Whether you love it or could live without it, Facebook is one of the most effective digital marketing tools financial professionals have at their disposal. The platform is a one-stop-shop for targeting prospects and new leads across multiple demographics. However, Facebook is only effective when used strategically. Are you getting the most from your Facebook posts? If your posts are going unnoticed, try incorporating these tips into your social media strategy
Timing of Your Post
The day and time you schedule your post can play a huge part in its overall reach and engagement. The general rule of thumb has been that posting on weekdays between 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. will generate the best results. While these are peak traffic times, that doesn’t guarantee your followers or target audience will be actively engaged during that window.
To get a better idea of when your followers are online, go to the “Insights” tab on your business page, and click “Posts” on the left side of your screen. Under the “When Your Fans Are Online” tab, you’ll find a graph showing the number of your followers on Facebook at any given point in time over a one-week period. Use this to determine when to best schedule your posts.
Frequency
It’s important to keep your content flowing on a consistent basis. It’s also important to avoid overdoing it. Much like the time of day you post, pay attention to when your audience is online to determine how much you put out there each week. Ideally, you want to post around two-three times a week.
Quality & Type of Content
The average Facebook user logs on around eight times a day, spending roughly two hours or more scrolling through their news feed. During that time, they’re exposed to hundreds, if not thousands of posts from friends and family, news outlets, followed pages, and advertisements. Standing out amongst that much competition requires your content to be compelling, relevant and high-quality. Keep the following guidelines in mind when drafting your posts:
Short & Sweet – Posts with 50 characters or less are more likely to be read. According to Statista, 96% of Facebook users access the site through a mobile device. Assume that many of them are on the go when scrolling and don’t have time to engage with a lengthy post. Brevity is crucial. Your copy is a call to action. Be concise and clearly state your value proposition. Starting your post with a question is a great way to keep people engaged and interacting with your content. Images, videos, and links to relevant pages will help round out your overall message.
Images – A sharp, quality photo or graphic will catch a Facebook user’s eye as they come across your post. Choose an image that helps tell your story and pique the audience’s interest. Keep any text you add to your image to a minimum. Facebook recommends using images with less than 20% text for optimal engagement.
Video – Video is by far the best way to capture the attention of your audience. Roughly 60% of Americans who watch digital videos do so on Facebook. Posts with video average 6.13% engagement rates, compared to the overall average of 3.6% (Hootsuite). Shorter videos (between 30 – 90 seconds) will get better engagement and retention rates than those longer than two minutes.
Show Some Personality
Strive to connect with and relate to your audience. Remember, you’re targeting people that you will (hopefully) be sitting down with to discuss their financial goals. Let them know you’re someone they can be comfortable with while in that setting. Posts that showcase who you are as a person and professional can help plant that seed. Keep in mind there is a fine line between personality and unprofessionalism. It’s ok to have fun and be light-hearted, or even to tap into a current trend. But always think before you post. Content that edges up to or crosses the line of good taste is a good way to lose followers and credibility.
