The more time we all spend on Facebook, the more aware we become of certain behaviors from our online friends. There’s always the band guy who invites you to every gig he books, the sports fans who post a running commentary of every game they watch, the girl who is always posting photos of her awesome vacations, et cetera, et cetera. The same can be said of people who ‘like’ your page…
The Dutiful Family Member. This fan probably clicked ‘like’ out of a sense of obligation. Whether it’s your mom, your brother or even just a friend, they probably aren’t too interested in keeping up with your company’s Facebook updates. They get all the news they need from you, so don’t feel too bad if they don’t keep up online. Sometimes family members can be more active participants in your company’s social media conversations, but don’t expect them to become full-fledged promoters.
The Satisfied Client. This fan is a diamond in the rough. You’ve already convinced them somehow to give you their business, if they are a client. Now all you have to do is impress your client so they can’t wait to sing your praises from the rooftops. Every post from your company has the potential to go viral, so think about what kinds of posts your clients are likely to share, and whether their Facebook friends would be motivated to click the link and find out more about your business.
The Enthusiastic Chatterbox. This fan is pretty likely to be a client or a close friend. They post constantly on your behalf, talking about how wonderful your products are or how helpful your services are. These people are awesome and you can count yourself lucky whenever you encounter one! Try to keep them around, as these people are natural networkers and most likely can’t stop themselves from passing on a good referral.
The Silent Lurker. Most Facebook fans are likely to fall under this category. Some Facebookers prefer to browse their news feed without leaving a trace – no comments, no likes, no shares and no posts. Before you write everyone off as an introvert, though, keep in mind that Facebook doesn’t show all your fans every single one of your updates. The best way to promote interaction is to start interacting, so don’t forget to say hi to different fans every once in a while.
The One-Like-Stand. This so-called fan probably does not care about your Facebook updates and will probably never come to your page again. Sometimes their accounts are even fake. Don’t waste too much of your time collecting followers like this. Many of these people only find your page due to a promotion or sweepstakes promising them a prize or discount. When the promotion ends, their interest is gone. This is not to say that these people are totally useless. You might get through to one of their Facebook friends. Another possibility is that by attracting them in the first place, your brand is now slightly familiar to them. When shopping around, people are more likely to choose familiar brands. It’s not a surefire sales strategy but it certainly doesn’t hurt!