How do you get likes on your page?

[StripyShoes]

We have started a wee work from home business and we are selling on facebook. But how do you promote your site? How do you get the 'likes' to get the exposure? We try and put up pictures of our product and link it to things happening that week, but we are struggling and would so like to make a go of this.

Many thanks for your help!

Oops, sorry should have been in freelancers/self employed! Will get MNHQ to move!

Get it on your and dh/dp own facebook page and get friends to like it and advertise on their pages
It can/should snowball from there

I'll like it if you put the URL here :)

Competitions are good. Get people to like your post and share it to be in with a chance of winning, then their friends will see it and hopefully your likes will snowball. Also use the promotion tool so your posts appear near the top of your fans' pages. Oh, and Facebook specific discount codes. If you're just starting this, make sure you've set up your page so people are fans, not friends - fb works quite differently for both.

Good luck with your business'

PissesGlitter - yes, have done that - problem is I only have a few friends as it is mainly family and other person is not on FB!

Milk - Thank you! Not what this thread was started for, but thank you! www.facebook.com/applebagspage

Calamity - How can I see if people have shared it? That sounds like a good idea and I will definitely do that! I have it as a local business page - is that what you mean? I don't think they are friends, just likers? Does the promotion tool cost much? There was an article on the BBC recently about a dummy company they set up with targeted ads and it turns out the people most likely to click are in places like Bangladesh? Will try and find the article.

If you find related businesses (small ones, and probably preferably not your direct comeptition) on FB and 'like' them, maybe they'll like you back, and then their customers will see your page?

Earnest - That is a great tip! Will go searching!

Here is that link for the BBC. I would love to put in an ad, and have been given a voucher, but I am wary now. What do you all think?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18819338

And a HUGE thank you to the two new likers. Not sure if they are MN'ers or if it just a co-incidence, but thank you!

Do like ladders and strolls Pages like Send in the Troops and Fan Page Promote do regular events where you like other pages and get likes in return. You can get a lot of likes quickly this way.

Hi stripy. You can see shares that are public or from friends (if your page is set up that way) or a simple way it to ask people to comment on your post with 'shared' - in my experience this works well; people do share.

Not sure if the promo tool is costed by reach - I do marketing for a company with thousands of fb fans and promoting a post to reach approx 2k costs about £4 for three days; so it may not be worth considering yet.

Hi

I think you need to look at content first. If you have an engaging page, then people are more likely to comment/share it.

A competition could work for you: "what do you keep in your Applebag?" And encourage people to post pics. There are lots of rules for facebook comps though, so read up on them first.

What I would also say (which you aren't actually asking about) is ensure you include your link on all your comms. I looked quickly at your site on my phone and I couldn't see a link. You might be able to insert a Facebook page widget which shows the most recent posts depending what sort of website you have.

You also need to encourage customers to post comments on the page. Get a business card that encourages them to do that and put in with postal orders and hand out at the market.

Good luck, the bags look lovely.

Ws

Hello!
I am pretty immersed in social media marketing for much of the day ( much to my chagrin, quite honestly ) and the immediate issues on your page are to do with your set up. Your products look lovely by the way, and are very visual, so you will be able to create an attractive looking page to share and direct fans to.
Fill in the 'about' section etc as well as you can - if 'words' are not your thing - get help. You need a cover picture also, a great sized space to showcase your products. Again , if you don't have anything suitable, get help - treat it like a store front!
You keep using the red spotty bag as an image, make sure to use your other stock also...

KW

DH and I are working on his public FB page.

LOTS AND LOTS of content.
Share other people's (good) pictures and put comments on their pages.
When you go somewhere, tag the town name in your post.
Encourage other people to post pictures and content
If you happen to know any tame year 9's, pay them each a small Amazon voucher to like your page for a few weeks and talk about it - as they will each have over 500 friends whose friends might be useful.

Change things regularly
that was what we did on Linkedin.
Incremental changes to the info every few days kept him at the top of people's feeds.

the same goes for websites of course.

getting very bored of Twitter - cannot have a proper discussion with people.

Thank you thank you thank you all!! I really appreciate all the advice and I will definitely look into it all. You guys are so good at this and I really appreciate you taking the time to help a novice like me!

And thank you for the likes as well!

OK I have put a showcase type cover on - what do you think?

I really like it! It could do with some text on there maybe? BUT , so much better than the nothing you had before :) Your business would benefit from a twitter account for sure - there are MANY small business people like yourself on there all of whom support each other... I can't open your website for some reason, but am sure Safari will behave soon!
I agree with TIP2 in principle but not in this instance - Year 9 kids and their friends are not your target customers are they currently - it's their mums you want to 'talk' to - for networking, look up MumsClub and Mumpreneur UK, very social media active and you'll find a network there to spread the word. :)

Thanks escape! I really appreciate your help!

OP
Just looking at yours
how do I order from the facebook page .....
domain name?
ebay shop?
if I got some viral going, how would it turn into sales?

Facebook page orders would be from the Pm system. Guess I should put a status up saying that! Good Point!

We do have a website, and it was supposed to include a shop, but it didnt work out so there is currently no shop on it, therefore pretty useless!! That is why I have stopped directing people to the site. We will again once the new one is up and running. We are rebuilding a brand new site, so that should be up soon. That involves a few late nights I think!

Oh! and I joined twitter! no idea what I Am doing, but having a ball!

Stripy - all of this is pretty useless unless we know what you have for sale, how much it costs and where we can get it :) :)

True!

The prices are on the albums? again! Will get cracking on that website again!

I have done the website! Thank you for all your help!

www.applebags.moonfruit.com/