We’ve all heard the saying “the best things in life are free”. But surely you have to pay to play on Facebook to get leads, right?
I’m here to answer that very question and show you 5 creative ways you can gather Facebook leads on your fan page for free!
5 Creative Ways To Gather Facebook Leads, FREE!
1) Pin a post to the top of your Facebook fan page
One of the most overlooked features on a Facebook fanpage is the “pin” button. This feature allows you to pin a post to the top of your timeline for a period of 7 days. When a post is pinned, an orange ribbon is displayed in the top right hand corner of the post, and it remains pushed to the top of your Facebook timeline.
We know that most users engage via the Facebook newsfeed. However, you don’t want to ignore the people directly visiting your fanpage. This is traffic you could be leaving on the table.
How can you capitalize on this?
The first post a fan is going to see will be the one pinned to the top. This is the perfect opportunity to pin those lead capturing posts to the top of the timeline. These can be competitions, latest blog posts, deals or a link to subscribe to your email list. The best part is if you want the post to appear on the page for more than 7 days simply re-pin the post to the top after the current 7 days pass! So what are you waiting for? Get pinning!
2) Create a call to action in your cover image
We have all heard the news that Facebook now allows for more than 20% text in cover images and that users are now allowed to include calls to action and link to their channels or websites. So, how do you turn this opportunity into a lead I hear you ask?
As well as creating eye catching designs, a great way to attract leads is to use a call to action. This can be done in two ways:
- Create a call to action text on the cover image itself.
- Add a description to your cover photo telling users about your business, services or updates; and the most important part include a link.
By adopting these techniques you now have two extra chances to capture leads. First, by drawing fans in through the eye catching cover image, and second by giving them more information via the cover image description and link. You can always track the URL placed in this description to help give you an idea about traffic and conversions. Haven’t got a cover image description? Give it a go today!
3) Include a URL in your about section
To clear up any confusion, there are two parts the Facebook about section. The first is a short description that is displayed just under your Facebook profile image and is 255 characters in length. It’s important to remember the text in this area also helps users find your profile via graph search. The second is a longer description which appears to allow over 30,000 characters and is the perfect place for you to tell your fans more about your business.
Short description: When creating your short description it is important to include keywords related to your business to help people find your page via graph search. A trick here is to ensure your URL is also included to help drive traffic back to your site, email opt-in or contest.
To edit this section simply click on Edit page > Update info at the top of your admin panel. You will then see a section labelled “Short description”, where you can edit your 155 characters.
Long description: When creating your long description, it is important to realize that all the content here is indexed by Google. You want to make sure you let your fans know more about your business in this section. Share more about what your business is about and how it can help others.
Some tips on what to write in this section include client testimonials, accomplishments, business milestones, your page guidelines (for example rules on SPAM) and even the products you have to offer.
To edit this section simply click on Edit page > Update info at the top of your admin panel. You will then see a section labelled “Long description” where you will be able to enter your information. What are you waiting for? If you haven’t updated this section there is no time like the present. Google will thank you for it!
4) Highlight posts that promote your offer
Another feature you can access from your Facebook timeline is the “highlight post” feature.
The highlight post feature can be found by hovering over any post on your timeline, clicking the downward facing arrow in the top right hand corner of the post, then selecting highlight post.
Once this has been selected, two things will happen. One, your post will now expand in size to take up the full width of the timeline. Two, your post will now be featured on your timeline in the highlights section making it easier for users to find your post as they scroll down through your fan page. To un-highlight the post simply click on the downward arrow in the top right hand corner of the post and select “remove from highlights”.
This is a great opportunity to showcase your lead generating posts with an eye catching large image, a link or a call to action. Images that are highlighted are 843 x 403 pixels. What are you waiting for? Share your creativity!
Here is a great example of the highlight feature by camera company Nikon on how they have used a great eye catching visual to promote a photographer’s work
5) Make use of Facebook apps
Facebook apps are often a key ingredient for a successful Facebook fan page, yet they are often over looked. We understand that the majority of content is absorbed via the Facebook newsfeed. However, by not capitalizing on the users who visit your fan page directly, you are missing out on free traffic.
A great way to grab your fans attention and generate more leads for your business is to utilize Facebook apps. Facebook apps provide many benefits as they allow you to:
- Grow your email list
- Promote your business through competitions
- Offer promotions to your audience
- Engage on your other channels
When creating a Facebook app, Facebook allows you to create a custom thumbnail and custom app name. The dimensions for a custom Facebook app thumbnail are 111 x 74 pixels. It is important to include a call to action in this thumbnail to help draw attention and drive traffic to your app. Here is an example by Go Creative Go who used a Facebook app, with custom app thumbnail and name. to highlight their black Friday promotion.
One key point to remember with Facebook apps is they are not mobile compatible unless you have a smart URL link. A smart URL link is one that most Facebook app creators will provide you and allows your app to be viewed via mobile. Without this link your fans can only see your app content via their desktop. A lot of these apps are free to setup, with paid options for more advanced features. The only thing left to do now is get creative!
With Facebook pushing paid posts, I hope this article has shown you that there are still some free ways you can get leads for your business.
How many of these creative techniques have you tried on your page? Comment below and let me know 
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