SocialBrite: How to build a Facebook community

Here are 14 ‘levers’ you need to be pulling

Like any social tool, Facebook needs to be worked in order to achieve specific marketing, event or fundraising goals. Yes, you need to have a an effective Facebook Page where fans can easily interact (see “11 Quick Tips to Enhance Your Facebook Fan Page” by @franswaa). And yes, you need to have compelling content.

However, even with all this, if you don’t consistently nurture your Facebook relationships, you’ll end up with visitors — potential fans — wondering, “Are they still in business?”

What you get by working your Facebook levers

• You’ll grow your fan base organically, which means they’ll stick around.
• You’ll be able to identify your biggest supporters.
• You’ll stay current on what’s important to your fans (also called “market research”).

Facebook levers (manual)

Many of the levers you pull on Facebook require time, attention and consideration. You can think of these as the manual levers.

1. Messages

Facebook Pages and Groups allows you to send messages to fans. Treat this feature the same way you would an email marketing service:

• Your best fans are busy fans. Be sensitive about sending too many messages.
• Make the message personal – and use your human voice, not “marketing-speak”.
• Make each message count by making it about them — not your organization.
• Always include a specific request for action that creates value for them.
• Cool tool: Use bit.ly measure how many folks clicked on your ask.
• See how Danny Brown uses messages in the 12for12k Group.

2. Encourage sharing

If people are real fans (meaning they feel good about you and your organization), they’ll want to share what you have (PDF) — either through messaging their friends, or posting to their profile. All you have to do is ask.

3. Discussions

Hildy Gottlieb does a great job engaging members of the Community-Driven Institute Facebook Group in meaningful discussions. She’ll share an article and then ask a specific question for folks to discuss. Participants learn, share and get to know each other – all because of Hildy’s efforts!

4. Rotating photos

Your Facebook Page has an incredible main image, I know. But try rotating out a different image — kinda like Google does with their logos. Fans will take notice when they see the new image in their stream.

5. Profile statuses

If it feels good (not forced), share news about your non-profit in your status. And yes, please share good stuff from your “competing” non-profit friends. The karmic boomerang will always return!

Tag! You’re it!: Tag relevant friends in your status updates as well:

6. Facebook Page Wall posts

Make a habit of posting videos, links and photos on your Page’s wall. Share the best stuff and lots of it.

7. Facebook Page and Group Wall comments

When people comment on a your wall post, please comment back. They’ll feel a stronger sense of belonging when their thoughts and feelings are valued. If you don’t have time to comment on posts, keep planting seeds by liking comments.

Facebook levers (automatic)

Many Facebook levers can be automated, although you still need to invest time, attention and consideration. You can think of these as the automatic levers.

8. RSS blog feed

Make sure you’ve set up the Notes Application to import your blog posts. This is an easy way to automate a stream of great on content on your Page and drive traffic back to your blog.

9. Facebook toolbar for Firefox

The Facebook toolbar for your Firefox browser lets you save time and effort with your Facebook actions:

• Search Facebook from anywhere.
• Get notifications about friend requests, messages, event invitations, and group invitations.
• Check your friends’ profile pictures and statuses and interact with them on Facebook.

Take 90 seconds and download the Facebook Firefox Toolbar!

10. Seesmic Facebook Page feature

If you use Twitter, you should know about Seesmic, an incredible desktop tool that allows you to easily manage relationships on Twitter and Facebook. Recently, a feature was added that allows you to hand-pick Facebook Pages that you want to connect with better.

Take 5 minutes and download Seesmic! (Also watch these video tutorials on using Seesmic).

11. Multiple administrators

Do you know who your biggest fans are? Is there someone you trust who wants to do more? Give them administrative rights to your Group or Page. You’ll be able to focus your energies elsewhere. Plus, your new admin friend just might teach you a thing or two about Facebook.

12. Landing page URLs

Each tab on a Facebook Page has its own URL, so you can target a precise landing Page for off-site promotion. For example, if you are promoting a fundraising event, you can target a Tab containing FBML promoting that event. You can also choose which tab to set as the default when users find your Facebook Page vs. when they visit as a fan.

13. Know your nodes

It’s easy to aquire 1,000 Facebook fans on a Page who doing nothing, proving that bigger is not necessarily better. The power of your Facebook community depends on the relationships that you have with key influencers (relationship marketing). These are folks that can sway a group of friends with a post, a tweet or a video. You already know who they are, and have already developed sincere friendships with many of these influencers (don’t forget – they’re friends first!). Facebook lists allows you to organize friends into groups so that you can more effectively nurture these friendships.

14. Measure, rinse and repeat

Facebook Pages provides many ways to measure the results of your actions so that you can quickly decide what’s working and what’s not. These reports enable you see what types of content your fans prefer and how they like to engage with that content.

Here are three of my favorite reports:

Bonus: How to use Facebook for business

If you’re interested in learning more about using Facebook for your business or non-profit, download Hubspot’s free ebook, How to Use Facebook for Business

What levers are you pulling?John Haydon delivers social web strategy solutions for “the quick, the smart, and the slightly manic.” Curious? Then connect up with John.