November 2019 – Lauriane Lebrun, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

If your nonprofit is new to Facebook – or if you’ve been on Facebook for a while, but haven’t kept your page up-to-date – you may be struggling to get people to “like” you or to get into a content-sharing routine.  Either way, getting started isn’t always easy, but it is absolutely doable.  Here are some ideas to help you as you begin to cultivate or revamp your organization’s Facebook page.

  1. Just do it.  As this article from Made Urban explains, “social media moves so quickly, that your absence may have not even been noticed by your fans.”  In other words, Facebook is more of an “open house” than a restaurant dinner party with reservations.  There’s no such thing as showing up “late,” whether you’re just getting started or returning from a long hiatus.  All that really matters is that you show up at all, so don’t be shy!
  2. Make a grand entrance.  Returning to the “open house” metaphor mentioned above: Keep in mind that you’ll be making first impressions here.  Don’t just roll out of bed and into the party – make the effort to get ready first.  The other guests won’t care what time you show up, but they’ll notice if your shirt is on backwards.  Use these guidelines to make sure you arrive in style:
    • Optimize your page.  Your page name, cover photo, profile picture, “about” section, and business information should all be up-to-date and in line with your organization’s brand.  If you’ve changed your logo or other important details recently, give your page a makeover before you start posting.
    • Set up your call-to-action button.  This button resides at the top of your page, just below your cover photo.  On the Lexian Facebook page, our call-to-action button says “Contact Us,” but there are several other options to choose from, including “Learn More” or “Shop Now.”  If your nonprofit is a charity, you might consider signing up for Facebook Payments to enable the “Donate” call-to-action button.  You can learn more about this option by visiting Facebook’s Help Center.
  3. Bring in the “likes.”  Getting your first handful of “likes” on Facebook isn’t easy, but it is important.  Unless you’re paying for ads on Facebook, the people who “like” your page will serve as the primary audience for anything you post, so you want then to be genuine and engaged fans.  Here are some ideas to help you find your first followers:
    • Invite your friends on your personal profile to “like” your organization’s page.  Ask the other members of your board and some dedicated volunteers to do the same.
    • Add a Facebook link to your email signature.  Most email marketing services also give you the option to add a Facebook icon to your emails to direct readers to your page.
    • Send an email blast and post announcements to your other social media channels inviting your current supporters to “like” your new – or newly-revamped – Facebook page.
    • Add a Facebook icon to your website’s homepage. 
    • If you’ve worked with similar organizations or have some loyal sponsor companies, visit their Facebook pages and “like” them “as your page.”  You’ll probably get some reciprocal likes, and visitors to your page will be able to see your connections, which serves as a bit of free marketing for any organizations/companies you want to support.
  4. Post engaging content.  To get more “likes,” another good starting point is to work on creating more shareable content.  I wrote an article on this topic last month, so be sure to click here to check that out if you missed it.  This article from CompleteDigitalMarketingCourse.com also has a great list of “Proven Facebook Posts Formulas That Will Drive Engagement.”  These posts are designed for interaction – people enjoy commenting on and sharing them with friends, which is great for expanding your page’s social media reach.  The more engagement your posts receive, the more people will see them, and the more potential supporters will notice and “like” your page.  Here are some ideas based on common engagement tactics and the “Proven Formulas” list:
    • Use hashtag marketing to your advantage.
    • Get into a routine by crafting your posts around trendy, weekday-specific hashtags such as #MotivationMonday, #WisdomWednesday, or #ThrowbackThursday.  You can also try creating your own, organization-specific hashtags based on the same concept.   
    • Post a funny photo from one of your organization’s events (or take one at your next board meeting) and ask followers to “caption this.”  Be sure to give a shout-out to users with the most creative responses!   
    • Have merchandise or event tickets you can give away?  Try hosting a Facebook contest.  It can be as simple as “like and share this post for a chance to win!”

Need more help getting your page in shape?  Swing by the Lexian Facebook Page at  https://www.facebook.com/LexianManagement/ and click the “Contact Us” button – we’ll be happy to help!

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