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Facebook can be a powerful tool for connecting and energizing your fans. And best of all, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Three ideas to get you started:
1> Encourage them to tag themselves
2> Give away something useful
3> Offer content they can’t get anywhere else
1> Encourage them to tag themselves
Each time a fan is tagged in a photo, it’s instantly shared with their friends — and done right, it can create a powerful viral effect. Whether it’s a simple offer of a complimentary cupcake each time you’re tagged in a photo or a world record-breaking attempt at the largest tagged photo on Facebook, there are lots of ways to take advantage of this feature. Whatever strategy you go with, be polite — you’ll quickly annoy fans if you tag them without permission.
2> Give away something useful
We’ve used white papers, tutorials, and research for years to get fans talking about our websites — and the same can be done for Facebook. One of the best examples we’ve seen recently is Guy Kawasaki’s page for his new book, “Enchantment.” When fans like his page, Guy offers them a full download of his first book. It gives new fans something to use and pass along, and it earns Guy the permission to contact these talkers again.
3> Offer content they can’t get anywhere else
If you want to get people excited and sharing, you’ve got to give them something worth talking about — something they can’t get anywhere else. Scholastic, for example, is driving a ton of conversations on Facebook by sharing exclusive content, behind-the-scenes details, expert advice on children’s books, and advanced previews.
