▶ Facebook’s Universal Appeal: For the bulk of Fortune 500 companies, Facebook remains the go-to social network. According to an exclusive study for PR News conducted by Shareablee, 86% of Fortune 500 c ompanies are now on Facebook. That percentage includes a decent share of both financial services companies and drug companies, both of which are highly regulated and somewhat hamstrung in how they can communicate online. But, as with most of the social Web, it’s all about making use of the side doors.
“The financial services and pharmaceutical customers are the same people who are interacting with other brands,” said Tania Yuki, founder and CEO of Shareablee. “You have to find ways to align the interests of your customers and prospects in relevant ways.” For example, pharmaceutical companies can cross-pollinate their content with brands associated with wellness and better living. “There has to be a straight line from the content you create to providing a user experience,” Yuki said.
But whether you provide communications for a highly regulated brand or a consumer-facing company, there are some universal themes for PR pros to think about when trying to create more shareable content.
“People spend a lot of time worrying about how to create viral content,” Yuki said, “but there are two things for PR pros to think about to generate the best results on Facebook.”
1. First, be “incredibly consistent” with having a regular stream of content to post, she said. You need to show up—every day, without fail.
2. Second, it’s a mistake to think about Facebook as strictly a broadcasting platform. “It’s an invite to dialogue, an invite to converse,” Yuki said.
The paramount question is the proverbial “WIIFM”? From a customer standpoint, “You have to ask yourself, what’s in it for me?” Yuki added. “What’s the valuable information you’re providing, and how will that help the person look good in front of his or her peers? Customers should come to rely on you.”
This article originally appeared in the June 23, 2014 issue of PR News. Read more subscriber-only content by becoming a PR News subscriber today.