How Often and When to Post to Your Facebook Fan Page

by: Dannette Woodburn, Director of Marketing

So, Katie has explained why writers should have fan pages and I hope I helped by sharing some ideas on what to post. Next step? Figuring out how often and when should you post! Even if you share interesting content, ask for opinions, and don’t forget to add some humor along the way, you shouldn’t overdo it. Sharing too many updates is as bad as being inconsistent. Seeing the same person (or page, in our case) posting dozens of times throughout the day is just plain annoying and it makes you want to slap them. Result? If you post too much, people will simply stop noticing you.

Socialbakers studied three months’ worth of Facebook content from major brands and found that top brands average one post per day. They further sum it up by explaining that there is no exact ideal number of how often one should post, but there is a range. Typically, if you post fewer than two posts a week, you will not engage your audience enough for them to maintain a social connection with you. Therefore, you will lose engagement. As a brand, that means the ideal number is between 5 - 10 posts per week.

There you have it. From now on, let's work on posting once per day. If you miss a day, it's ok. Remember, the goal is at least 5 posts per week, but not more than 10 posts. Whether it's a text-only status, photo, link, or video, try posting during one of the following times (in the time zone of the majority of your fans):

• 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.
  
• 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
  
• 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Basically, switch it up and measure the results to discover what works best to engage your fan base.

Aim for a different timeframe every day to spice things up. For instance, post a status on Monday morning. Then, take a shot at posting a photo during lunch on Tuesday. Try a link on Wednesday after dinner. Basically, switch it up and measure the results to discover what works best to engage your fan base.

Creating a successful fan page comes down to finding a balance between your own content and more interactive stories as well as being consistent but not overwhelming. Don't overwhelm your readers with content on Facebook, and be selective about what you're publishing. In other words, spend more time crafting better Facebook posts, and less time crafting a lot of Facebook posts. You'll also want to target your content to a specific audience (and maybe even experiment with Facebook's targeting options). People are more likely to click on posts that are relevant to their interests and needs. The goal is to get as much interaction from a single post as possible.

Now I’d like to hear from you. Are there other factors that might scare you away from a fan page?

Many Kind Regards,
Dannette


Need some tips on enhancing your writing skills? Rachel found some in an unexpected place here.

Original image credit: u068711 Flickr

Dannette is a wizard in the public relations and marketing fields. With loads of experience under her belt, Many Kind Regards is lucky to call her ours.