How to craft the perfect Facebook post
Is there such a thing as the perfect Facebook post?
Almost every minute Facebook’s News Feed churns through content with many posts failing to get the reach they deserve. Sometimes it’s the smallest detail that can make the biggest difference, which is why it’s crucial to constantly keep up with best practice.
User behaviour is changing rapidly and there’s fierce competition too. Now Facebook has changed the game completely by altering its algorithm with new volume and content controls, and by reducing Like counts. With these things in mind, we’ve put together the top tips for crafting the perfect Facebook post.
If Facebook is a major part of your digital strategy, this article is a must read.
1) Write considered content
For starters, you want to keep it short. A study by SimplyMeasured found that Facebook posts between 50-99 characters see the most engagement. For retail brands though, posts with fewer than 40 characters had 86% higher fan engagement. Whatever the magic number for your audience, the point is to keep it brief and to the point.
Beyond post length, engagement is key, so ask a question or put in a call to action. Beware generic CTAs (call to actions) though such as “Like” or “Share” as they may be hidden under Facebook’s new algorithm. Instead, try words like “Enter”, “Learn” or “Get involved”.
The final point to note about content is punctuation, and we don’t just mean apostrophes and full stops. Depending on your specific audience, hashtags, question marks and exclamation points could garner more engagement. According to a study by TrackMaven:
- Posts with hashtags see 60% more interactions on average.
- Posts with exclamation points see 2.7 times more interactions on average.
- Posts that ask questions see 23% more engagement on average.
Depending on your target audience, why not test and find out for yourself.
2) Display links efficiently
We love how Facebook automatically loads a preview window when you add a link. Now there’s no need to keep those long, ugly URLs in your posts. If the image that pops up automatically isn’t quite right, you can upload your own. But always try to match the image dimensions (484×252) so that it displays well.
3) Increase engagement with photos and videos
Facebook has cracked down on photo usage, when it became common knowledge that adding a branded photo to your post could increase engagement. Despite this, visuals are still the most engaging content type, followed closely by video.
When uploading the perfect image, it’s important to consider size. Square is best for posts, typically at 900×900, as this will control how your image is cropped. Don’t forget to add a description, even a link.
One last tip about photos is that uploading to your News Feed tends to increase engagement more than uploading straight to an album. Try it and see.
4) Follow up comments
If you pose a question and people take the time to comment, acknowledge it. Be personable. Ask more questions. Keep the conversation going and it will show users that you value them. More comments means wider engagement and greater visibility. Don’t fire and forget.
5) Schedule posts outside work hours and on weekends
According to TrackMaven, posts published between 5pm-1am see 11% more interactions than during the work day. Also, the same source says weekend posts garner 25% more Likes, Shares and Comments perhaps due to the fact that less than 18% of posts are published on weekends. The same goes for email open rates.
Try it yourself or engage iFactory’s digital marketing team
Facebook is an ever-changing social media platform. So, it’s important to constantly test, analyse and optimise to find the best formula for your market. Effective social media strategies don’t just happen; they take creativity, research and above all time.
That’s why it makes sense to engage a digital and creative agency to develop quality content marketing and implement the right social media strategy. Contact iFactory today and grow your business through social.
