Thinking of creative ways to get your students interacting on Facebook isn't easy. So, we've compiled a list of quick strategies you can implement that others have found successful. Check it out:
•Calls to action: Want interaction? Just ask for it! Try adding a call to action to your Facebook posts such as ‘like this post if you agree!’ or ‘Tell us what you think in the comments section.’
•Questions: One of the best ways to get your fans talking on Facebook is to ask questions. The trick is to make them easy to answer. Questions that require just one-word responses tend to get the most engagement. Remember, people love to talk about themselves, so when you make it about them, they are more likely to jump into the conversation.
•Crowdsource: Give your students a say in their college store. Let them vote on which new items to carry, what product should be on sale next week, or even what type of event you should hold next. We created a whole marketing plan for you around this concept - take a look.
•Offers: Add an incentive to being a fan by providing exclusive discounts. Facebook’s ‘Offers’ feature makes it easy to spread the deal to your fan base and beyond.
•Fill in the Blanks: These posts are great at sparking engagement. They often receive fun and short comments, which then encourage your audience to react and interact.
•Photos: What better way to prove your store is the place to be than by showing students? Try snapping pictures at in-store events then uploading them to Facebook. Ask students to tag themselves so that the picture, as well as your store’s name, will appear in their newsfeed for all their friends to see. You can also have students get involved in the fun by asking them to post their own snapshots to your page in a photo contest. Use our Spring Break Photo Contest idea as inspiration.
•Tips: Share inside info with your audience. Let them know of campus happenings, events, and other local updates so that they turn to your page for the latest.
•Trivia: Ask questions related to your store, campus, or a specific topic and reward the first to answer correctly with a fun prize.
•Caption contest: Photos make for engaging posts on Facebook, so why not double the engagement and turn your photo into a contest? Just ask your fans to caption your photo to enter. You can either pick your favorite caption as the winner or, for even more engagement, make the caption comment with the most likes the winner. Even if the prize is simple, this contest can get waves of comments rolling in, often with funny and creative results.
What other strategies do you use to get students talking on social media? Share them with other stores in the comments section below!
