As someone who spends hours a day managing social media accounts, I know how tempting it can be to try to save time and precious mental energy by taking short cuts. The allure of introducing an article with a simple "Check this out" or "great article" is strong and one that I often see businesses giving in to.

But stay strong, fellow social media managers! Here's how to easily vamp up your Facebook posts to make them more engaging, entertaining, and accessible to a larger organic audience.

Post #1: Community Content

Bad Post:

Better Post:

The biggest improvement you can make to any post is to add an image. Posts with images garner an 83% higher interaction rate¹ than all other posts, so take an extra minute to snap a quick photo on your smart phone or download a quality image online. (Have you tried Dollar Photo Club?)

Adding hashtags is a simple yet effective way to boost engagement and extend the reach of a post. By hashtagging a word or phrase, the text becomes a clickable link and reaches Facebook users who would not have otherwise come into contact with your page. Just make sure you research the hashtag before posting! (See theDioGiorno brand fail, if you doubt the importance of thoroughly researching a hashtag).

Post #2: Selling a Product

Bad Post:

Better Post:

Alerting customers to a new product is a legitimate reason to create a Facebook post. However, merely announcing an addition to your inventory is not nearly interesting enough to warrant its own post. Instead, plant the seed of an idea that will inspire followers and get them excited about using the product. When designing your post, focus on the item’s use and paint a picture of the experience. For example, when selling food items, link to recipes, serving suggestions, or creative uses to motivate purchases.

Think outside the box and avoid being overly literal when employing hashtags. For example, if you are selling flower pots, it's perfectly fine to hashtag the word 'garden' but you should also add a hashtag that references the concept you are selling, such as #HomeIsWhereTheHeartIs.

Post #3: Sharing an Article

Bad Post:

Better Post:

Make sure to remove the link from the text copy. Neglecting to remove the link looks sloppy and crowds the post.

Provide useful information in the post itself by previewing content from the article. The preview will show followers that the article has useful information that is relevant to them as well as provide value to people that may not have time to read the full article.

When appropriate, offer your company's viewpoint on the information provided by the article or supplement the article content with a tip of your own. These personal touches help create an emotional connection between followers and your brand.

Pay special attention to the article headline and metadata description. Take the liberty of editing the headline and metadata to be more interesting and cleaner, as previews are often cluttered.

Voilà! Better Facebook Posts

When crafting Facebook posts, remember to:

• Add visual content and relevant hashtags;
• Personalize the message; and
• Provide value, don't just sell.

The investment of a bit more time and mental energy in your social media management will reap greater rewards. Maintaining a social media presence should be more than checking a box; take advantage of the opportunity to connect with customers and communicate the personal side of your brand.

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Sources:
¹ http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/photos-generate-engagement-research/