By now, you should have a Facebook Business Page for your Dive Center, having understood the limitations of Facebook Groups and knowing that Facebook Profiles may be deleted (the Zuckerberg factory doesn’t like business using profiles to advertise their services, hence the Business Pages).
Now, it’s time to increase the amount of divers who “Like” your page – the right way, and for the right reasons.
Why buying your Likes is not the answer
It’s important to understand that having more Likes on your Facebook Page is not just about the numbers. Sure, it’s great to be able to boast about 10,000+ Likes, but if your Page’s posts are only seeing engagement from fraction of this user base over time, chances are your future customers will pick up on this quickly and see that your big fan base has been bought ‘in bulk’. Likes without associated engagement are just vanity metrics, and don’t offer real value for a successful business.
You cannot have a successful Facebook Page without engaged fans (i.e. regular interaction from the people who have liked your Page), and your aim should be to grow this potential target audience.
Ad Espresso posted an article which highlights these key points:
- 62% of millennials research products on Facebook before buying. A great Facebook Page with engaged customers will make you look trustworthy
- A Facebook Page is not just to acquire new customers, it can also be an effective way to deliver great customer support (which will convert more new users into customers)
- Promoting content through Facebook Ads to engaged Page fans is cheaper and more effective than promoting to total strangers
- Even if every single Facebook Page post reaches only a small percentage of your fans, a well-executed editorial calendar will allow you to reach most of them over time.
So how do you get engaged Fans?
What you really want is an audience dedicated to your unique and interesting content. Content that, hopefully, you’re scheduling to go out every day for maximum efficiency. You need to establish yourself as the reference point for scuba diving within your area – be the local experts. Provide a reason for divers and even non-divers to interact with you by offering a wide variety of posts, from environmental awareness to equipment sales and courses.
You’ll see above the phrase “well-executed editorial calendar”. This simple means you have to sustain the effort put into your Facebook posts on an ongoing basis. Create a calendar to follow so that you remember to schedule your posts each day and you have a plan in place of what topics you want to cover and when (timing is especially important for posts linked to events, trips or offers).
Make sure that your page also looks as professional as your physical shop. Optimise your Facebook cover photo, as that’s the first thing people will see and is also displayed when Facebook users (potential customers) hover over your page name. You could even add a tag line on why someone should like your page! Click here for our article on Facebook Cover ideas.
Finally, optimise your “About” section with keywords relevant to your business. This information is indexed by Google’s search engines, and a well worded description that’s relevant to your potential audience will drive additional traffic to your page.
Need some extra help?
If you’re just starting out in the world of Facebook Business Pages or want to improve on your existing successes, book onto a PADI Business Academy to learn more about harnessing the power of online marketing, or, speak to your PADI Regional Manager.
