Five Methods to Increase Your Facebook Followers

In recent months we have seen the number of firms allowing financial professionals to engage in social media starting to climb. On a regular basis, we see communications on financial media websites (such as On Wall Street) announcing the next firm to jump onboard the social media bandwagon

Much of the focus has been on compliance and setting boundaries so that agents have a clear picture of what they can and cannot engage in. There have been very little, if any, recommendations about how to implement a successful social media plan and, most importantly, how to get your clients and prospects to follow you, particularly on Facebook.

Here are five popular methods to help boost your number of followers:

1. Make quality wall posts on a consistent basis

If you want people to 'like' your page you need to provide consistent messaging that is interesting and relevant to the people following you. The content should be engaging and reinforce their decision to follow your page. Inconsistent, disorganized or meaningless content will deter people from joining and/or potentially prompt current followers to drop your page.

2. Remind your fans to like and share

Remind your followers that if they find your message useful to 'like' your status. Also encourage them to use the share button next to your message so that their friends and relatives will be driven to your posts.

3. Integrate Facebook plugins to your website

Integrate Facebook social plugins to encourage connections such as Facebook's Likebox, Like button, and Comment stream. As you increase your followers, your page will be more likely to show up on supporters news feed and those of their friends, prompting more people to inquire about your business.

4. Use tagging and acknowledgments

Status -tagging is a popular networking tool. By tagging other Facebook pages, popular authors, or any other pages that are good resources for your clients and prospects, you are extending your social network circle of content contributors and they may reciprocate. Make sure the pages you tag are relevant and benefit your page followers.

5. Add a Facebook link to all your marketing pieces

Just like you would add your website URL to your business cards, email signature, corporate brochure, and any other advertising you are doing, the same treatment should be used to increase your Facebook followers. Be sure to list a link to your Facebook page in all your marketing collateral.

These are just a few methods to help you get started. Be sure to check with your compliance department before implementing any of these suggestions to ensure they do not conflict with your firm's rules.