It should come as no surprise that the ‘Book has once again changed the rules of social media marketing. Sponsored ads (paid ads) have taken over as the new ruler of this social media castle. Sponsored advertisements require payment to reach a larger audience. It’s simple, really – the more money you pay, the more people who see your post. It’s a fabulous idea (I love them!) but these can cost a pretty penny, depending on your desired reach in audience. In the battle of sponsored ads vs. organic posts vs. millions of Facebook pages, how can you come equipped to compete against AND stand out in the push and shove of the titanic Facebook crowd?

Here are ten tips, courtesy of We Are Social Media, to help your salon create more engaging Facebook posts. You better listen up, this is like the figurative Holy Grail of social media marketing advice to master the head honcho of the web.

1. Be natural.

Nothing is worse than reading a robotic post. Facebook is a place people come to relax and scroll through their newsfeeds, so nobody wants to spend time reading a post that is difficult to decipher.

2. Be relevant.

Users want to engage in minute-by-minute stages. You’ll get less interaction on a post that talks about Kim and Kanye’s secret wedding in Italy, a month after it happened.  Just a quick skim on current events will keep you in the loop to discuss time appropriate topics.

3. Be visual.

Pictures are worth a thousand words - it’s never been truer. However, the key to garnering engagement with visuals is choosing a good image that is not only relevant to your post but has good picture quality and is esthetically pleasing.

4. Be succinct.

The shorter your posts are, the better. Limit them to 80 characters or less.  (See?)

5. Be emotional. 

Dig deep to find your persuasion powers. Posts that can elicit an emotional response will engage readers to comment and discuss.

6. Ask fans.

“Did you love Sarah Jessica Parker’s gown from the premiere last night?” EVERYBODY has an opinion, so try to find out what it is. Asking simple to answer questions will encourage your audience to express their thoughts.

7. Post quotes.

Inspirational, motivational, encouraging – you name it, people love them! Quotes about life, love, and family are extremely relatable to your audience. Bonus: if it’s paired with great imagery, it’s even better.

8. Play right.

While there are challenges to facilitating interaction on social media, it’s better for you and your fans if you don’t ASK for it. Just think, it will be more meaningful garnering support the good ol’ fashioned way (relatively speaking)– by creating content that is worthy of engagement.

9. Use full links.

Shortened links are perfectly fine for sites like Twitter, where your character count is limited to a mere 140 characters. However, Facebook has the space to show your audience just exactly where the link is taking them. Fun fact: full-length links are clicked on three times as much as condensed links.

10.  Be yourself.

It’s the most important piece of advice anyone can give you in life, and it still holds true for your online presence. Your brand reflects who you are, and your fans will choose to believe in the person behind the product. So, be YOU and have fun!

Connect with Ideas That Evoke: 

Web:www.ideasthatevoke.com
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At Ideas That Evoke we develop digital, social and mobile strategies for salon professional, beauty, hospitality and entertainment brands. As branding and public relations veterans, yet early adopters of all things digital, we understand the importance of creating measurable, buzz-worthy campaigns that generate bottom-line results. #IdeasThatEvoke