Are you using Facebook as a part of your blog marketing strategy?

Do you post and feel as if your posting into a desert?

Would you like to have more engagement on your Facebook page?

Well then you're reading the right article, because I'm going to basically give you 5 status update templates that you can straight up copy and see an increase in engagement on Facebook.

Why Facebook?

Five Status Updates That Increase Engagement On Your Facebook Page_72What? Are you seriously asking that question? Ok, I'll humor you 😉

As of June 30th, 2013, Facebook has reported to have approximately 1.15 billion monthly active users.

Of those users, 699 million are active DAILY and on the mobile front, there are around 819 million daily active users.

Alright, lets do some simple math – there are approximately 7 billion people in the world. However, there are only 2.4 billion internet users.
This means that approximately HALF of the people on the internet (Ok, it's technically 48%) are on Facebook.

What this means is simple – regardless of who your ideal target person is, they are most likely on Facebook. Yep, they're right there waiting for you.
To make things more personal, Facebook is responsible for 31.11% of the social traffic to my Biology Blog, second only to Youtube (since my blog is mostly video) and the next in line is StumbleUpon (strangely enough) at a whopping 3.2%.

Obviously, Facebook is a force to be reckoned with.

5 Status Updates

WorldNetworkWhen it comes to Facebook, yes content is still king. However, content in this case is referred to as status updates.

The beauty about it is that the king has a queen and it's a happy marriage. And yes, that queen is interaction.

Social media has made it so that the sharing of content is no longer a one way street.

Engagement happens when you are sharing content and your audience is fully engaged in an ongoing conversation with you.

So, how do you make your status updates as engaging as possible? Great question. Here are 5 status update templates that have worked well for me for increasing engagement on my Facebook pages.

1. Questions With SIMPLE Answers

The key word here is simple. I've noticed that when I ask questions that people really have to do a lot of thinking, the responses decrease SIGNIFICANTLY.

However, if you don't need to even think before answering, you get a significant increase in responses and views.

A few weeks ago, I asked a very simple question on the Become A Blogger Facebook page that went like this:

Here's the beauty of this question. No, it's not related to my niche, but it's something that is easy to answer.

Not only that, but it allows me to get to know my audience beyond just what they think about blogging. It gives a new dimension for engagement.

When I see people commenting, I no longer just see a name, I see Meron from Israel, Allan from Utah and Ahmed from Egypt. It's a beautiful thing.

2. Fill In The Blank

I love this kind of status update on my Interactive Biology Facebook page and so does my audience. While writing this article (yes, right now as I write it) I posted the following status update on my page:

Complete the following statement: If I had to live without one organ, I would give up my _________.

Within one minute (literally), one person responded “No way”. I went to check on my son (we're sleep training him right now) and by the time I got back, I had a spleen, tonsils, kidneys, and a few others to choose from.

At the pace this is going, I might have a whole body to choose from when I wake up tomorrow morning 😉

3. A or B Questions

Plan A and Plan B crossroads

This is a simple comparison question where people are asked to choose between two options.

If the options are opposing options, you will most likely get the most engagement (and even a little competition).

However, the options don't always have to be opposing. They can also be complimentary. Here's a good example from my Become A Blogger Facebook Page:

Opinion time: Which is more important? Blog or Social Media?

What I like about these kinds of questions is that the choice is simple, but then people can choose to expand on it if they'd like.

There will be people who are diehard supporters of blogging and those who think Social Media is where it's at. This can be a springboard for an interesting debate, which is exactly what ended up happening.

4. Strong Statements

StrongStatement

Do you have an opinion that goes against what many people think? That just might be something that sets you apart from others in your niche.

As I like to put it – that is part of your unique value proposition (UVP).

These kinds of statements usually get people all riled up. For me (as an example), as a marketer, I really dislike many of the typical things marketers teach.

Quite frankly, it's not all about the money for me. That's different than many other internet marketers.

So, I decided to make a statement about it on the Become a Blogger Facebook page that went like this:

The more I get out there in the blogging world, the more I figure out what I don't like about what many blogging mentors teach. The funny thing is that I'm also starting to realize that I don't like some of the things I've done.

It's like I have a fresh new set of eyes, and I WILL be making some changes. There's ALWAYS room for growth!

What strong statements can you make that set you apart from everybody else? Use that on your page, and those who agree with you will be all over it. Those who disagree – well, they'll probably be all over it too. It's a win win 🙂

5. Pictures

I left this one for last, not because it's the least important, but because it's probably the biggest thing you can do to increase engagement.

Also, it can work in conjunction with any of the above status updates.

People LOVE pictures. Pictures of cats, people, and even pictures with text. This is something we've focused heavily on for my biology page.

I have my virtual assistant Noemi (I call her the “director of Awesome”) come up with pictures with all kinds of interesting facts and quotes.

These have become a hot thing on Facebook, so I encourage you to use vibrant pictures with as many as your posts as possible. Here's a great example:

Bringing it all together

So there you have it. Those were 5 types of status updates that have been working well for me when it comes to increasing engagement on my Facebook pages.

They seem simple and that's because they are. However, I was surprised to see how much my engagement increased when I started making these kinds of posts.

What will work for you? Well, I guess you'll just have to test it out and see.

Regardless of how you use them, your posts should fit into the context of the brand you are trying to build. It's a part of a bigger story – a unique story. YOUR story!

Social media is about connecting with people. Let people connect with you on YOUR Facebook page and you'll be way ahead of the game.

So, I leave you with a question.

What types of posts work best for you when it comes to engagement on Facebook?

About the Author Leslie Samuel


Leslie Samuel a business coach for high-performing entrepreneurs. As the host of the Leslie Samuel Show, he teaches how to build an online business. "Changing the world one post at a time” is the mission he strives towards. As a former university professor, he has a passion for education. He's the founder of Interactive Biology, a blog and YouTube channel dedicated to making biology fun for students and teachers. As the head of training for the Social Media Marketing Society, he helps social media marketers get the training they need to stay on the leading edge of social media.

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