Employ these 7 post ideas to increase engagement, traffic and sales

Have you ever posted something on your Facebook page and felt like you were just talking to yourself? You eagerly open your page to see how many people responded to the most recent post and are left disappointed when you find no one has interacted. They haven’t liked, commented or shared.

Now more than ever it’s crucial for brands to post meaningful content on their social-media profiles to stand out from the crowd. Consumers are busy, just like you, and are swirling around the Internet at lightning-fast speeds trying to connect with friends and family, get a movie recommendation, talk about their favorite singer on some reality show, make weekend plans and show pictures of their dogs/cats/children/gardens/meals/sunsets.

And, with only on average about 3-5% of total Likes organic views of your posts, you need to be posting content that speaks to them so it grabs their attention, feels relatable and adds value to their busy lives.

Here are seven Facebook post ideas (with examples) to help you stand out from the competition and increase engagement, exposure and sales.

1. Exclusive offers

Giving your Facebook fans something special, something they cannot find anywhere else is one of the best ways to use social media and truly gives a reason for someone to follow you online. The key here is keeping it exclusive and only giving certain offers to your Facebook fans.

This is a great example from Swagger Gifts who hosted a Flash Sale on Facebook.The company ran a limited-time sale that users could only access from Facebook, providing exclusivity and an easy way to track the success of the campaign.

Here’s another great example by Lisa Lisa’s Gift Closet where she asks fans to present this photo at checkout to receive 20% off.This is a strong example because she used a photo, which has heavier weight according to Facebook’s algorithm and typically will be shown to more people. She made it “Today only,” which creates urgency, and is combining this offer with a popular theme that happens every Thursday on Facebook called “Throwback Thursday” (also known as #tbt).

2. Sneak peaks

Consumers love getting an insider, first look at what’s coming soon and what just arrived in-store. Create excitement in your online community by posting these types of pictures, and make sure you call out that these are coming soon or new, as we see in Cedar Springs Christian Stores’ post about a new book available. The store took its post a step further by adding text on top of the graphic that clearly showcases that it is a new item by adding, “Look What’s New!”

Another great way of showcasing new items to your Facebook community is by taking a picture of an in-store display like P. Graham Dunn did. This helps the customer “digitally window-shop” and not only gets to see what’s new, but also gets a look inside the store.

 3. Popular items

Consumers also love knowing what’s hot. Showcase popular items by posting pictures and saying things like, “These are selling fast!” or “*Popular Item Alert* Get This Before They’re Gone!” or by posting “BACK BY DEMAND” in all capital letters with a photo of the item like Impressions Boutique & Gifts did. They wanted to make it clear these were so popular they sold out, and you better get yours today before they’re gone—again.

Another way to showcase popular items is by creating Top 10 lists. If you could turn your list into a graphic, perhaps a collage or infographic, that will help it get more exposure in the Facebook newsfeed. Consider using the tools Canva.com or PicMonkey.com to help create graphics for Facebook.

4. Contests

One of the best ways to boost engagement and get more people commenting and liking is through contests. This is a great example by Repurpose Boutique that branded a contest, calling it “Win-It-Wednesday.” The contest helps consumers remember when it is held, giving them the chance to mark their calendars and try to win next week. 

I also like how Repurpose Boutique created an image that featured the items you could win and then after the winner was announced, the store put her name on top of the image. This is a great way to spotlight the winner, and consumers typically enjoy being featured by their favorite stores and brands.

Another way to feature fans is through a “Fan of the Week” type of post, where you select fans and feature them on your page, giving them something special like a $10 gift certificate.

Here’s another example by P. Graham Dunn, which took a picture of the winner while he was in the store picking up his prize. Posting pictures of people like staff and customers is a great way to humanize your brand, and this type of photo is typically interacted (likes/comments) more than pictures that do not include a person.

Side note: If you’re going to run a contest on your Facebook page, make sure you have a strategy. Are you trying to build email addresses, store and/or online exposure? How long will you run the contest? How will you notify possible participants? How will you promote the contest? When you have in place a strategy with clear goals, you’ll have a more successful contest.

5. Customer stories and testimonials

When a customer tells you about a great experience he or she had in your store, share it with your online community. Peer recommendations and word-of-mouth marketing is the No. 1 way consumers decide where to shop. This is a great example from The Gift Box.

6. Inspirational and funny

The top two types of content that go viral, meaning they get a lot of shares and interaction, are inspirational and funny photos and videos. These types of posts not only build online exposure, but they also help us connect with our audience in a more personal way.

This example from Parable Christian Store of St. Joseph in St. Joseph, Michigan, is a classic example of taking an image that has a saying that relates to the store’s perfect customer, inspiring Facebook users or possibly even making them laugh because they can relate. 

This is also a great example because store owner Lorraine Valk added her name at the end of the post, which gives a personal tone to the post, making it more relatable and easier to get to know Lorraine and the store.

 Here’s another example from The Bookery Parable Christian Store in Mansfield, Ohio, which posted a simple graphic with a powerful message.

And here’s a great example of adding some humor to a post by Upstart Crow Bookstore & Coffee House in San Diego.

 7. Expert tips

Last but certainly not least, you must post tips and helpful resources on your Facebook page. Remember, consumers are busy, and you need to offer them something in exchange for their time. One way to add value is through sharing expert tips and advice.

Do you have great taste? Do you have an eye for fashion or decorating? Do you have the best recipe for certain holidays or gift-giving advice for men or parents? Here’s an action item: Take the next 15 minutes and write down 10 expert ideas you could share with your Facebook community. Then, look at those tips and see how you could turn them into a graphic. If you’re not a graphic designer, you can use Canva.com to create a visually appealing image.

Here’s an example from Miss Cayce’s Christmas Store. The Midland, Texas, store used its Facebook page to promote a blog post titled “How to Theme Your Christmas Tree,” which gave expert tips and design ideas.

Crystal Vilkaitis is the owner of Crystal Media, a company dedicated to helping retailers integrate proven social media, mobile and email marketing strategies into their businesses. Vilkaitis started Social Edge, an online membership group exclusive to retailers looking to gain an edge over the competition using social media. For more information, visit crystalmedia.co or crystalmedia.co/socialedge.

• Prev
• Next