Posted by barbarahales

There are 5 Simple Ways to Get Engagement on Your Facebook Page.

Healthcare writers and Health writers tend to report on the latest scientific breakthroughs or what is going on in medicine. But, that is not going to elicit engagement, more than likely. So, ask yourself, once people have “Liked” your Page, how do you keep them engaged? This can be done by posting content that will elicit a response or get your fans to take action.

Here are five simple ways for a health writer to get people engaged:

1. Post pictures. According to a recent report from digital marketing agency Web Liquid, Facebook posts with photos are the most likely to engage users. These posts showed a .37% engagement rate, compared to a .27% rate for text-only posts and a .15% rate for just links. If you think about it, this shouldn’t really come as a surprise. Photos, obviously, grab attention visually and people must click them to get a closer look. So use an intriguing photo to get people’s attention. Be sure to say something about the photo too. We’ve seen people using this space to write more without having to link off Facebook.

2. Post videos. A video is engaging because you can see and hear the speaker. Like photos, people must click on something to get a closer look at a video. They also take up more real estate in a newsfeed, making them easier to notice. Perhaps that’s why, in the Web Liquid study, video posts had the second-highest engagement rate (.31%).

3. Ask questions to increase comments. When you ask questions you’re giving people permission to engage with you. They know you want their opinions. Take a good look at their responses. Often, it will give you a big clue as to what people would want to see posted next. Is it the latest treatment? Is it the latest in health care reform? Not everyone will comment, but you’ll encourage those who are already predisposed to do so. Just be sure to ask your fans explicitly for a comment.

4. Use clear calls to action. Don’t assume that people will take the action that you expected, or even any action at all! Would you like someone to comment, share, or “Like” your update? All you have to do is ask. Another recent report, this time from Momentus Media, showed that posts asking users to “like” them had an engagement rate of .38%, compared to an .11% rate for posts without that call to action.

5. Write longer updates including stories. People connect with stories and tend to remember them, more than any facts that you include in your posts. You may think short and sweet is the way to go but you shouldn’’t be afraid to share longer stories with your fans. Longer Facebook status updates show higher interaction than shorter ones. So elaborate when you need to. This may give readers a better chance to connect with your update.

Have you started a Facebook page yet? How have your responses been?