Social Media: No One "Likes" Your Facebook Company Page

Good news: you created a company page on Facebook for your new business! Bad news? The novelty is gone. Nobody cares anymore. No really. Well I certainly don't, and not  because I'm a cantankerous curmudgeon. It's because I know what will happen when I do.


Liking one page means Facebook "thinks" you'd like similar pages, so it's algorithm bombards you with similar page suggestions. And the real reason we "Liked" most pages in the first place is "likely" out of guilt. Friends, exes, work associates, work friends who became exes -- oh who cares! Just click the button and help the person get free publicity and some mojo going. That's just my point: it doesn't help that either. Being social media savvy, I try to explain this to those in my life but it never ends well. (OK the cantankerous curmudgeon plays into it as well).

The mistake companies make (be they large or small) is concentrate on sending the page to coworkers, friends, family then have to sheepishly ask for clicks like we do for our kids doing school fund drives. Problem is they are not a collector and you are not "fans."  So if "Like" building has been your focus so to appear legitimate or because you believe more is better, then you'll likely generate as much new business as selling beach blankets and bonbons in Boston this weekend.

You can do business on Facebook...if you advertise

The companies with successful track records on Facebook know that number of "Likes" is irrelevant. But trying to convince upper management of this fact can be tough. To them, it's all about numbers, more the merrier, the buckshot approach, fish in a barrel, and all those other sales idioms they tend to throw around. Challenge their "Trolling for Likes" approach by putting it on a personal level.  You know those friends with ridiculously high friend counts? Is this really friendship or a collection of strangers? Can you count on them for help?

Now apply this to your company "Likes."  Can they "help" you? They are useless unless they are potential leads. Visitors care if they get something out of it and care little if others do. The only people you want to click the Blue Thumbs Up should be potential and current customers. You're intent is to build trust, credibility, and foster future business by supplying pertinent content and engaging offers.

So what should a business do?  Make it a destination page. A Facebook Company Page is meant to reinforce — not replace — your sales, public relations, and customer service. The idea of Facebook for companies is to create and capture new leads by building credibility and interest. Think of it as a newspaper rather than a brochure. Then try to push these visitors to their products, websites, custom landing pages, etc. Here are a few simple rules to follow:

• Vary the sentiment of your posts. In addition to posting news about your products, offer Facebook-only promotions, special offers, and helpful tips.
• Remember it’s social media. Include photos of the staff at work, company outings, parties, etc. 
• Cross market and place the Facebook address on all other ads, emails, promotions, etc. to increase fan count.

Let your company page bring us into your world. Give us reason to visit and to return. Who knows? Just like Mikey from the old Life cereal commercials, we just might "Like" it. But if the idea is to build a business, spend your resources on SEO or SEM and get "liked" so much that they actually buy.

Follow Frank Bocchino, a Los Angeles-based writer, designer, and digital marketer who helps organizations create qualified strategies that generate new business using the latest tools for lead generation, SEO, and social media.

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