How to Create Compelling Content Via Social Media – 2 of a 4 Part Series: Facebook
In the second of this four part series we’ll be looking at how to create compelling content via the social media giant, Facebook.
In the last few years we have seen Facebook rise from obscurity to mass domination of the social space. Whilst it’s not always the no.1 social media player in every country of the world, the site boasts more than 500 million active users and over 700 billion minutes per month on the site.
If your customers are using Facebook then no doubt they are using it to talk about their travel plans - and your brand. In a recent interview with EyeforTravel, Lonneke Verbiezen, Social Media Manager, KLM said, ‘to us it is important to be where our customers are. We saw that people were already talking about KLM on social media like Facebook. It was not a matter of whether we should be on Facebook, just how we would go about it.’
With most travel brands now creating and managing a branded corporate Facebook page, the question remains as to how to manage the page and what content drives engagement. After all, a Facebook page that has few fans or is left without regular updates could look worse than having no Facebook page at all.
Time and resources
Investing in Facebook requires time and resources. Verbiezen continued, ‘at KLM we have a Social Media Hub, which is a multi-disciplinary team of 10 people who provide service and care on our Facebook and Twitter accounts on weekdays (working on expansion to the weekend as well). They respond to questions and service requests, making sure there is engagement and responsiveness on Facebook and Twitter. We also have a social media manager who sets out the strategy for and runs campaigns on Facebook.’
What content works?
In terms of what types of content works best on Facebook, many brands are still using the platform to experiment and see how their customers react. KLM has tried numerous different ideas including video, polls, and virtual gifts. They found that asking ‘Likers’ their opinion about KLM products and services not only drives engagement but also in turn provides valuable insights.
EyeforTravel also found that creating a fans-to-be customized landing page helps to provide a targeted message which leads to further engagement. Details of how to do this can be found on the Facebook developers’ page.
Applying content that gives fans a reason to be a fan not only helps to grow fan bases but also keeps visitors coming back to the site.
Top tips for success
There are numerous tips out there for achieving success on Facebook (how we define success is a whole other issue – read more here). One handy tip EyeforTravel came across recently was - Don’t get frustrated if a video or link or other posted item doesn’t get many interactions. Just try something else. At the end of the day, there’s no harm in experimenting!
KLM’s top tips for success are –
- Always be genuine in every move you make on your Facebook page. Don’t be afraid to tell your Likers that you are still experimenting and ask them what they like.
- Communicate clear guidelines on your Facebook page so people know what to expect and know what is (not) acceptable. Do not ever censure criticism, however.
- Stay up to date with Facebook’s technical developments on their developer’s forum
Further information on this topic can be found at EyeforTravel’s Social Media Strategies for Travel conference, March 2-3, San Francisco where Lonneke Verbiezen, KLM will be presenting further case studies and useful tips.
- Last week: How to create compelling content via social media - Part I: Blogs – Read here
Followed by (released January 2011) -
- How to create compelling content via social media - Part III: Twitter
- How to create compelling content via social media - Part IV: Niche Travel
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