Jim Belosic writes .. The phrasing and structure of a Facebook status update correlates strongly to how users will engage with a post. For the best post engagement, use a call to action (CTA).
CTAs help inform and encourage users what to do next. For example, if the aim is to get users to watch a video your business posted on Youtube, an effective CTA will not only give information on how that can be done, it will inspire users to follow through with the action as well.
When constructing a Facebook post with a call to action, here are six things to keep in mind:
1. Ask a question: The question you ask should speak directly to your target users’ needs, wants or interests. The more specific and detailed the question is, the better. You want the question to grab the attention of Facebook users. So whether it’s asking users if they’ve heard of an interesting statistic or if they prefer pancakes over waffles, the question should be quirky or bold enough to get users to pay attention.
2. Provide some information: Once you’ve asked a question, follow it up with some information. The most appealing of status updates are ones that offer the users something– it could be information or entertainment. Keep in mind though, if the objective is to direct users elsewhere (like your blog or website) don’t fully disclose everything valuable that you have to offer. You want to be informative, but just enough so that the user is motivated to seek out more information– aka click on your link.
3. Always provide a link: While we’re on the topic of links, be sure to provide one. Not all Facebook posts need a link, but the ones with CTAs often do–that is unless the purpose of your CTA is simply get users to Like or comment on a post. Use links in status updates when you want to direct Facebook users to other content.
4. Keep it positive: This is good rule of thumb for all Facebook posts. When a user reads a Facebook post with a CTA, s/he should feel inspired and excited. These positive feeling bread engagement and sharing.
5. Don’t bother yourself with a word limit: It’s good to be to-the-point in Facebook posts, but limiting yourself to a certain character limit doesn’t always mean you’re being direct or effective. Just posting “Click here!” or “Take our survey!” with a link is not a strong enough call to action– nor is it a strong Facebook post.
6. Provide an image: Visuals always help. With CTAs especially, images can really complement and spearhead the success of a CTA. For instance, you can ask a question that relates to the image or provide a graphic that provides some knowledge to the user.
Now that you know the six rules for writing a Facebook post with a perfect call to action, here are two examples of how to rework a status update with a CTA. Hopefully these will spark some ideas for your next Facebook post. Enjoy!