There are some massive misconceptions about a Like on Facebook. Most people’s first reaction to someone liking their Facebook business page is pride, happiness, excitement even. “Someone liked my page! Yes, I am clearly doing something right.”

Well…yes and no.

The truth is that you can have hundreds, thousands and perhaps millions of fans (those people who have liked your page) but only a very small percentage will see any of your posts in their newsfeed. When I say small, I mean very small – as in two to four percent of your fans.VWMMFeb5-11

I can hear you screaming right now – What? Why do I even post then? We will get to that, but first here are the reasons why it is that small, and how we combat it.

One is the algorithm that Facebook uses to determine a post’s popularity. Within the first few minutes that you post something to your page, Facebook begins to track it. If someone “engages” with your post, meaning they Like, Comment or Share it, then Facebook will continue to deliver it into your fans newsfeed. People vote and it continues to be seen. This is where you get your reach number that is on every single post.

Yet there is something that your fans don’t know. If they like your page and don’t like any of the posts on your page…they will more than likely never see your posts.

Let that sink in for just a minute.

Someone likes your page. They assume they will see your posts. Then they wonder why they never do, or worse, assume that you don’t post anything worth seeing.

This is why only two to four percent of your fans see your posts. It is also why Facebook pushes you to boost your posts. In order to reach everyone who likes your page, and possibly their friends, you need to pay to play.

So how do you combat this? Two ways. Inform your fans – make an excellent graphic and pin it to the top of your page. Like my page? Make sure you like your favorite post for more of that content in your newsfeed!

And the other option – pay for it. Boosting posts and running ads is one of the best tools from Facebook. They may have an algorithm that you need to figure out a work around for, but when you consider their highly targeted ad options, done correctly, it is worth the money every time.

VWSocialMedia2Feb26-Mar4This is the exact reason why I tell all my clients that it’s not always about how many likes you have on your page. It’s how many engagements your posts receive, how many people ask you questions, or click your call to action button. Every single business has a different need based on their business priorities. This is often where I help my clients out. Based on your business goals we determine a digital strategy to help you get the biggest bang for your investment, in money and time.

For example, I have a client that is a preschool. Their number one goal was to have their student’s parents be more engaged on their page. This singular focus meant that we weren’t going after likes on the page, but we were working to increase comments, likes and shares of individual posts.

Our singular strategy led to some amazing results after only one year of consistency.

Within one week of opening their enrollment to the public for the next year they had filled all of their morning spots. This was faster than in any other year in their 16-year history. After only a few months they are now completely booked for the upcoming school year and they have a significant wait list for their summer camps! Their spring fundraiser has raised more money than the previous year and we have had more action on their Facebook page than ever before.

We have never run an ad campaign, yet we have prompted parents to get involved. We have been consistent and post according to our target demographic.  We interacted with other pages and shared valuable information about our school and events for the family. This is the power of being social.

What is your biggest complaint with your Facebook business page? Comment below or shoot me a message on my Facebook page. 😉