Despite the doom and gloom we sometimes see about the state of Facebook, Mark Zuckberberg’s empire still reigns over all other social media platforms. With close to a billion active users on the site (compared to Twitter’s 200 million and Instagram’s 130 million), it’s a platform that we have to embrace and one where we need to continue to innovate.
Aside from the number of active users, I have other reasons to believe Facebook is still a huge asset to sport teams and leagues. Here is why:
- Facebook has created a platform that plays to visuals; visuals allow us to portray the emotion in sports and high arousal compels people to share.
- Facebook users share 2.5B pieces of content on the site each day according to Nielsen.
- According to State of Search, 47% of Americans say that Facebook has a greater impact on their purchasing behavior than any other social network (hello ticket sales).
My point is this: As we all get excited about new and emerging platforms, we can’t neglect Facebook . Additionally, we need to make sure what we are doing on the platform is meaningful.
Engagement Numbers are Troublesome
Most teams and leagues have a good base number of fans. When I dig deeper though, I often see the same thing over an over again: a large fan-base, with little engagement.
I decided to test my theory. I took a look at the top three athletic departments on Facebook- Ohio State, Florida and Alabama- and analyzed their last eight posts on Facebook to see how many stories (likes, comments and shares) were created. The results:
On average, each team had less than .5% of their audience engaging (liking, sharing or commenting) with their content.
Let me repeat, it’s time to start focusing on quality, not quantity; it’s time to dig deeper into analytics and understand what resonates with audiences. After all, social media is not about YOU or me (it’s about the fans).
Now it’s time for me to stop preaching and time to start teaching. What can you do to get better engagement on Facebook? Below are a few secrets to success.
Tips for Better Engagement
1. Know Your Audience & Your Fans
With one of the Facebook platforms I manage, I always joke that the biggest compliment I can receive is for someone to think that it’s a guy running the page. Why? Because that page has a predominantly male, younger audience and I try to use the language that speaks to them. I don’t use words like “sick, epic and bro” in my daily life… but will I use them when writing copy for that page’s posts? Absolutely!
Facebook Insights should be your constant companion; it’s one of the keys to understanding your audience. Make sure you know your demographics so you can write copy and create content that speaks to your fans. No one wants to interact with a robot. Be conversational, casual and have some fun.
2. Don’t Overthink
We all have short attention spans online, so keep it short and sweet. Posts between 100 and 250 characters get about 60% more likes, comments and shares (source: Facebook).
3. Great Visuals Are Key
When you can, stay away from a post with just text. Photos albums, pictures and videos get 180%, 120%, and 100% more engagement respectively (source: Facebook).
4. Tap Into the Emotion of Sports
I recently read Jonah Berger’s Contagious on why things catch on. According to Berger, one of the key elements to virality is high arousal (both positive and negative). In my opinion, high arousal goes hand-in-hand with sports. Emotions like awe, anxiety, anger, joy and surprise are all prevalent in the stories created on and off the field—tap into that emotion to create compelling content. If you want people to share, then trigger their emotions.
Now it’s your turn. What has been your secret to great engagement on Facebook?
