It's not how many fans you have but how real those fans are.
We all enjoy having fans. We like being liked. On Facebook, a fan represents one who has clicked “like” on your business page to show support and enthusiasm about what is it you’re promoting. Facebook fans help your business reach a level of social media recognition and popularity. Yet, as with most things in life, the quality of your Facebook fans is more important than the quantity.
- The number of Facebook fans you have doesn’t do much for you except in the realm of social proof. Social proof is the influence that the actions and attitudes of the people around us have on our own behavior. Seeing other people doing something gives it a seal of approval. When you see your friends liking pages and going to events, Social Proof says, “Hey, my friends like this or that, therefore I might like it, too.” For example, when Facebook shows you how many of your friends like a certain restaurant, this prompts you to think that you’re probably going to like it too. As a result, you become a “fan” of the restaurant.
- Don’t buy Facebook fans or hold contests for the sole purpose of getting more fans. It’s a waste of money to buy Facebook fans or likes. It lowers your organic reach, decreases engagement on your page, and makes marketing to and converting real users that much harder. Facebook contests can be great but avoid encouraging participants to become fans or like your page in exchange for the really cool prize you’re offering. These fans are typically only interested in the prize. Don't worry about the number of fans you have. Make sure the fans that you have are authentic, and people who will actually want to engage with your page because that’s what’s going to get you the best results.
- You have the ability to find people that resemble those that “like” your page. Unless you've taken my advice in the previous tip, you can't effectively take advantage of this one. You need a genuine group of fans in order for Facebook to find more like-minded fans that will potentially want what you're promoting. Once you have a good amount of authentic fans, you can pay Facebook to find more people that have similar profiles and data points as all your current fans. When Facebook suggests your page as a page those potential fans might like, chances are you will acquire more fans who are genuinely interested in your page. This can double or triple your audience.
- If you want to be an “influencer” or monetize your page, you want as many authentic and engaged fans as possible to get your message out. Social media influencers persuade other people to agree with and support their opinions and decisions about anything from politics to purchases. Monetizing your page is when you get paid to post ads and promote products to your fans. If you try to sell yourself and say, “Hey, give me money, and I will promote your products,” the first thing that the product owner is going to ask is, “What are your engagement rates?” They don't care if you have 10,000 followers, if only 100 of them ever see your content or ever “like” what you have to say because that's not very valuable. The rate of engagement of the fans who actively follow you is much more important than the number of followers you have.
Real fans lead to real relationships.
In conclusion, the number of Facebook fans you have really doesn’t matter all that much. It's how authentic and engaged those fans are that matters. The whole point of marketing on social media is to establish lasting relationships with existing or potential customers. So do the things that will get you more fans, but be strategic about it. Use tactics that will attract authentic fans that are truly interested in what your page is promoting.
Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.
Gucci