It might not be a burning question that keeps you up at night, however knowing the difference can help inform the content you post. Just how important are each?
Facebook business pages used to just be concerned with likes; if someone wanted to keep up to date with your content they would like your page. Now, Facebook have two ways that fans can follow you; they can either like your page or follow your page. Even though they sound very similar, there’s some differences between them that you should know about.
What are page likes?
When a someone likes your Facebook business page, they will:
- Become part of your page’s audience – their name will appear as having liked your page.
- Automatically follow your page by default – any updates, posts and news will show up in their news feeds.
The thing that differentiates likes from follows is that people who like your page can choose to unfollow your page. This will mean that your posts and updates will no longer appear in their news feeds however their name will still show up as part of your page’s audience.
What are page follows?
Follows mean fans can stay up to date with your content without attributing their name to your page.
Don’t see follows as being a lesser interaction when compared to likes; people who follow your page are just as keen to see your content in their news feeds.
Why might there be discrepancies between numbers?
Because everyone who likes your page automatically follows you, you may expect that your number of likes and followers to be the same. However, this isn’t always the case. Some people who liked your page may decide to unsubscribe to your content appearing in their news feeds.
Re-think your strategy
Don’t worry! Slight discrepancies between your likes and followers is normal. However if there are large discrepancies and large number of your likes have unfollowed you, you’ll need to re-consider your strategy. There are a handful of common reasons your page’s audience may decide to unfollow you:
Engagement – your fans might not find your content engaging enough – make sure your content is interesting, eye-catching and encourages your fans to interact with it. Find out how you can make your content engaging here.
Frequency – You might be posting too much and people are feeling bombarded by your content, however engaging it may be. Try and dial it down and try and new posting schedule – experiment with different posting times and frequencies until you hit the sweet spot.
Outdated content – Your fans want fresh content – there’s a fine line between re-purposing old content and over-using content they have seen time and time again.
If you’re struggling for new ideas, look into what your favourite artists are posting or how they’re repurposing their content whilst keeping it fresh and compelling.
All in all, it doesn’t matter too much if a person likes or follows your page; they still want to be part of your community and your audience. However, if you’re finding large numbers of people are unfollowing you, it’s definitely time to reconsider your marketing strategy.
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