Consistency is key. There are all sorts of tips and tricks on how to manage a Facebook Page, but if you aren’t consistent, you won’t succeed.
As a social media marketer, I have friends and acquaintances reaching out to me often asking for advice on how to turn around their struggling Facebook Page. When I look at their social media accounts, I typically see the same thing.
Their content is decent. Their page is set up well with eye-catching graphics. They represent their business well. However, they aren’t consistent. They might have 2-3 posts one day, then no posts for a few days. Then, to make it worse, they are slow to reply to comments and messages from followers, if they respond at all. Their lack of consistency is killing their page.
You probably agree that consistency is key. But why is consistency important for Facebook marketing? More importantly, how can you exercise consistency in your Facebook Page management? I can teach people all the tips and tricks of social media marketing, but teaching consistency is a bit more challenging. Here is my attempt at a quick lesson on consistency as it relates to Facebook Page marketing and management.
Why Consistency is Key:
Facebook Algorithm
Think of the algorithm as a living thing. You need to work with it and train it to work for you. The more consistently you post, the more (recent) information the algorithm has, and the better it will work for your page. If you post inconsistently, the algorithm essentially takes a wild guess at who might like your content and page and your organic views will likely be less than 1% of your total audience.
Perception and Availability
Posting once or twice per week is like being open for business just one or two days a week, and then wondering why customers aren’t coming through the door. If a business posts only once or twice a week, the potential customer forms an opinion that the business is not likely a thriving responsive business.
Management and Growth
If you don’t actively manage the page, which includes posting daily and replying to all comments and messages within 1-2 hours, you’re not managing your page well. You’re not in your business. You aren’t providing value consistently to your customers or prospects. You aren’t learning about your customers. You won’t grow your social media presence. Not only do you have to post consistently, but you have to monitor your accounts consistently.
How to Implement Consistency:
Make Consistency a Priority
If consistency is key, then the key to consistency is making it a priority. If it is a priority, you’ll find the time and get it done. If your business has invested in social media and a Facebook Page, then you must invest in consistency.
Utilize Tools
There are plenty of tools that make consistency easier. Facebook provides some of these tools. One such tool is the option to schedule posts for future dates and times. Utilize this option to ensure you are posting consistently. However, make sure to only post on days and times when you will be actively available to reply to comments and messages.
Here’s a good practice: schedule out a week of posts, but schedule an alert on your personal calendar to check the page when the scheduled content posts to the page. This ensures that it’s posted properly and gives you the chance to reply to the initial comments and messages that generally come shortly after a post to the page.
Have a Schedule
One of the biggest mistakes I find with people managing Facebook Pages is that they try to fit managing the page in when they have a few open minutes within their day. That won’t work. You need to block out times for specific Facebook Page management tasks.
Here is a beginner sample schedule for a new or smaller (Under 1,000 Fans) page.
8am-8:15am: Reply to Comments/Messages. Check Analytics/Insights/Ads
10:00-10:05am: Morning Post
11:30-11:35am: Reply to Comments/Messages. Interact with other Pages
2:00-2:05pm: Reply to Comments/Messages
4:15-4:45pm: Reply to Comments/Messages. Check Analytics/Insights/Ads. Research content ideas. Create content graphics. Read one article on Facebook Marketing (ongoing self-education is important)
You will note that this is only 1 hour and 15 minutes of work. If your page is new, you might spend less time than this as there won’t be many comments or messages to reply to. As your page grows, you’ll need to devote more time to replying to comments and messages.
This schedule has you checking on the page 5 times throughout the work day. This will allow you to reply to all comments and messages in a timely manner. You will find that this dedicated time to specific tasks will allow you to maximize your time when managing a page. Also note that finding content may take significantly longer, depending on your experience level and your business industry. If finding content takes longer, I suggest blocking a few hours one day per week to dedicate to content research and content creation.
*Pro Tip: Don’t combine your business page management time with personal Facebook use. Use your set times for Facebook Page management only for the business page. If you want to check your personal Facebook, do that at another time. It is important you don’t combine these tasks because it will drain your time and shift your focus.
Consistency does not come easy. It takes planning and a high degree of discipline – but if you can create a system that allows you to be consistent, schedule your time, and make being consistent a priority, your Facebook Page will benefit.