow the prompts from Facebook’s Help section.
4. Be proactive. Let your followers know about Facebook changes affecting your
feed display. Some people won’t notice when your feeds suddenly disappear: Others
will miss them and feel frustrated they’re not appearing – but probably not really give this
change much thought.
Human nature almost always follows the path of least resistance, so realize you need to
spell things out to your followers, as well as prompt them to take action.
Tell them how to circumvent harmful changes by keeping on top of these yourself.
And you may even find your “Likes” going into overdrive as your followers respond
indignantly to being manipulated by unwanted changes.
5. Ask for “Likes” offline. Invite people to follow you on Facebook via your business
card. Put “Like us on Facebook” on your brochures, menus and other stationery. Put
your Facebook like on your storefront window, if you have a physical business location.
Be creative and see where (a) others add Facebook invitations (b) you can effectively
place them.
6. Be yourself. One of the most important parts of getting known and loved via Facebook
will be your authenticity – you should be the voice that stands out from the crowd. Don’t
be afraid to speak your mind and speak your truth. People befriend people – not
businesses.
Being authentic serves a number of purposes; all of them with positive results.
• It will eliminate people who are not your target audience. This may not sound
like a good thing, but actually, it’s the best. You don’t want two people carrying
on a long conversation in your comments about the price of cheese in
Philadelphia when your post was actually all about the best way to style curly
hair.
• It builds your reputation, as people grow clear about who you are – and what you
stand for. You will speak with integrity and confidence, when you’re speaking
from your core.
• It provides an anchor for people. Others will model themselves after you, if your
posts have an impact on their lives and world views. (“Artists lead; others
follow”.)
• It gives you character and helps you stand out. People will eagerly look for your
posts if they know what to expect – even if that’s always the unexpected.
7. Give yourself/your Page a Theme (with a capital “T”). TV writers know it. Movie
writers know it. Novelists and children’s writers know it.
You need a Theme.
Become known for certain types of posts – and if you don’t want to do that, make it a
certain point of view.
For example, become known for always posting highly-entertaining, unusual and quirky
photos, like the one in the previous example.
Or showcase your Photoshopping skills in photos and infographics.
Or if you run a Weight Loss blog, post tips about nutrition, exercise and weight loss.
Again, people will know what to expect, so they’ll stop and read your posts, visit your
Page and occasionally look through your Timeline.
People love thinking they know you, so even if you’re changing directions, tell them what
they can expect
8. Repurpose your blog to Facebook format. Make it a habit to upload the first
paragraph or summary of every post, along with a highly relevant photo or graphic that
gets the mood or theme of the post across (as well as your personality).
9. Join Networked Blogs on Facebook, if you’re a blogger. (In fact, join Networked
Blogs, period, to increase shares and “Likes”.)
One of its biggest benefits? If you’re featured in their “Friends” thumbnails, people can
find and check out your page with just one click.
10. Post at the same time every day. This will help increase engagement – and increasing
engagement means more “Likes”. (The key, however, is to take time to find out when
the biggest segment of your sharing audience is also online.)
11. Use free graphics editing tools such as PicMonkey to create photos and
infographics people will instantly “Like”.
(You can even add text commands to “Like” your photo, if that doesn’t feel
inappropriate.)
12. Share and “Like” other peoples’ blog posts. (They’ll be much more inclined to return
the favor.)
13. Post regularly! If you don’t take the time to do this, you won’t build up a following.
Without a following, there are no shares and no “Likes”.
In fact, you become invisible – even when you make your sporadic, hit-and-miss post!
14. Limit your posts to 3 lines or less. Did you know that Facebook Best Practices
actually recommends a “sweet spot” that seems to generate more likes?
15. Make sure your Facebook Page is a rich source of high-quality photographs.
Remember that photographs do reap the highest position in Facebook’s Edgerank
algorithm scores – significantly beating out even videos in a recent HubSpot survey.
A higher Edgerank score means wider distribution Wider distribution means more “Likes”.
HubSpot summarized its data showing that photographs result in 53% more likes thus…
If you want interaction through comments, ask questions: If you want “Likes” and
shares, post photographs.
Especially dazzling ones.
16. Ask for the “Like”. Don’t violate any guidelines, but whenever you can – in whatever
type of post (blog, ad or Timeline feed) -- remember simply to ask!