However, using Facebook effectively is not as simple as just posting information and waiting for clients to roll in. Achieving genuine, organic reach can be a challenge, and engagement, those all-important likes and shares, can be elusive. In the last few years Facebook has made changes to its algorithm which has made it even more important to do things right when promoting a business, otherwise you run the risk of just chatting to…well, no one (or just your mum!).

Luckily, there are a few clear, easy things you can do to boost your Facebook page engagement, improve your organic reach and ensure that people pay attention to what you have to say. We’ve pulled together a few suggestions for some quick fixes to make the most of your page, and your audience.

When it comes to engagement, what you think is great content isn’t really that important. What really matters is what your audience likes, and what they want to see. As a result, understanding and knowing your audience, and what they interact with, is incredibly important.

Using Facebook Page Insights to do research on who is looking at your page, what they interact with, and what are your most popular posts is an absolute no-brainer. Getting the right content in front of the right audience is arguably more important than crafting the perfect post, certainly in terms of getting decent engagement. Meaningful engagement might come from unexpected areas, and people don’t always engage with the obvious. Research, research, research, and tailor your posts to your viewers.

This is even more important if you are looking to increase your following and find and engage new audiences. Working out what people want to see, and specifically what they engage with, will give you an instant advantage

While you might be using Facebook to attract new business and talk to clients, not everyone is there for the hard sell. Facebook users tend not to be looking for a sales pitch, and obvious ad content will most likely turn the majority off. People want to see things that make them laugh and smile, something they’ve not seen before, or even just something beautiful or thought-provoking.

Content that is engaging and interesting is far more likely to attract interest and get people involved in what you want to tell them. Cool stories, interesting facts, amusing content…this is the sort of stuff that draws people in and gets them talking about and interacting with your posts.

Attention spans on social media are short. More than that, as a quite remarkable 88% of people use Facebook on smartphones and mobile devices, people tend to check it on the go, and don’t have the time for focus and in-depth analysis. Your posts need to catch people’s attention, be succinct and to the point, and tell the story you want to tell in the short time users spend scrolling past.

The basic advice is, keep it short, if you can say it in less words, do, and make sure you grab people’s attention right from the beginning!

We might be teaching our grandmother to suck eggs here in talking to photographers about how important images are, but here we go…!

People tend to respond better and are far more likely to engage with a photo, or a post including an image, than just with text. As a wedding photographer, this is great news, as your whole raison d’etre is based around creating amazing, enticing images. Your portfolio will be full of beautiful photos that tell the story of your work more eloquently than words could, and that most importantly will nudge anyone who seems them into engaging.

So, steer clear of long, wordy posts explaining your methods, or your personal style. Draw people in with the best shots you’ve got, show them what you have to offer, and fill in the blanks with your story at a later date, once you’ve got their attention.

One of the simplest and best way to encourage engagement with your posts is to ask for it! Pose a question to your followers, get people talking, and most importantly, respond to keep the engagement going!

Replying to questions from your potential clients or chipping in on any debate sparked by a question not only keeps engagement ticking over, but it will make people feel valued. No one likes to be ignored, even on social media, and creating a bit of goodwill can only help your brand.

If your Facebook page is static, out-of-date, or even if there’s just nothing new to encourage return visits, then people are going to switch off. Posting regularly, at least two or three times a week, means that your audience will expect new content from you, and will be actively on the lookout for it. It also helps just to keep your page and your ideas fresh!

It is also a great idea to post when your audience is active, as people are far more likely to engage with something that’s just popped up, and Facebook’s byzantine algorithm is (apparently) more likely to show posts that are published when the people who want to read them are online.

Again, Facebook Insights can help you work this out, and scheduling posts means that you don’t have to be up at all hours just to catch your clients in Australia…!

Personality has a way of shining through on social media, so don’t try and portray something that isn’t natural. Be yourself, and people will respond and engage more naturally!

Getting organic traffic can be tricky and working with Facebook’s algorithm is definitely a challenge. However, following these tips will give you that extra little boost, and help you drive engagement. If you are interested in learning a bit more about marketing your business on social media, why not check out this post about wedding photography marketing on Pinterest for a few more ideas!