7 Ways to Still Get on Your Audience’s Facebook News Feeds WITHOUT Paying for Ads

Getting your blog or website onto your Facebook fan’s news feed used to be easy – after all, they were your fans and you already put in the work to win them over! They Like you, you post, they see it.

Then, almost overnight, it became really difficult to reach your fans when Facebook introduced Boosted Posts. Now you had to pay a tiny bit to get eyeballs. Even with boosting, it’s still difficult to achieve that organic 1-1 fan relationship feeling again, right?

So how are the coolest, most personalized brands still talking to their fans, and getting new fans right from the newsfeed for free?

In this post I’ll show you 7 actionable ways to still get on your fan audience’s news feed without paying for Facebook ads. In fact, these 7 methods will results in MORE traction than ads would get you.

If you have 500-1000 or more fans just waiting for your next post, this info could help you really mobilize people and get them talking about your brand!

What Matters on Facebook in 2020: Engagement is Everything

So it’s no secret anymore that more Likes don’t really matter.

In fact,SocialSamosa did a study showing that only 1% of users who like a business page will actually visit that brand’s Facebook page.

In order to understand how Likes are useless, think about all the pages you like. There’s a good chance you like that page either because Facebook suggested it, or you got something for it, or you just at some point wanted to show some support.

So what does matter for your brand on Facebook? Engagement.

 Engagement, aka your ability to use Facebook to connect with real users and show them you’re a real person too. This big “E” word is one reason Groups are the new Pages.

The Dave Ryan in the Morning Facebook page is one I always think of when it comes to engagement.

They publish simple, relatable questions that often have to do with talk show topics.

Take one look at theirPage posts and you’ll see tons of engagement. I often chime in too just because it’s easy, and you know others will see your response.

Engagement also affects the visibility of your content.

If you just link blast your new content, while it may be amazing and revolutionary, this isn’t really an engaging way of using Facebook, and you’ll be disappointed with the visibility you get then probably think “well, Facebook doesn’t work anymore.”

But if you post a relevant, timely question to your fans, you’ll get a lot more engagement because among other reasons it sparks conversation. This engagement will snowball into more visibility and more engagement and so on and so on.

Finally, from Neil Patel’s blog, a new way to look at your Facebook efforts:

If the viral power of Facebook has dried up, then work on generating conversation. Talk to your fans. Use it as a communication portal, rather than a way to build up likes.

Now that we know what still matters on Facebook in 2020 (Engagement and Conversation) let’s look at how to tailor your efforts to get in on the action.

7 Ways to Still Get on Your Fan Audience’s News Feeds for FREE

As I mentioned above, Groups are slowly becoming the new Pages and are sending a ton of quality traffic to valuable pages on brand websites.

Facebook is the largest social network by far and being the first to the scene has allowed the to boast over1.23 billion monthly active users.

Why wouldn’t you want to stir things up on Facebook? For every reader your acquire through blood sweat and tears working on your blog, there are probably 100 more just like them with the same interest profile on Facebook.

Here’s how to get in on the action:

1. Create a Facebook Group
   As we mentioned above, Groups are the new Pages, but why? It’s simple really. Groups are a place where you have to be invited or actually allow in, while Pages are open to anyone. That one simple exclusivity characteristic can make people feel a belonging and relationship to others. It probably doesn’t hurt that Facebook advertises Groups these days (which hints at their increased importance in the Facebook Newsfeed algorithm).
2. Post Relevant Questions to your Group/Page
   Once you’ve got your new Group or old Page, it’ll be tempting to link blast but DON’T. Think about questions on your readers mind and ask them. The more intriguing and relevant the question, the more likely you’ll get a response. The key is also not to get down if you get zero interaction. It often takes several post to get people’s attention, and break down that natural laziness barrier we almost all possess when we’re online.
3. Repost Questions from Your Other Social Sites
   Already have traction on Twitter, YouTube, or maybe your newsletter? Reposting questions is a great way to get new people talking about topics you’ve already covered. After your repost the question or a screenshot of it, answer the question but not completely, so you still leave room for discussion. If you’re still not getting any engagement, ask your friends personally to respond to the questions with something funny!
4. Create Banners with Weekly Themes
   Time to get a big coffee from your favorite shop and create some unique promotion content around your brand. Things like “WordPress Wednesdays” which is a weekly topic on the WPBeginner Group are amazing for bringing people together each week. You can use the same banners each time, too!
5. Use Polls
   Pretty simple here, you can use Facebook’s built in polls or any number of apps to ask questions and poll folks for the answers. Try to ask questions where people will be surprised about the answers, and maybe even feel a little personal involvement in the issue.
6. Find Your Fans Posts, and Interact!
   I know it’s a little bit of leg work but it’s worth it. Maybe you’ve just helped Ann Doe signup to your online course, and are super excited about her participation. Go thank this person on Facebook and mention your own product in a savvy way. There’s nothing wrong with tooting your own horn a little and begin excited about someone’s participation in your work. I think it was Pat Flynn who said, “Try to sell to people on Facebook is like butting into a conversation at a cocktail party and asking if someone wants to buy your duct tape”. So, think of Facebook as a big open party where lots of people are talking, but also a party you want to be respected at, and you’ll be in the right mindset to find people.
7. Go Live!
   It’s a little bit scary to go live because what if your hair looks awful, but it’s actually a fun and empowering activity. Try going live during important national events or important personal events and use hashtags. Maybe it’s Thanksgiving and you want to thank your fans for allowing you to work through social media and blogging. Just being a part of these big moments shows your Fans you’re thinking about them, and gives you the stage for a few minutes.

I hope the above 7 ways to generate more Facebook engagement for free have given you some inspiration to use Facebook in new and interesting ways.

Remember: If you hear crickets at first, keep at it! It takes EVERYONE a few times seeing a person or brand before we give in and interact. Seriously!

Conclusion: How will you grow Facebook engagement for free?

Were you down in the dumps with your Facebook efforts before reading this post? Do you have hundreds or even thousands of fans on a Page just collecting dust?

Let us know where you’re at with Facebook content marketing, and we’ll try to help out in the comments!