In the light of recent events where social media is under scrutiny in the context of data security and the implications of using even the leading forum, it is only natural that you, as a small or medium business owner, have been concerned about your own data and the data of your customers being at a potential risk.
You might have been one of the lucky ones who did not install the “This is my digital life” app on your Facebook account narrowly escaping the Cambridge Analytica fiasco. However, would you be this lucky the next time over? Data Security as a concept is one of the foremost topics that must be running through your mind. It can prove to be a big problem for you when you have your data stolen, but do you realize how much bigger can it be for you when the data were stolen belongs to your customers and it happens through your social media page? Not only do they suffer the travesty, but they also lose any kind of trust that they might have put in you! When a customer provides you with their information, personal, or otherwise, they are trusting You! They are not putting their faith in the social media channel you have used to connect with them. Hence when there is a breach of privacy, it is you who is failing them, by failing to protect all that they shared with you in good faith!
Wouldn’t it be better then, to be able to assume control of all your user’s data and offer to them, the privacy that might be missing from even the best or leading social media platforms? This can be done quite easily and effectively when you build an app for your business. When you build an app and have a list of users who install it on their phones, subscribing to your notifications and taking advantage of the freedom and exclusive benefits of having an app for their business. However, if you are one of those businesses who has already built a loyal following on your Facebook page, you might be faced with a major conundrum of bringing traffic and users on to your app.
Penguin Apps Builder offers an ingenious way to convert your Facebook page to an app and has compiled their experience into some easy ways of driving traffic from your Facebook page to your app.
#1 Optimize your Facebook Page for App Installs
The most important and logical thing to know and remember is that if people cannot see the app you have built, they are not going to be able to install it on their phones and use it. So, make sure that you have the download link clearly visible and easily accessible on your Facebook page. If you are wondering which spots are most easily accessible and viable for this intent, then the following list would help you out!
- The “About” tab on your Facebook page profile section
- Any Photo or Video description that you believe is appropriate should flash the link to install your app
- Milestones on your Timeline. For example, if you added a milestone about you opening a new outlet, include a link in your app that offers the directions to your new outlet, or if you were introducing a new range of products/service add the appropriate app link.
- Place an appropriate app page link in each of the posts where you are inviting the people to either call, visit, or shop with you online
- On every event page that you create, make sure to include a link to install your app or a link that would take the users to a relevant page
Apart from this, you can even add a call to action button on your profile. A call to action button is quite an effective feature from Facebook that is placed at the top of your Facebook Page, right next to the ‘Like’ button. Clicking on this call to action button would take your users or visitors to the page or app install link of your choosing. The link you integrate here can lead the visitors to the install page or prompt them for an email sign up for your app or any other link that makes the most sense for you.
#2 Keep Up with Posting Fresh Content on Your App
While funny posts, witty quips, cute cat videos, links to current events might all be great to keep your Page followers interested & engaged, they might not be creating much traffic on to your app! The idea is not just to entertain your visitors, but also to talk about your app, what you are offering through the app and so much more! However, it might come as a challenge for you to create frequent posts about your app if you do not churn out enough content about it!
As a small business owner who is using an app to expand their business you might be having trouble finding and developing fresh content about your website as frequently as possible, because let’s face it, there’s only so much to say about an app, and talking about same services and products can end up being quite monotonous after a while.
In this context, blogging can come to your rescue! When you have a steady stream of fresh content begin churned out through an active and engaging blog, you would have a continuous and rich stream of content that you can share about your app on the Facebook Page so that your followers are motivated and encouraged to install your app and then keep visiting it.
#3 Optimize All Your Content for Easy Sharing
The power of sharing on social media is paramount, because this is where the content goes viral, this is where most people are looking for recommendations today, and this is where your users would have the option to talk about you and let their peer and friends know about their positive experience with you, letting them know how your app is making a difference in their lives.
This means that it is not enough to simply create fresh content through blogs or any other medium you might choose. It is of great importance that the content is easy to share for everyone. When you include sharing buttons in your content, you are offering to your users an easy one-step method for them to share your content on any social media channel of their choice. As they share the content, they are also linking it to your app, thus attracting more and more visitors to install and explore your app.
#4 Visual Content Rules!
Content is the King today, but it is the visual content that reigns supreme over everything else. It is only natural that most users or people, in general, are more attracted to visuals, especially the ones that are curated appropriately. Any post that is fortified with relevant and attractive photo content, is bound to attract and retain the attention of users or customers to your app. These posts would always invite more ‘Likes’, ‘Comments’, & ‘Shares’ as compared to the posts that only have text in them.
When you make use of high resolution, big size images on your app and blog, you make it possible for Facebook to pull in these rich visuals when you share the links for others to see. This makes your page highly attractive for the users once they’ve clicked through to your app. One good way to make sure that the images look good on your Facebook page is to set the dimensions of the images to 1200×628.
#5 Facebook Ads
Probably one of the easiest ways to offer exposure to your app on Facebook is to use advertising or Facebook Ads. Though it requires you to put in some money, but it offers you numerous options to target your ads accurately, by getting you a higher reach among your existing fans or showing your ad only to those people who suit the demographics of your target consumer and have the same interests, hobbies or requirements that your target user has.
The money you need to spend on this begins with as less as $5 and can go as high up as you want to put in. you can begin with low investment and go through the reports and measures in order to understand the kind of results and returns you are receiving for the money you have put in. this will help you further take a decision regarding the viability of Facebook Ads for the proliferation of your app.
#6 Leverage the Link Share View Feature from Facebook
In past, a lot of pages were sharing their app links by attaching a big visual with it, and quite rightly so, because the visuals or the images tend to work well. However, in recent times, the data collected from Facebook indicates that the chances of people clicking on your app links are higher when you have shared your link using the “Link Share” feature.
This is largely due to the fact that their algorithm has been updated to favor the link share view while deciding the content and the targeted users. This simply means that when you are using Link Share View, you are reaching out to a larger audience and when you reach a larger audience the possibility of you getting a higher number of app clicks is definitely higher!
Earlier when sharing a blog post on Facebook, you were forced to share the image on your blog post as the image of your post, but that has changed now. Now you have the freedom to choose from any of the images that you might have used on the blog, or even upload something on your own!
While sharing or uploading an image of your own, remember to use a large image preferably of dimensions 1200×628 so that the image doesn’t get cut or doesn’t blur out in the post preview.
#7 Develop Relevant & Engaging Content
When you post or share your app link on the social media, the text that accompanies the link could be the defining factor when it comes to the number of clicks or visits your app receives finally. The content must offer some kind of a description that relates to the link. This content that accompanies the link should have value in it and be explanatory while refraining from coming across as too spammy.
Listed hereunder are some tips to help you develop content that would add value to your app in terms of users who would be hooked to your app soon!
- Avoid Click-Baiting Like Plague!
Click-baiting might get the users to install your app and use it at least once, but remember that like you and me, people hate being click-baited. This would definitely cause them to uninstall the app from their mobile devices. This is not just bad for your reach on Facebook, but also for your app ranking on the app store. - Stay Away from All-Caps
It goes without saying that using all-caps is ill-advised and should only be used when they are an absolute necessity. If you use all-caps on every post or link that you share, you are only going to put off the audience, especially when the subject doesn’t even need it! - Be Friendly & Break the Barriers
When you post content on your Facebook Page, and it sounds stodgy or snobbish, you are only going to create an unnecessary wall between you and your users or followers. Make sure that your tone is unassuming, friendly, and informal so that you can engage people in a two-way interaction. The best posts are composed in a way that would sound like you were speaking to someone about your latest blog post! - Draft Gripping Titles for Your Blog Posts
When you are sharing one of your blog links on your Facebook Page and when your users are further sharing it on their walls, the title of your blog is visible on the post and that is the most obviously visible thing the users are going to see when they come across your post. When you have a title that attracts their attention and makes them think, the chances of the users clicking through to your app or installing your app becomes higher.
#8 Make an Awesome Business Profile
Imagine that you are at a social gathering or a professional mixer where you meet hundreds or thousands of people. Who do you think you are going to remember or continue your conversation with. It would probably be someone who introduces themselves the best and keeps you engaged. It is quite similar when it comes to Facebook Pages, except the number here is even greater!
Offer plenty of background information so that people who are reading your business profile become acquainted with your app and may even find something that connects them to it.
#9 Offer Frequent Information & Updates About Your App
Apps need to be updated often and are dynamic in nature as you keep adding features or replacing old ones with new features. Whenever there is any change you make to your app, or you have any news about it, share it immediately with your followers. Being out of sight is going to push you out of their minds for sure!