The Digital Publisher’s Guide to Social Media
Thanks to social media, delivering content to thousands of people at once is as easy as hitting the “Post” button. But it isn’t always easy to achieve the results you have in mind. That’s why we’re bringing you a new series all about making these channels work for your digital publishing needs. First up: how to promote content with Facebook.
Getting the most out of Facebook
For many businesses, the last decade held plenty of ups and downs from Facebook. As the social network grew to more than 2 billion users, promoting content with Facebook became a valuable source of exposure. But changes to the News Feed, privacy scandals and plenty of controversy have made developing an audience more challenging. Should digital publishers still plan to promote content with Facebook in 2020?
The short answer is yes. Although reaching your audience may be more difficult now than in the past, Facebook is the world’s largest social media network. It remains an important way for internet users to discover your publications and engage with your business. In other words, don’t let the challenges distract you from the advantages of this channel. Read on to learn how your business can take advantage of visibility, traffic and community on Facebook.
Update your Page
If it’s been a while since you updated your business’s Facebook Page—or if you’re just getting started—set aside some time to review it. The About tab lets you add lots of information that people may be searching for about your business, like contact details and opening hours. Use the “About” text box to include key words, upload your logo as a profile picture and choose an on-brand cover image for your Page.
Because Facebook Pages act like an online directory, users can arrive on your Page directly from search results. A post of yours might never have even made it into their News Feeds! Depending on your SEO, your Page might be the #1 result when people search for you. In short, it’s important to review your Page information regularly no matter how often you post.
Post thoughtfully
Speaking of posting, it’s officially time to re-consider the old rule that “more is better.” While social media best practices used to recommend multiple posts per day, the number of users likely to see them has shrunk. In 2019, the average reach for Pages with more than 10,000 followers was just 2.59%. That means a Page with 100,000 followers could expect any one of their posts to reach 2,590 people.
As a result, it may now be most efficient to post less often and more thoughtfully. For example, take the high-quality, long-format content of your digital publications on Calaméo. If fewer Facebook users will see posts about your publications, you’ll want to make them count.
First, research your Page’s existing audience to determine whether it matches your publication’s target audience. Are you sharing your content with followers who are already fans? Or do you need to introduce your publication to new readers? Knowing this will help you decide what kinds of posts to plan around your publication.
💡 TIP: Don’t forget about different types of posts! In addition to sharing a link, you can use a photo, video or poll to promote content with Facebook.
Next, examine the reach you can expect for your posts and when your followers are most likely to be scrolling their feeds. With these details in mind, you can optimize when and how often to post about your digital publications for best results.
Be realistic about Likes
Once you’ve hit “Post,” it’s time to begin tracking the response to your content. However, don’t worry too much about the number of Likes that your posts receive. While Likes used to be seen as a key measure of success, they are now usually considered a vanity metric. Follow any comments or shares you receive for a better idea of your audience’s reaction.
Because when digital publishers promote content with Facebook, they need to know how many users checked out their magazine. (Or catalog, white paper, brochure or report!) To find out, monitor how many clicks your posts receive. Combine this information with other viewership statistics, such as reading time per hour, to analyze the overall results of traffic from your Facebook posts. Then, use it to adapt your game plan in the future.
That just about covers the basics of how to promote content with Facebook, and why it should be a part of any digital publisher’s social media strategy.
Of course, depending on your resources and the size of your social media team, you may want to make use of some of the other possibilities that Facebook offers. For instance, Pages with highly engaged followers can consider starting a Facebook Group where their community can connect. And businesses struggling with the reach of their Pages’ posts may find that investing in Facebook Ads is worthwhile.
Above all, keep in mind that reviewing your approach to sharing your digital publications can reveal simple solutions for optimizing your results. Whether you have 300 followers or 300,000, a strong posting strategy will help you better benefit from the visibility, traffic and community on Facebook for your publications.
Ready to start?
Now that you’ve got all the details about how to promote content with Facebook, it’s time to turn your online documents into great digital publications. Sign up for your free Calaméo account today and explore what digital publishing can do for you!
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