Social Sales Crash Course
Social Sales Crash Course
Here’s just a few quick tips to get the most out of your sales posts.
Work with the algorithm instead of against it
These are simple ways to lean into the preferences of the algorithm, instead of having it cap you.
Mix up your post style
Try a mix...
- Text only
- Include an image - I find photos of you work best, not stock photos or a brand photos. A regular selfie, a shot with your family showing your lifestyle, travel photos, etc work best
- Do a Facebook Live - but also put text in the post for people who don't want to read, and include captions
Stay away from 'red flag words'
If you can't say it at your family's big Christmas dinner, you probably can't post it on Facebook and expect it to do well.
(Or it might... but sometimes for the wrong reasons! 😆)
Essentially, Facebook is VERY protective of the user experience. It doesn't want people to feel targeted or 'bad', because when that happens they leave Facebook. FB is an escape, they're not here to be reminded of the crap in their life.
Here are Facebook's policies for ads, and they definitely affect plain ol' posts as well.
So for example, words like sale or buy can be red flags.
But you can say the same thing with different words so you don't trigger the algorithm.
You wouldn't be trying to sell stuff to people at Christmas dinner, right? So same rules apply here.
Keep it casual, light, and change something from 'buy now' to...
Think this could help you? Pop me a DM and we'll chat it out.
Don't use links
With sales posts you want to get people messaging you.
A big mistake people make is repeatedly dropping links to their landing page, application call, sales page, etc etc.
Don't leave links all over Facebook, for 2 reasons...
1. Facebook does NOT want people to leave Facebook, and a link sends people away from Ol' Blue... so this instantly caps your post reach
2. If you post the same link repeatedly your posts will get marked as spam (and can even suspend your account temporarily)
On the flipside, Facebook REALLY wants people to connect one-on-one in Messenger. So by directing people there you're appeasing the Facebook gods.
Timing is everything
You want to post when your audience is on and active so they engage with your post.
You might have an idea of when this is, or you might need to play around for a few weeks to find the sweet spot.
If you have a Facebook page or group full of similar people, check the Insights because it will show when people are most on and active.
Why is timing so crazy critical?
Platforms ‘test’ every post by sending it to a fraction if your audience. If they engage, it automatically gets more reach. So in order for that to happen, people have to be ON!
Extend the life of your post
A post has a relatively short shelf-life, but simple things can kickstart the algorithm so it keeps promoting your post.
When people start commenting, wait an hour or so before you respond. This way you get a ‘double hit’ of exposure in the newsfeed, with their comment and your reply.
(But you can be active right away in the DMs when those messages roll in!)
When you reply, leave 2 comments, You can do a text comment first, and a second one with a gif or emojis or something. It doesn’t really matter what it is, the point is simply to fuel further exposure.
If you post a picture of you, I usually will tag myself in it the next day. This is another great jumpstart for your post.
You may not always get engagement - remember, lurkers are out there. They’ll be watching, reading, putting you on their vision board. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking nobody’s paying attention! You won’t believe the people who come out of the woodwork you had no idea were there, but they’ve been following you for months or even years. Keep sharing the good stuff since people are paying attention.