We’ve previously discussed the benefits of having a Facebook page for your blog. Not only can it drive traffic but it helps your readers to get involved in your blog. It gives them a voice and the opportunity to have a dialog with you that blog comments just don’t allow. In fact, people are far more likely to comment on your Facebook post than they are to leave a comment on your blog.

Unfortunately, you may have noticed that the number of people who “saw this post” is well below the number of people who actually follow your page. There are a lot of different stats available out there in the interwebs but the general consensus is that most of your Facebook posts are only seen by about 15-20% of your followers. Then why is it worth the hassle?

Facebook still has tremendous power to drive traffic to your blog so today we will discuss some tips to help you get the most from your Facebook page.

1. Make your Facebook LOOK Good!
We all spend a ton of time working on our blog interface but forget to customize our Facebook pages. There is actually a lot you can customize on your Facebook page but it’s best to start simple.

• Cover Image – This is the first thing readers will see. It should be 851 pixels by 315 pixels in size. According to Facbook TOS it may not contain more than 20% text and cannot have the link to your website. For example it may have “Arkansas Women Bloggers” but should not have “ArkansasWomenBloggers.com”. Violating this could possibly lead to your page being shut down.
• Profile Pic – The profile pic should be something that identifies your blog. Your blog logo is perfect for your profile pic. When people view thier newsfeed they will often scan profile pics to pick out which items in the feed are worth reading. While a photo of yourself is cute, it doesn’t stand out among hundreds of other selfies quite like a logo will.
• About Section – Make sure your blog address is listed in the About section of your facebook page!

2. Understand EdgeRank
EdgeRank is the algorithm that helps Facebook decide which pages are worthy of being displayed in your newsfeed. The EdgeRank is based on Affinity, Weight, and Time Decay.

• Affinity – This is the relationship between your content and the user. Basically the more a user interacts (through clicks, likes, comments and shares) the more likely your content will show up in their news feed.
• Weight – Weight refers to the amount of time it takes for a given user to interact with your content. Commenting on a post take more time and effort and therefore holds more weight than just liking a post.
• Time Decay – Time Decay refers to the amount of time a post is alive and relevent. A 2 hour old post with no likes, comments or shares ranks lower than a two-day old post that has had several likes, comments, and shares.

In short, you need to provide your readers with reasons to interact with your page and then keep them interested. Asking questions and engaging in dialog (replying to their comments) is a great way to keep your fans involved.

3. Provide Valuable Content
Just as with blogging, original content will score you more points in the eyes of the algorithm. At least 80% of your posts should be original! The other 20% can be shares or re-posts of outside content but your readers really want to see something unique!

4. Consider WHY People will “Like” a Facebook Page
Most Facebook users follow pages because they:

• Hope to get a discount
• Want to be entertained
• Want to interact with you
• To show support

5. Respond to ALL comments
As mentioned above, the key to having good visibility on Facebook is maintaining a high EdgeRank.
Responding to comments invited dialog and keeps your fans engages in your page longer.

6. Use a Visual
A picture really is worth a thousand words! Photos, Album and Embedded Videos all invite fans to be engaged longer. Longer engagement increases your EdgeRank.

7. Use ALL the posting types
Facebook provides nine different posting types. Mix it up and use them all on occasion.

• Status
• Photos
• Video
• Link
• Photo Albums
• Question (Poll)
• Event
• Milestone
• Offer

8. Post Regularly but DON’T Overdo It
For most pages 1-3 posts throughout the day will give you the best results but again keep your content valuable. Posting 20 pictures in a row of things growing in your garden is a quick way to lose followers! Limit and vary the posts you put up and save your 20 garden pictures (and recipes) for Instagram or Pinterest.

9. Don’t Use Too Many LINK Posts
Link posts typically have the LOWEST amount of reader engagement. While they are great for driving traffic to your site you will notice they are often the lowest viewed according to Facebook Insights. Because people click on the link and navigate away from Facebook there is less engagement. Consider posting the link in the comments instead and ask your readers to answer a question before they navigate away.

10. Use Facebook Insights to Help Direct Content
Facebook Insights is an excellent and often overlooked tool. Spending time analyzing your insights can give you valuable information. If you’re not quite sure how to use the Facebook Insights try googling “How to use Facebook Insights” and you will find a number of posts that will help you.