When it comes to creating more engagement on Facebook, there are a lot of ideas out there about what to post, when to post and what types of content gets the most shares. But what about caring for your page and your fans? Remember, that while numbers are important, giving your customers what they want supersedes everything else you are doing. I find that we often get so lost in the numbers, we sometimes forget that these folks are real people, real fans, and (hopefully) real customers.

What happens after you get the like? So, you’ve gotten a whole bunch of likes, what now? Now you need to take care of the fans who’ve liked your page. Send a quick “thank you” to folks who have signed up, granted if you’re getting a ton of likes (lucky you) this won’t always be possible, but pick a few new fans and give them a warm welcome.

Give, give, give: Give without expecting anything in return. I know, it sounds like a quote you might post to your Facebook page but it’s true. You should give information that’s helpful to your fans and followers.  Focus on providing value first and foremost, you’ll get the engagement if the content you are providing is helpful to your fan base.

Build trust: It’s one thing to get a fan to like your page, it’s quite another to build their trust and get them to trust you as a ‘source’ for the information they need. This takes time. The more trust you build, the more engagement you will get and, in turn, the more they will share your page with their friends and other potential future customers.

What about your existing fan base? It’s great to welcome new fans and to promote new ideas and offer content, but don’t forget about the folks who have been with you from the start. If it’s appropriate to your topic, offer to highlight them on your page, thank them for their loyalty and let them showcase their work. Remembering the folks who have been with you the longest will bring lots of goodwill, not just to them but for your new followers as well. Consider this: how would you feel if you saw someone on Facebook thanking a fan who’s been with them for years? You’d probably think “Wow, people really love these folks, look how long they stick around,” or you might think how nice it is that the person acknowledged a fan on their site. Either way, lots and lots of goodwill.

Remember that Facebook is a numbers game, you want more likes, more engagement, etc. but you won’t get any of these if you don’t take care of your fans. That, alone, should be your number one priority. Imagine for a moment that you’re a brick and mortar store and someone enters your shop, you greet them, see if you can help them and then, when they leave, you thank them for coming. Treating customers like customers instead of numbers will not only help you reach your goals, it’s also a great way to build a solid following.

Finally, consider the following:

According to Mindjumpers, 95% of Facebook wall posts are not answered by brands. What does this mean? It means that consumers post to these branded pages and no one responds. Consider the store analogy – how would you feel if you wanted into a store and no one acknowledged you were there, or you asked a question and no one answered? This continues to baffle me. Why hop on Facebook and ignore your customers?