Staying active on Facebook takes commitment, and it’s not always easy. Having a healthy dose of ready-to-post status updates available can help get you through those days when you have little time to spare or aren’t feeling particularly creative. Here’s how to post like a pro on Facebook.
1. Spend some time brainstorming ideas. When you’re feeling creative, sit down with a pen and paper and start brainstorming. Think of about five to ten broad topics related to your customers’ interests and problems and write those down. Some of these ideas may spawn additional ideas, so write those down too. For each main idea, try to come up with five to ten sub-topics. For example, if you run a pool cleaning service, your main topics might include: testing, cleaning, pool repairs, seasonal maintenance, pool accessories, and funny pool stories. Under testing you might have: do-it-yourself testing tips, pool chemistry, pool warning signs, problems associated with unbalanced pool water, testing saltwater pools, and so on. Under funny pool stories, you might include funny pool quotes, inspirational photos, funny pool cartoons, and stories. Remember, you don’t have to strictly adhere to your list. Use it as inspiration for generating ideas.
2. Start writing. Open a word processor and create sections for each topic and subtopic and then start writing. You may find it easier to write a bunch of related short posts in one sitting than it is to write a single status update on demand, especially when you have a list of related ideas right in front of you. Likewise, when searching for relevant quotes, it’s not uncommon to find a collection of great quotes in one search. Writing a bunch of updates in a single writing session is generally more efficient.
3. Use a scheduling tool. Once you have a collection of status updates all ready to go, use Facebook’s scheduling tool or a third party social media scheduling tool to schedule them in advance. Decide how you want them to go out. For example, if you want to discuss pool testing every Monday, start with that topic and schedule those posts to go out on Mondays. Optionally, you could stay on the pool testing topic for several days before switching gears to the next topic. In either case, you’ll copy and paste each update into a blank status update box and then click on the clock icon to pick its publish time and date. Once scheduled, Facebook will automatically publish your updates according to the schedule you created. This ensures a steady stream of updates, even if you’ve been called away or are feeling uninspired.
Pre-writing and scheduling some of your Facebook posts can fill in the gaps of your Facebook marketing efforts. However, this is not a substitute for actively engaging with your followers. Make sure to respond to comments and post additional real-time updates.
Thomas von Ahn | Chief Elephant Slayer | Viral Solutions LLC