You put a lot of effort into building your Facebook page, so it can be discouraging when people “unlike” you. Strange as it may seem, people take their Facebook pages super seriously. So seriously, in fact, that unliking is often viewed as the ultimate way to show disapproval, even more than negative comments or reviews. What’s the main reason people unlike a brand? Simple, you annoy them.
“Stop Pestering Me!”
I’ve seen brands do some pretty obnoxious things, from pelting the news feed with multiple posts every day to posting political nonsense that has nothing to do with their company. According to this enlightening infographic by market research company Lab42, people most often unlike brands for these annoying habits (which ones are you guilty of?):
- Posting too frequently
- Posting irrelevant content
- Posting overt religious or political content
- Bad customer service and communication
Respect Your Fans and Give Them What They Want
At the end of the day, your fans want to hear from you or they wouldn’t have liked you in the first place. Most Facebook users like brands because they feel more connected, they want to receive special offers or discounts, or they want to stay up-to-date on new products. Encourage them to stick around by resolving to:
- Post less frequently—Pay attention to how often you’re posting. If necessary, ask fans for feedback on how often they’d like to hear from you.
- Post relevant, valuable content—Make sure your fans receive top priority when it comes to notification of sales, coupon offers, giveaways, and other deals. Avoid topics that have nothing whatsoever to do with your brand (although it’s fine to let your personality shine through).
- Encourage fans to manage notification frequency rather than unliking—Facebook allows users to change their notification preferences by hovering over the “Like” button on a brand’s fan page.
- Let fans know they can hide a like—If your company has embarrassment potential (you sell diet products or certain medications, for example) fans can hide the fact that they’ve liked your page from their friends. Don’t be distraught by this. Just be thankful they’re still receiving your information, even if all their friends don’t know it.
Maintaining a healthy Facebook fan page is all about building relationships. Learn what your customers want and give it to them. Keep the conversation fresh. And pay attention to the likes and dislikes of your target market. It’s the only way to stay on top of your game in an increasingly competitive social market.
As consumers we know “brands” simply as a particular product or service we like or dislike. However, as a business owner we know there are several factors to be considered before consumers can truly identify and trust a specific brand. In a perfect world, everyone would be a great target for all marking and brand identities but that’s not the case. Let’s cover the three main steps to creating an interactive branding message that your consumers can begin to connect with!
Does this really matter, you ask? Consider this… how likely are you to remember a random fast-food restaurant you visited when they use generic bags and soda cups versus the restaurant that brands every cup and bag with their logo? That garbage in your car becomes advertising and will make an impression every time you see it.
We’ve all gotten those receipts from big box stores encouraging us to fill out an online survey for a chance to win a $5,000 gift card. But how many of us have actually taken the time to fill one out? I’m guessing not many. The chances of winning are too slim to have much motivational power. But the fault isn’t with the survey idea itself. You can use surveys to find out what makes your target audience tick and you don’t have to give away $5,000 to do it. Here’s how:
