The Marketer’s Checklist to Having an Authority Fan Page

Being an authority on Facebook is easier than it sounds, but it’s harder than it looks.  Being a Facebook authority is a little like the adage about running from a bear; you don’t need to be the fastest, you just need to be faster than the slowest.  Or, in terms of authority, you don’t need to be the top of the line, most insightful thought leader in the industry; you just need to have the insight, value, resources and content to put you in a position above the average user.

Page Setup

If you’re looking to be an authority on Facebook, you need to make sure you have a solid foundation.  Much of this is covered in more detail in our checklist for new fan pages, so if you want more details on any of these steps, check over there.

• Establish a compelling and memorable vanity URL.
• Make sure your page is fully visible and compliant with Facebook rules.
• Fill out your About Us section.
• Link to other social media profiles and your website.
• Create compelling profile pictures and cover photos.
• Pick your featured app carefully and optimize the thumbnails for other apps.

You should have most of your setup complete by now, but it never hurts to double check to make sure everything is as optimized as possible.

Posting and Sharing Content

A large part of your status as an authority on Facebook will come down to what you post, where you post it, how you post it and where it’s shared.  If you’re thinking “that’s all there is to Facebook!” you’re right, but it’s not all there is to being an authority.  You also need the backing of off-side media, other authorities and your own insight.

• Establish a posting strategy.  Your strategy should include details such as what your intended tone will be, who will be managing your page on a day to day basis, what your goal with your posting is and how you will deal with conflicts and issues.
• Establish a posting schedule.  A content calendar is a good idea.  Establish what types of content you’ll post – text, links, videos, images, apps – and how often you will post each.  Determine how many times each week you plan to post, as a baseline.  Expand from there as your audience supports you and you have more value to share.  You should also pay attention to what times of day you post what sorts of content. 
• Include a custom image with your post.  Every post needs something graphical.  Plain text posts just don’t stand out.  Include a custom image with text posts.  Customize your thumbnail for any link you share using Facebook Graph attributes.  Customize the thumbnail for any video you share.  Custom graphics are the lifeblood of your Facebook page.
• Pay attention to content SEO.  Even the little things, like the presence of a single keyword in your short Facebook link posts, has a big effect.  Optimize image descriptions, post titles and preview snippets.  Obviously, you need to optimize your content on your website as well.
• Post exclusive content on Facebook.  Users need a reason to watch your Facebook page.  If everything you post could be found on your website, in your newsletter or through your Twitter feed, they have no reason to follow you on Facebook.  On the other hand, if you share content, value or promotional material that can only be seen on Facebook, they have a reason to follow you and stay engaged enough that they see your posts.
• Engage with your fans when they comment.  Facebook engagement is a two-way street.  You can’t expect users to comment if they get no interaction out of it.  Engaging with your fans helps them see you as a benevolent and interactive source of valuable information.  Answer their questions, appreciate them, show them that they matter.
• Post on multiple social networks.  You can’t post exclusively on Facebook and expect your audience to reach peak performance.  You need to post on other social networks, in blog comments, in video comments and anywhere else you find relevant and interested fans.  Encourage them to check out your Facebook page for more insight.
• Post content that encourages a response.  Put yourself in the shoes of your readers.  When they read a Facebook post, are they going to nod and move on with their day, or will they be compelled to post something in return?  Don’t assume they’ll be grateful enough to thank you for your insight; that’s not enough incentive.  They need to be addressed in a way that compels a response.

All of that combines to fill your Facebook page with a constant stream of content that encourages engagement, provides value and attracts users.  Where do you go from here?

Learn, Improve, Grow

What works for you right now might not work for you this time next year.  What works for you right now might not work for you next week.  You need to be monitoring your users and your content, understanding their performance and adapting to changing situations.

• Monitor your content with Facebook Insights.  What reach do you have with your posts?  What types of content do the best?  When do they do the best?  How often can you post that kind of content?  Do certain types of content encourage less reach but more comments, while others broaden reach but pull in less engagement?  How can you balance these factors to maximize your growth?
• Learn your audience and what they need.  Your audience will grow and change as your page grows.  What represents a majority now might not be a majority later.  Monitor your audience, learn what they want and need.  Use social listening to uncover problems with your brand, your product and the lives of your users.  Figure out what these problems are so you can take steps to solve them – and profit while doing so.
• Network with other Facebook accounts and authority websites.  You are not standing alone as a pillar in a plain.  You are one tree in a forest of many more, some smaller, some larger.  To establish yourself as an authority, it helps greatly to be recognized by other existing authorities.  Collaborations, guest posts, interviews and mutual comments all help.
• Grow your brand reputation.  More importantly, manage that reputation.  When a user leaves a negative review, take steps to contact them and set things right.  This earns you a reputation as a business willing to correct its mistakes and keep its users satisfied.  When a review comes in that you can’t refute, take steps to minimize the damage.
• Run targeted advertisements.  Advertising is worth entire blogs, let alone sub-sections of individual posts, but it’s always worth mentioning.  Some good, targeted, split-tested and optimized PPC advertisements can go a long way towards giving you the boost you need to reach authority levels.  As long as you support

Continue to post content, both on your site and on your social profiles.  Encourage engagement and sharing of your content.  Offer your assistance and insight whenever it’s asked or relevant.  Grow and manage your reputation.  Maintain optimized advertisements.  You might be an authority figure in your industry before you realize it.