How many ways can you post a link on Facebook?
Here are 7 ways! Why so many?
Facebook experts agree that your Fan Page should vary its postings to include photos, text-only updates, and links. And if you like to drive Facebook fans to your website – now you can vary the way you post those links!
7 Ways to Post a Link on Facebook
1. Share to Facebook from your website
I highly recommend that once you publish a post, you use your site’s Facebook button to “Like” it, and get the social proof rolling. The DiggDigg plugin that I use allows you to add a comment when you “Like,” which then posts with the link preview to your Facebook personal profile, and your FB friends’ news feeds.
Try adding a conversation starter – as your friends respond, their friends will also become aware of your link post. You can check it out now by clicking the Like button in the floating sidebar at left!
2. Post a status update with link
You have several options when posting a link on your Fan Page.
Type in some text to give a little context, and add a question to stimulate engagement. Follow with the URL. Example:
Facebook recently increased the link preview size! Have you noticed? Details: http://louisem.com/2530/bigger-facebook-link-preview
The link will become clickable, and will also pull in an image and text from the linked page.
3. Variation: Delete the URL in the text after the link preview appears, for a cleaner post. Here’s how it looks in the news feed (hmm, posting this way means you’d better have blog images that look good cropped to a square!):
4. Post a text-only status update with link
Fan Page admins have been reporting that text-only status updates have been getting more reach for a few months now. So some are posting links without any preview at all. Simply follow the instructions under method 2 above, then click the X in the upper right of the link preview box to remove it.
5. Variation: Some companies are integrating arrows ( –> ) into their posts. They report that using an arrow to point to their link –> http://me.com/post-name works pretty well. Sort of a subtle call-to-action!
NOTE: When posting text links, be aware that studies have shown shortened URLs have a lower CTR (click-thru rate) than full URLs, as many people are hesitant to click them. Recommended: use the full URL on Facebook so users know where they’re going when they click.
6. Post a photo with a link
See my post, How to Post a Link on Facebook to Get Noticed, for instructions. Some Fan Page admins report that this method gets the most engagement (Likes, comments, shares), but that the previous methods get more clicks to your website. Test the methods on your own Page and see!
7. Variation: Post your photo and status update, then add the link in the first comment. The only problem with this method: unless you have a small fan base, your link comment will quickly be buried. But worth a try – several Fan Pages recommend using this method, so it must work for them.
How Many Ways Can YOU Post a Link on Facebook?
I recommend trying at least of few of these, and checking your Facebook Insights to see which get the most engagement and/or clicks. Have you tried several of these, and found one that works best? Which ways will you try to post a link on Facebook?
I tend to do the paste the URL after a message way. Or post a photo and add link in with it. Haven’t tried any others
I’ve mostly used those too, Te! In fact my favorite is with a large photo.
Louise Myers recently posted..How to Post a Link on Facebook to Get NOTICED!
Thanks Louise.
One thing that works most times is if I copy/paste my blog link into Facebook. It’ll bring the picture and the preview. What I think I’ve discovered is if the picture is too big, the copy/paste will not bring the picture.
Thank you for other methods. I’m saving this :)
Sue
Sue recently posted..Take A Rest
I don’t think I’ve noticed that! I don’t usually do it that way on FB, so I may be thinking of other SM platforms where it will even try to bring in a big infographic!
Louise Myers recently posted..Improve Your Blog: Avoid Grammar Goofs! [infographic]
Another way to help drive engagement is by manually adding a photo (meaning the photo would be uploaded from an offsite location), then typing in the “headline” and the
“URL” of the post in the area above the photo.
Great post.
Lawyer James recently posted..What Inbound Marketing is and Why Your Marketing Strategy Needs It
Thanks James! Glad you enjoyed it.
Louise Myers recently posted..10 Benefits of Blogging Daily
I don’t post many photos on Facebook. I do post my url for my blog posts and I can get an image to show for that.
Toni Nelson recently posted..A Desk For Success!
Who would have thought that there was so many ways to post an image! Going to road test, especially 1-3. Brilliant post! By the way, a couple of times I have googled something in the past week about facebook, and one of your post’s has been number 1 a couple of times!! I’m just going straight to your blog now. :)
Michelle Nichols recently posted..7 Key Attributes of A Virtual Executive Assistant
Aw, that is awesome Michelle! I’m so glad to hear that Google is givin’ me the Google love :)
Louise Myers recently posted..How Often to Blog: Can You Blog Too Much?
Thanks Louise, I do find that pages with a variety “styles” of posts are more attractive. I appreciate the “how to” and will try some of these out.
Liz Fletcher Brown recently posted..Live Your Life Purpose: Angie’s Story
Hi Liz, thanks for visiting! Hope you have some fun trying these out.
Louise Myers recently posted..New, Bigger Facebook Link Preview: Will It Mean More Clicks?
Thanks Louise – I’ll let you know :-)
Liz Fletcher Brown recently posted..Live Your Life Purpose: Angie’s Story
Thanks Louise. I have heard that you can set up a business page on Facebook so that if you sell your business ( not the Facebook page) to can transfer the admin to the new owner. Is this correct? & do you have any info on this?
Hi Amanda!
I don’t know if Facebook has a policy on this, but it’s easy to do. Just add the new owner as an admin, and then they can delete you.
I believe you can’t sell a FB Page, but it certainly seems the page should go to the new business owner!
Louise Myers recently posted..Why You Need a Visual Social Media Strategy [infographic]
I sometimes do a bit.ly with the text when I have a page set up to go to twitter. Great tips and variations. Thanks. Great post.
Sabrina recently posted..Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Thanks Sabrina, this post has become pretty popular!
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