When was the last time your business blew away the competition on Facebook?

Facebook can be a great way to get your content in front of readers' eyes, but it also presents a huge challenge to business pages that have to compete with incoming messages, trending tags, friends' selfies, and blasts from the past – not to mention tricky algorithm updates! – flooding users' feeds.

Creating content that grabs and holds users' attention is key to standing out in the crowded field. And there are a few key tips that can help you create homerun Facebook updates time and time again.

Here are five things that make a great Facebook post:

1. The lead in

Opt for lead-in "status" text that is shorter – under three lines – rather than longer. 

Though it's tempting to take advantage of Facebook's limitless text capability, readers are unlikely to expand text that is so long it becomes hidden.

Keep it short and to the point with an attention-grabbing quip that offers supplemental information to spark readers' curiosity.

2. Clear link

Once upon a time we used Bitly links for all of our posts. But then we realized something: We never actually set aside the time to thoroughly dig into Bitly analytics. So what good were they doing?

Unless you consistently gain actionable strategies from link shortener analytics, skip the extra step. Using your own website gets your name in front of your audience's eyes one more time and lets readers know exactly where they're headed when they click through.

3. The image

Something that we've found again and again with our Facebook updates is that Facebook users respond better to images that feature people. At first we were a little confused, but it makes sense: users head to Facebook expecting to see people.

And what we've found is it doesn't matter if a whole face is showing. Just the fact that there is a recognizable human form in the image is enough. Hands, profiles, silhouettes, crowds – we've found all work about equally well, and significantly better than images without humans at all.

4. Optimized headline

Did you know you can actually change the headline that appears in your Facebook post? It's absolutely true. To create a headline that's most compelling for readers to visit, consider a few things:

Optimal length

Not too long and not too short – ideally your headline should be somewhere between 6-10 words long so readers can skim quickly.

Keywords

But not necessarily in the traditional SEO sense: Focus on keywords that perform well in search results for your post's actual title. But in your Facebook title, the key is to use terms that communicate your subject quickly and clearly for readers.

Sentiment

Emotion-triggering phrases help pull readers in. "You'll love" is a good example.

Structure

Lists, how-to articles, "explainer" articles (why [subject] is [state of subject]) and questions all perform well.

5. Effective preview text

Just like the headline text, you're able to edit the preview text that appears on your Facebook post. Make the 1-2 sentence preview match the tone of your post and pull readers in by sparking their curiosity or an emotional reaction – and make sure that you don't reveal the core takeaway of your article!

Hoot Design Co. is a marketing, branding, and design agency located in Columbia, MO. We specialize in creating a custom and comprehensive marketing strategy centered around your business's unique strengths and educating you with the tools you need from day one. From logo design to brand identity, website design and execution, and social media marketing strategies in-person and throughonline courses, we're focused on your business success every step of the way.