Since Facebook launched the fan page application, a lot of organisations, brands and celebrities have launched their own fan pages. It is touted as the best and easiest way to engage with the consumers at a personal level.
So you’ve created your fan page for your organisation…now what? Just because you created the page does not mean that thousands of people will then ‘like’ your page just by virtue of its existence.
You have to give people a reason/incentive to follow you on Facebook and then keep them engaged through a variety of different things.
Best examples of Facebook fan pages and what you can learn from them:
1. Nutella – Nutella’s fan page has no flash and no gimmicks. The landing page will take you to the most recent wall posts, which showcases the interaction with the fans. The page’s design in itself is simple and fuss-free which I guess is a reflection of the brand.
The best thing about Nutella’s fan page is how they engage their fans simply by asking questions, ranging from the brand’s history to people’s preferences over breakfast items. Some of the questions may seem rather mundane but they are effective as time-fillers for those who are just browsing on Facebook for fun.
2. Schuh – For those who are unfamiliar with the brand, Schuh is a high-street shoe retailer in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
I personally am a fan of Schuh on Facebook. They have a very active fan page with regular updates on competitions, events and new products as well as content submitted by fans. The key to this page’s success is the frequency of activity on the page. The team responds to the fans that ‘like’ or post comments on the wall regularly. In between the competitions and updates, they also post impromptu photos of the guys at HQ or their street events, etc. The constant updates and the general tone of the page make the brand seem approachable and accessible without diluting the message directed to their customers.
3. Starbucks – Starbucks is the biggest brand on Facebook with 22,185,887 fans. How did they do it? Starbucks posts quality and varied content. They provide photos, videos, blog updates and a whole host of other things to keep their fans coming back. They provide information not just about the product or their stores but also reviews of books and music available in their stores. Fans are also educated on the coffee making process and all aspects involved in making their favourite drink.
Starbucks also utilises the Facebook events application very well. They set up events such as the Frappucino happy hour to drive traffic into the stores.
4. Coca Cola – User generated content takes centre stage with this company’s fan page. All uploaded photos, videos and posts from fans are showcased on the main page regardless of whether they are positive or negative. This is a bold strategy for a brand this big. But Coca Cola has clearly embraced engagement especially when they made the decision to work with the original page creators rather than buying them off or simply creating an ‘official page’ themselves.
The brand further embraces fan involvement by posting photos of normal people enjoying the beverage. No expensive photo shoots, no celebrity endorsements, just normal people having a nice cold can of Coke.
5. Skittles – Skittles has a brilliant landing page that integrates all of their social media efforts as well as prominently displaying all the fun stuff that they offer their fans. The landing page has links to videos and games, all of which have very visible “share” buttons, thus increasing the viral potential of their content.
6. Cancer Research UK – The best thing about the charity’s fan page is their personalized videos. Simply enter a few details and a personalized video from Gary Lineker will be sent to your friend, thus raising awareness for cancer. Here, Cancer Research UK actively provides fans with the opportunity to share the organization’s content with their friends through person-centred initiatives. There was a clear call to action as well as an explicit goal which fans were able to support just by spending a few minutes on the page. The campaign actively encourages people to share the fan page with others.
7. Dominos – Dominos asks fans to play a game on the page where fans can win special offers as well as helping Dominos’ charitable cause. The company’s monetary donation to their chosen charity is determined by the number of minutes that fans spend playing their online game. Dominos provides fans with clever incentives for their likes. People have a clear reason to support the company not just for their personal gain but also for the sense of charitable giving.
8. Toy Story – Pixar’s Toy Story aims to maximise the benefits from their fan page. They have integrated an “Order Here” app, which allows fans to purchase a DVD copy of the film without leaving Facebook. Encouraging the fans to make purchases within the fan page maximises the ROI of their social media campaign.
9. Corona Light Beer – By becoming a fan on Facebook, Corona offered fans the chance to submit their photos which were then put up on a billboard at Times Square. Corona’s campaign succeeded because the online existence of the page generated buzz in the real world as stories about the billboard spread by word of mouth.
I’ve highlighted the unique selling points of each Facebook page mentioned above. The key to a fan page’s success is engagement and brand ownership by the community. Successful organisations value this type of interaction and utilise ways that best fit their product to achieve the desired outcome.