Among U.S. adults who use Facebook, seven-in-ten visit the site daily, according to Pew Research. Nearly half visit several times a day. That’s what makes Facebook such a powerful tool for businesses. You’re reaching people where they’re already actively engaged. However, posting on Facebook doesn’t guarantee engagement from your audience. You have to be strategic about what you post and when you post it to get their attention.  

In 2.6 seconds, your audience’s eyes narrow in on what they want to read — and you’re completing with everyone else in their feed. 

To stand out, make sure your Facebook business posts follow these five proven strategies:

  1. Timely and relevant. Timing is everything. Talk about the topics that matter to your audience, when they matter to your audience. There are a number of resources you can use to find trending topics, including Google Trends, which allows you to explore what the world is searching right now. You can also use Google News to find top headlines related to your industry. Finally, trending hashtags are another great way to hone in on the topics that matter. This tool checks trending hashtags on Twitter, which you can also use to brainstorm trending topics for Facebook. 
  2. Keep content brief and use an active voice. A study of the top posts on Facebook found that posts with less than 40 characters received the most engagement (e.g. likes and comments), reported Buffer. Aim for roughly 40 characters or less and use short sentences. Use an active voice, which means that the subject of the sentence performs the action.
    Passive: Fixing leaky faucets is one way you can reduce your energy bill.
    Active: You can fix leaky faucets to reduce your energy bill.
  3. Includes a photo or a link preview. Facebook posts with images tend to outperform posts without one. However, not all images are created equal. You want your image to be bright and eye-catching. Make sure the image is well lit and focused on a clear subject matter. If you include any words on the image, keep it brief. Facebook says images with less than 20 percent text on them perform best. Additionally, make sure the photos are properly sized. At press time, the recommended size for posts and timeline photos is 1200 x 630 pixels. 
  4. Include action keywords. Consider ending your post with a call-to-action. Certain action words outperform others, reported Social Media Examiner based on a study from Buddy Media. Try integrate these words at the end of your posts: “comment,” “take,” “tell us,” “submit,” “like,” and “post.” For example, “Want to save money on your monthly energy bill? These 7 tips can help. Tell us, how do you conserve energy at home?”   
  5. Post during non-peak times. This one seems counter intuitive, right? Why would you post during non-peak times? The answer is simple: Less competition. Think of it like a race. If there are less people in a foot race, you have a greater likelihood of winning. The same is true for post times. Every business is posting Monday through Friday, during work hours. Try experimenting with a blend of posts sent at peak times and off-peak times (after work hours and on weekends). Monitor your Facebook analytics to see what the results look like before choosing a posting schedule. 

Need help crafting the perfect Facebook posts for your business? MTN, Inc., helps businesses plan, write and publish posts that drive engagement. To explore the options, visit our “Digital Marketing” page or give us a call at 321.779.1010.