Wednesday, October 16, 2013

How to Use Graph Search on Facebook To Connect With Followers

As we all know, Facebook is constantly changing and updating its features.  A while back, Graph Search was introduced as a new search feature within Facebook to make it easier find businesses and places that our friends shared as common interest.  The thought behind it was that people trust their friend's opinion when it comes to where to shop or eat.  The problem is, I am finding that most people don't understand how to use it so most don't even bother.  I want to show you specifically how to use Facebook's Graph Search feature and how to use it to provide better content for your business page.  Here are 3 ways in which to use the results of Graph Search to connect with followers.


1. Know Our Follower's Favorite Interests: To get this information, type this into the search bar at the very top of Facebook:



When you hit enter, it will display all the interests of my followers so I can tailor my posts to fit their interests.  By doing this, a business page manager can better connect with the audience because they don't have to guess what their followers like, they already know! Powerful stuff.


2.  Know where our followers like to eat.




This search will give results for people that have checked into or "liked" their favorite restaurants. Sidenote: This is why it's important for restaurants to have a business page on Facebook so that diners can "check-in" on their mobile devices.  This is just free exposure (same goes brick and mortar businesses).

Have you ever received a gift card for a place you really didn't like? It's a nice thought, but....This search takes that out of the equation.  If you ever do a contest for a giveaway, you know your audience will really want the prize.  This search can also be done for individuals if you're looking for a thank you gift.



3.  Know what kind of pages your followers like:




This one is very similar to, but slightly different than "interests".  These are actual business pages that your followers like.  By studying this info, we can gather valuable information that we can use to create engagement.  We can ask poll questions of our audience (ex: Where's your favorite place to eat wings in McKinney TX or what's your favorite craft store etc.)  We know they'll participate because we already know exactly what they like.  

This short video will illustrate how to use these searches:





There are several different combinations of searches that can be performed with Graph Search and these are just some that I use to better understand my audience instead of guessing.  I manage multiple business pages for different clients, so it's a must that I tailor posts to fit each audience.  I hope this helps you in connecting better with your followers!  Your comments are always welcome below and please share this with anyone that this may help. Thanks!









No comments: