The next step after creating your Facebook fan page is to start getting people to “Like” this page. For some people this might seem like an uphill battle, but it doesn’t have to be.

How can you get more people to Like your fan page? Follow these simple steps and you will see:

Step 1: Choose a Keyword-Based Title

Select a fan page title based on high-search keywords related to your niche or product. Make sure the title is also easy to remember.

Depending on your title/keyword, there might be some competition from other fan pages. Your keywords should be somewhat specific, stay away from general keywords. For example, instead of using the word “dog training”, try to use something like “dog training for poodles”, or dog training for puppies”.

Check your keywords against the Google Keyword Tool to make sure they have some real search volume.

Step 2: Contact Influencers Directly

There are probably a handful of people in your network that can be considered “influencers”.  Influencers are people who’s fan pages are frequently “Liked”, shared and/or commented on by others on Facebook.

These are the type of people you want to “Like” your page. Make a point to contact them directly and ask them to come on over and check out your fan page. Hopefully you have a strong relationship with them, and your fan page can also benefit them in some way.

Step 3: Embed a Widget on Your Site

Go to the Facebook Like Box page and create a Like widget for your website. After creating the box to your liking, copy and embed the code in your website.  Usually you would like to put this box on a sidebar, or at the bottom of your posts. This will give people an idea on how popular your fan page is, and attract more people to it.

Step 4: Advertise on Facebook

Another way to increase your exposure is by using Facebook Ads. When creating the ads, make sure you target the right audience, or you might be paying for ad space that will not be looked at.

Facebook Ads are a great way to get targeted traffic to your fan page, especially if your fan page is new and does not have a lot of exposure.

Step 5: Buy Followers

If you are in a hurry to get your fan page noticed, you may want to consider buying followers. This is a controversial technique, but if done the right way, it can get your page noticed by a lot of people real fast.

You can start by contacting other page owners in your niche, and see if they would be willing to post about you on their pages for a fee. This might get some of their followers to come over and check out your page.

You can also check out places on the internet such as Fiverr or Digital Point who offer such “buy followers” services. Make sure the followers they send you are people who are interested in the niche or business you are promoting.

Step 6: Content Based Strategies

The following is a list of ideas for strategies you can use to increase traffic to your fan page:

• Post a video. Videos that are funny, shocking or highly informative get shared more often than just plain text.
• Run a contest. Make sure the contest requires people to like or share your fan page with their friends as part of the contest process.
• Give away a free report. Give away a report or eBook that can get passed around by people. In turn, these people will come to your page and “Like” it.
• Post regularly. You should post information on your fan page at least 5 times a week. The more you post, the more likely you are to show up in people’s feeds.
• Vary your tone. Post something controversial one day, then something strictly informational the next. Follow that with something funny, then something off topic. Keep them guessing.
• Always provide value. Aim to provide value with everything you do on your Facebook fan page. Many of Facebook’s fastest growing pages grow completely organically with no promotion, simply from the value they provide.

In the previous steps you got in idea on what it takes to promote a Facebook fan page. Promoting a fan page is an ongoing process, so get out there, create a page and promote it constantly and you will see great results.

One metric used to gauge the effectiveness of a Facebook fan page is the number of “Likes” a page has. A “Like” is when a user or customer likes enough the information on the page to click on the “Like” button. This action links that user to your page, therefore any information you post on your page from now on is received by all the people that “Liked” the page.

on Facebook, regular personal pages have a limit of 5000 “Likes”, on the other hand, Facebook fan pages don’t have this limit.

The following 10 steps will guide you to the creation of a basic Facebook fan page.

Step 1: Create a Page

Login to your Facebook account. On your left hand sidebar, locate the subheading called “pages.” Hover your mouse there. A button called “more” will appear. Click that button.

 
On the next page, click “Create a Page” in the upper right corner.

Step 2: Select a Page Type

Next, select what type of page you want to create. Each page selection has somewhat different options. For example, if you select “Local Business or Place” you would provide information such as hours of operation and parking options. On the other hand, if you select “Artist, Band or Public Figure” you would want to provide samples of your work.

Step 3: Enter Your Basic Information

Enter the basic information for your business. This is the bare minimum of information that Facebook needs to get you started.
 

Take your time choosing a category because it will be used to help people find you in Facebook. If in doubt, visit some of your competitors’ pages and see what categories they’re using.

Step 4: Add an Image

Your profile image makes a big difference on people’s overall impression of your Facebook fan page and your brand. Choose an image that represents what you stand for and would be instantly recognizable. In case there are multiple pages with the same or similar names, the fan page image will help people choose your fan page above all others.

A good size picture is 180 pixels wide by 480 pixels tall. It would be nice if you can put arrows on top of the picture pointing to the “Like” button. For example, check out this fan page image:

Step 5: Click “Edit Info”

After you added the fan page image, add more information about your organization or business by clicking the  “Edit Info” link under the title.

Step 6: Enter a Topic

When you first setup your page, you provided Facebook with a small amount of basic information. Here you can provide Facebook and your customers with even more information.

Start by picking a more in depth topic. The topic should be something that both makes sense to customers, and may be a search keyword that people use to find you.

Step 7: Hours and Other Details

Put in other details about your business. The more detail you can provide, the better. Customers view more data as more professional. It also helps them make decisions about when to come to your business.

Each type of page has different kinds of details. In a local page, you can input things like hours, parking details, price, etc. A celebrity profile will be different, as would a non-profit page.

Step 8: About & Description

This is one of the most important areas of your Facebook fan page. Your “about” and “description” are going to be one of the most read areas of your pages. People will read this area and decide whether or not they’re interested in what you have to offer.

Step 9: Email and Website

Every business today should have a website, no matter how small the business. A Facebook fan page often isn’t the best place to put in depth information. For example, you wouldn’t put an entire restaurant menu on Facebook. Instead, provide your website address so people can find out more if they want.

Step 10: Pick a Username

Finally, pick a username for your page. This username will be part of the fan page URL. An easy to remember username makes it simple for people to navigate back to your page and to refer their friends. You can choose just about any username you can think of, except ones that have already been taken. If possible, include some of your main keywords on this username.  Also, know that once this username is set, it is PERMANENT.  It cannot be changed later, so choose wisely.

Setting up a great profile is mostly about being as detailed and complete as possible. People want to be able to learn enough about your business to make a decision, just from your Facebook page. If you can put something on your page that increases engagement, like a question or a contest, so much the better.

I hope this article has been helpful. Don’t be shy and share any comment you may have in the box below. Thanks.

Unfortunately, when it comes to advertising, the first question asked by most business people is: How much is this advertising is going to cost me? Most business people are used to the high price of advertising using the “old fashioned” ways, such as radio, television, printed ads, yellow pages, etc. The good news is that, with the creation of the Internet, a new advertising medium has been created which is both inexpensive and highly efficient.

So what is this incredible new medium? It is Social Networking!  Social Networking is the term used to describe a website on the internet where millions of people gather to exchange ideas, pictures, and socialize (network) in general. This is a great place to find new customers (and even partners), not only local, but even worldwide. And the best part is that there are several of this websites available on the Internet and they are free to join. Examples of these websites are: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, etc.

I bet that when you think of Social Networking you think of online relationship sites. This is a good assumption because most of these websites were originally created with that function in mind. As they evolved, they became more “business friendly”, allowing for ads and advertising. This was good for users because they would learn about new products or services and for the businesses because they acquired a massive pool of new customers and potential partners.

The great benefits that these sites have is that you can easily target specific customers that would be interested in your product or service. This targeting can be done by researching the site’s database for people with similar “likes” or tastes, and start a relationship with them.

Marketing on a Social site is a bit different than on a regular Internet website.  You first have to create a relationship with your customer, gain their trust. Then, start slowly with the sales pitch. If you come off too strong from the get-go, people will ignore you. Remember, social marketing is basically a “word-of-mouth” type marketing. People tell their friends, and then they tell their friends and so on. If you can make a good first impression, it will go a long way.

The first thing you need to do is create a presence on the social network you want to target. This presence can be a fanpage, a profile, etc.  It is a bit different depending on the site.  Start by creating complete profile where you explain who you are and what you have to offer. Talk about the benefits of your product or service, but keep it on a friendly/personal level, keep the sales pitch at a very low level. Give away tips, comments, recipes, anecdotes, and anything that will bring people into your page. Create trust and relationships. Also make sure to put a link to your main website to drive traffic.

Joining a Social Network site will open you and your business to a whole new world of advertising and possibilities. A world of millions of new customers and potential partners. And the best part is that it’s relatively inexpensive, and results are achieved faster than with conventional (old-fashioned) advertising methods.

So, what are you waiting for? Take the plunge, create an account and see what happens. I bet you will be amazed with the results!