social media how-to: facebook pages.

Just over a week ago I did a mini digital marketing and social media workshop with a group of Vermont FFA students at the VT Farm Show.

It was last minute and a little fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, but hey, that's sometimes the best. That way you can't over-think it.

Below are the tips I shared with them for managing their group's Facebook page:

1. Be Engaging with your content and images. IMAGES.
Provide enough information to get your audience hooked, but don't give it all away. Leave them wanting to know more so they'll interact with you. You don't have to create it all yourself - following other pages will provide a greater pool to draw from.
There's also a ton of studies that have shown how images with your posts increase engagement rates, so make sure you include one that compliments your text - something that your fans will want to share with their friends.

Speaking of images... here's a handy little guide for perfectly sizing your Facebook images.

2. Create a buzz...
The conversation on your page should go two ways. Not only does it need to be interesting enough to earn a response, but you also need to ask the right questions in the right way. Tell your fans how to engage and give them a reason to do so... present them with a call to action! Pose trivia questions, ask them to share a photo, encourage them to click a link... and give them an incentive (giveaways, fan of the week).

3. ...And do it fast.
Put instructions in the image or early in the post. Keep it simple so they actually read it.

4. Be consistent and relevant.
Starting any social media account for a business, group or community is absolutely a commitment. In order you build your brand and get the most out of your time, either commit or don't bother. Establish a schedule but also be aware of local events, industry issues, and anything else that is important to your fans. This doesn't mean you have to post every day - once a week is a great start, just make it count.

5. Review your performance.
If something totally flops, change it up next time. If you get a ton of engagement on a post, figure out why! Was it what you said? The photo you used? The call to action you offered?
You can use a form of A/B testing to really hone in on what's working: create two very similar posts but have one major difference between the two. For example, put the instructions in the text of one post and in the post's image in the other.

What Facebook posts have you had the most success with? Do you post many photos? Let me know in the comments below!

xo Emily