Tips for Successful Facebook Posts
We all know the importance of Social Media in promoting your brand, making it visible, engaging with your patients, and gaining new ones. Here are 7 tips for successfully creating content your viewers want to see, posting it when they are online, and making sure they read and interact with it.
1. How often should I post?
You want to be sure to keep your practice name on people’s minds, but balance that with not posting so much that viewers get annoyed or bored and stop paying attention to you. As long as you balance the amount of posts between a minimum of 2 times a week and a maximum of one to two times per day, you should hit this sweet spot!
2. When should I post?
Research shows people are on Facebook when they need a break from work, with usage peaking from 1:00-3:00 pm. Other common times are first thing in the morning, at lunch, and toward the end of the work day.
Thursdays and Fridays are the most popular days of the week that fans are Facebook. However, knowing your specific audience will dictate when you should post. For example, while Friday tends to be the best day to post, Dentist Identity knows many dentist offices are not open on Fridays, and therefore we avoid sending emails or social posts on this day.
Want in on a little-known Facebook tool? Facebook has a feature that allows you to know when your fans are online. To access this:If you post when your fans are most likely to be online, you have a better chance of getting more likes and comments. This is important to take advantage of the News Feed algorithm, which rewards engaging posts with Story Bumping. As Facebook explains, “organic stories that people did not scroll down far enough to see can reappear near the top of News Feed if the stories are still getting lots of likes and comments.”
- login as an admin
- go to your page settings (the icon that looks like a gear)
- click on View Insights
- click on the Posts tab
- click on the When your Fans are Online tab
Bonus: Did you know you can schedule your posts to go out at specific times in the future?
- start creating the post at the top of your Page's Timeline
- click the down arrow next to Publish
- select Schedule Post
- choose the date and time you want the post to be published
- click Schedule
3. What should I post?
Of course, information that is entertaining or useful to your audience will get the best results. But did you know that adding an image increases viewership and engagement? Images that stand alone without needing additional text to explain them are preferred. And videos receive even more attention. Include these whenever possible. Vary the kinds of posts you do and watch for which ones get the most likes and shares.
4. Should I use hashtags (#)?
While hashtags were initially created for Twitter, they have become prevalent on Facebook as well. Both Twitter and Facebook utilize hashtags as a search mechanism. Adding hashtags to your posts means more visibility for your practice, since someone who searches for a hashtag that you’ve used (#smile or #TBT) will most likely come across your post. They are also used to express an emotion or unify a theme. Just be sure not to use more than one or two hashtags, or research shows a negative response.
5 – Should I use emoticons?
While they are generally not appropriate for serious business correspondence, they are very popular on Social Media and even evoke pleasant feelings in their viewers. Therefore, use them in your posts to boost the tone. However it’s best to stick with the simple ones that everyone can understand, such as:
6 – Should I Ask Questions?
Asking a question in a social post is a great way to boost engagement between you and your fans. Asking fun, non-intrusive questions like “If you could travel anywhere right now for free, where would you go?” is a fun way to get your fans to comment on your posts. To get the most responses to a question, don’t lead with it. Instead, put it at the end of your post.
7- Finally, remember to interact with your fans.
Interacting with a fan on your Facebook page is an easy way to encourage others to engage as well. Like their comments, respond to any questions, and write back to keep the conversation going. This will promote Story Bumping as well.
If you need extra help or don’t have the time to manage your Facebook feed, consider Dentist Identity’s Social and Local Marketing Package. We all know the importance of Social Media in promoting your brand, making it visible, engaging with your patients, and gaining new ones. Here are 7 tips for successfully creating content your viewers want to see, posting it when they are online, and making sure they read and interact with it.
1. How often should I post?
You want to be sure to keep your practice name on people’s minds, but balance that with not posting so much that viewers get annoyed or bored and stop paying attention to you. As long as you balance the amount of posts between a minimum of 2 times a week and a maximum of one to two times per day, you should hit this sweet spot!
2. When should I post?
Research shows people are on Facebook when they need a break from work, with usage peaking from 1:00 – 3:00pm. Other common times are first thing in the morning, at lunch, and toward the end of the work day.
Thursdays and Fridays are the most popular days of the week that fans are Facebook. However, knowing your specific audience will dictate when you should post. For example, while Friday tends to be the best day to post, Dentist Identity knows many dentist offices are not open on Fridays, and therefore we avoid sending emails or social posts on this day.
Want in on a little-known Facebook tool? Facebook has a feature that allows you to know when your fans are online. To access this:If you post when your fans are most likely to be online, you have a better chance of getting more likes and comments. This is important to take advantage of the News Feed algorithm, which rewards engaging posts with Story Bumping. As Facebook explains, “organic stories that people did not scroll down far enough to see can reappear near the top of News Feed if the stories are still getting lots of likes and comments.”
- login as an admin
- go to your page settings (the icon that looks like a gear)
- click on View Insights
- click on the Posts tab
- click on the When your Fans are Online tab
Bonus: Did you know you can schedule your posts to go out at specific times in the future?
- start creating the post at the top of your Page's Timeline
- click the down arrow next to Publish
- select Schedule Post
- choose the date and time you want the post to be published
- click Schedule
3. What should I post?
Of course, information that is entertaining or useful to your audience will get the best results. But did you know that adding an image increases viewership and engagement? Images that stand alone without needing additional text to explain them are preferred. And videos receive even more attention. Include these whenever possible. Vary the kinds of posts you do and watch for which ones get the most likes and shares.
4. Should I use hashtags (#)?
While hashtags were initially created for Twitter, they have become prevalent on Facebook as well. Both Twitter and Facebook utilize hashtags as a search mechanism. Adding hashtags to your posts means more visibility for your practice, since someone who searches for a hashtag that you’ve used (#smile or #TBT) will most likely come across your post. They are also used to express an emotion or unify a theme. Just be sure not to use more than one or two hashtags, or research shows a negative response.
5 – Should I use emoticons?
While they are generally not appropriate for serious business correspondence, they are very popular on Social Media and even evoke pleasant feelings in their viewers. Therefore, use them in your posts to boost the tone. However it’s best to stick with the simple ones that everyone can understand, such as:
6 – Should I Ask Questions?
Asking a question in a social post is a great way to boost engagement between you and your fans. Asking fun, non-intrusive questions like “If you could travel anywhere right now for free, where would you go?” is a fun way to get your fans to comment on your posts. To get the most responses to a question, don’t lead with it. Instead, put it at the end of your post.
7- Finally, remember to interact with your fans.
Interacting with a fan on your Facebook page is an easy way to encourage others to engage as well. Like their comments, respond to any questions, and write back to keep the conversation going. This will promote Story Bumping as well.
Navigating the vast jungle of Social Media can be daunting, but follow these tips and your practice should be well on its way. And if you need extra help or don’t have the time to manage your Facebook feed, consider Dentist Identity’s Social and Local Marketing Package. Now have fun hitting those social accounts with your new-found knowledge!