Think about your favorite Facebook pages. Why are they your favorite? Is it because their content is all about themselves and never about you? Or is it because they’re always telling you to buy, buy, buy without providing any value to your life? You’re probably thinking the exact opposite. And you’re right.
We like Facebook pages that make us feel valued and provide value. That’s what your Facebook page should do, too. So here are five things you can do to your Facebook page today to improve it. If you do these five things, your followers will thank you, engage with you, and share your page with others.
1. Follow the 80/20 rule.
80% of your posts should be all about providing value without a call-to-action. Here are some examples of posts that provide value: (1) We celebrated [resident’s name] 100th birthday party today! Doesn’t she look amazing? (2) What’s the difference between independent and assisted living? Our latest blog post answers that. (3) Here’s an article from SeniorsStretch.com that lists five stretches seniors should do every morning.
Notice that none of those posts include a call-to-action. You want people to want to hang out on your Facebook page so that they are there when you do ask them to do something like “Book a Tour” or “Call to Learn About Our Special.”
2. Your cover photo should be a picture of your residents, not your building.
Research from Shutterstock and Lumen shows that faces grab attention quickly. You want the happy faces of your actual residents enjoying an aspect of your community or having a conversation with other residents.
Hire a photographer to take high-quality pictures of your residents during an event or activity. You may even be able to find a photographer in your area with senior living photography experience.
3. Make sure your Facebook page profile picture logo fits
A few years ago, Facebook made the change from square to circle profile pictures. I still see so many senior living communities with a Facebook page logo that is cut off by the circle. That comes across as unprofessional.
Ask your community graphic designer to produce a logo that’s made for a 170×170 size (that size is accurate of November 7, 2020). If your logo is wordy, consider using your logo icon or watermark only.
4. Do a Facebook page info audit
When is the last time you updated your Facebook page info? If it’s been over a year, it’s time for a refresh.
Go to your Facebook page, click Edit Page Info, and then scroll through your publically-listed information. You might be surprised to find out what information is wrong or missing.
Pro tip: Facebook allows you to edit your current COVID-19 protocols. As a senior living community, you’ll want to let people know about the current safety procedures so update this frequently.
5. Take notice of NationalDayCalendar.com
Mark April 11 on your calendar and schedule an annual reminder. What’s the big deal about April 11? Oh, it’s national pet day — the day where your Facebook page can triple it’s engagement. And here’s what you post on that day: “It’s National Pet Day! Comment below with a picture of your furry friend.” Adult children and seniors love sharing pictures of their pets.
On NationalDayCalendar.com, you’ll also find days and months that might have extra significance to your community like November, which is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, or September 12, which is National Grandparent’s Day.
If you don’t remember anything else from this post, remember this: be authentic with your Facebook page and your posts. When your followers can get a sense of your community culture and vibe just from your Facebook page, you’ll see more success and engagement.
If you don’t have a social media strategy. aren’t sure where to start, or need an agency to guide you, we’d love to help you!