With 1.44 billion monthly active users to date, it’s no surprise that Facebook has become one of the most successful ways to market a business online. Knowing how to properly engage with followers is one of the most important aspects to consider when building and strengthening your online presence. Keep your company on the social media scene and follow these seven tips to optimize Facebook for your business.

1. Post regularly, but not too frequently.
We all have that one relative who posts pictures and status updates just a little more often than we’d prefer to see. Well, the same thing goes for your business, and a study by Lab42 even shows 74% of social media users “unliked” a brand on Facebook because the brand posted too frequently. We recommend you post no more than seven times per week and no more than twice per day.

2. Be responsive.
The beauty of social media is the ability for immediate interaction with users. Acknowledging all feedback from customers, both positive and negative, shows customers they are being heard. Even a simple, “Thank you!” on positive posts, and brief apologies on negative ones can demonstrate responsive customer service.

3. Keep it concise.
Posts with less than 80 characters received 66% more engagement, including likes and comments, than lengthier ones, a study by Kissetricms revealed. More often than not, Facebook users scroll through their feed to see succinct posts on whatever interests them.

4. Use visuals whenever possible.
The web is a visual place. Any time you can add a relevant picture, video or infographic to a post, the better feedback you will get. Hubspot’s research on the usage of visuals indicates posts with pictures get 53% more likes and 104% more comments than those without. Incorporating high-quality photos and graphics is a creative way to consistently reach top-performing posts.

5. Engage with users.
Posts that ask users a question have a 92% higher comment rate than non-question posts, Salesforce Buddy Media reported. It’s a good idea to place a question at the end of the post rather than in the middle to boost interaction even more.

6. Check out the competition.
If you’re stuck on what to post next, take a look at the social media sites of other companies in your industry. Of course you don’t want to plagiarize any posts, but it’s an effective way to see what works and what doesn’t work among users.

7. Post about more than just your company.
Users will become disinterested if your posts strictly revolve around your business’s product or service. A helpful way to incorporate other posts is to comment on social things or current events that still pertain to your industry and audience. Check the Twitterverse to see what is happening.

Facebook is just one of the many ways your company can grow on social media. If you are looking to expand your brand even further, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and even Pinterest are effective mediums.

by: Rebecca Rubin