Of brands that use social media, 95.8% of social media marketers believe Facebook produces the best ROI. Here are ways to ensure your posts are actually effective. Facebook users are accustomed to just scrolling through their feeds, often referred to as “mindless scrolling.” If your posts don’t grab their attention, they’ll scroll right past them, rendering your efforts useless. But with all the noise on social media it can be hard to know what types of posts to create to stop the “social scroll” in its tracks and turn the users’ attention toward your business. Here are some tips to create Facebook posts that will command attention from your audience.
6 Facebook Tips to Grab Consumer Attention
Use Images That Stand Out
People can recall 65% of the visual content that they see compared to only 10% of content they read almost three days later, studies show. So, not surprisingly, 8 out of 10 marketers use visual assets in their social media marketing. Users are more like to retain information in your post and be more aware of your brand when a picture is included in your Facebook posts. When posting images, think about your target customer and choose imagery which will grab their attention or engage their interests. When looking for eye-catching photos, consider using vibrant colors or photos that are funny and creative. Images can be both practical for your posts and something social media users don’t see every day.
Use Caution with Stock Images
Stock images can be great in a pinch but can be detrimental to engagement as they are often difficult to relate to. Where possible, leverage photos taken by your business or user-generated content* instead. If you must use a stock photo, avoid using images that appear overly “polished” or “perfect.” Choose natural images that depict real people, feelings and moments, but presented in a genuine way, distinct from classic stock photo clichés. A smiling family in a stark white kitchen probably won’t keep a user from moving onto the next post in their busy feed.
Consider Adding Text to Images
We’ve found that users are much more likely to read and interact with text if it is overlaid on an image. Adding text to images may better grab the attention of users as they scroll through their feeds. Facebook’s guidelines state text should not occupy more than 20% of an image or it may impact placement and impressions. At times it is effective to break these guidelines in order to increase engagement from a smaller audience, as long as the impact is measured. A post displayed to less people but that receives high engagement from your target audience is more effective than an ignored post that shows up in the feeds of the masses.
Ask Users Questions
People like to voice their opinions and share their knowledge, so increase post engagement by asking questions of your Facebook followers. When you ask social media users to take an action such as “post your favorite pic of your pooch” or ask them a question like “what’s your dog’s name?” they feel a certain obligation to not leave you hanging. Answers from your users equal increased engagement. You can even have an employee, or a friend give an answer from a personal profile to spark conversation. Asking a question is a great way to get more users to engage with your posts.
Have Fun with It
Add more fun and humor to entice engagement when appropriate. Even if your business is more on the serious side, you need to connect with the social audience you are advertising to. Facebook and Instagram are filled with fun posts which often have high engagement. If your post is stale or too matter-of-fact without any personality, it’s going to be drowned out by the noise.
Test Test Test!
We know social media recommendations are not one-size-fits all for every business and audience. Set up A/B testing in Facebook Ads Manager to identify the most effective social content and use the data to make content decisions. For example, try ads with a compliant amount of text in photos vs ads without text and measure engagement and impressions. Or test posts that provide information against content that asks a question of the user and measure engagement. Testing is key to determining whether your Facebook marketing methods are impactful.
Here are a couple of examples:
Does your brand need help creating an engaging social strategy? Contact 10 Pound Gorilla for a free consultation.