Likes in the morning - special offers in the evening

Let's say your page lacks likes and you're thinking about where to get them. There is a simple solution - ask your users for them and be sure to give them an incentive to do so.

This is exactly what the Subway restaurant chain did, offering its subscribers the following conditions: if a certain post gets 40,000 likes, the company will release a promotional code for an advertising campaign, the participants of which will have the opportunity to win free hamburgers for a year.

Subway spent a minimum of effort on this post, and the effort that was spent paid off in full. The post received more than 60,000 likes, more than 800 comments, and more than 1,500 reposts. This is a pretty good viral effect for a single post.

We asked for 40,000, but got much more

So, if you've come up with a worthy promotional idea that you've decided to promote with a post, remember a few key points.

Make your post aesthetically pleasing

Take a look at the photo - appetizing looking tomatoes, meat and melted cheese wrapped in an equally appetizing rounded bun... Note that the hamburger in the picture has two types of meat - beef and chicken. Thus, Subway demonstrates the two main gastronomic preferences of its customers. Remember - a promotional photo should attract the consumer.

Write your proposal directly on the image

People scrolling through Facebook news feeds don't always read the text in the posts themselves. Therefore, place a sentence in large print at the top of the image. This will help attract users who are used to not paying attention to the text.

Don't be afraid to ask for something! To do this, create an attractive and clear call to action!

More retro!

People love things that are somehow connected to their youth. Nostalgic users are more likely to view photos, participate in polls, and do other things that are associated with various pleasant memories. It is thanks to these users that YouTube videos of music videos from the 80s and 90s are receiving traffic and comments today.

It was for the retro connoisseurs that Gatorade visualized the chronology of the change in the shape of its bottles. The hashtag #TransformationTuesday was developed specifically for this audience.

Knowing when the first Gatorade bottle appeared and what shape it was in can come in handy at the most unexpected times. For example, sitting in a cafe with your friends, you can always remember that the first such drink was released in 1965.

Gatorade showed how the bottles of the drink were changed, which caused interaction from users

If you decide to use visual storytelling and present the story of a product or brand, keep these things in mind...

Choose carefully

If you're showing the evolution of your product, choose the most iconic moments of this process. In a moment, Gatorade shows different bottle designs. This reminds the consumer of the variety of products and the wide choice.

Everything must fit together

Gatorade shows the development of its product within one flavor, lemon-lime, as if to "color" the company's history. It is noteworthy that the bottles are lined up in height and show that the average height of the container has always remained at approximately the same level.

Create and use your own hashtag (or meme)

ThrowbackThursday is a popular hashtag under which various companies and users post photos from the past. As for Gatorade, the company has created its own hashtag on Facebook, #TransformationTuesday, similar to this one.

An example of a post with the hashtag #ThrowbackThursday from L.L.Bean. The popularity of such posts is higher than that of regular chronicle posts.

Rest is our everything

If you really want to offer your Facebook followers something fun and relaxing, then give them pictures with relevant content. And there shouldn't be any people in them! Such catchy posts work great, and in some cases, you don't even need to talk about the product.

Hollister, a beachwear company, made a post based on this principle. This photo does not promote the brand, but rather develops the customer experience. The post with the image of the beach received more than 32,000 likes, more than 300 comments and about 500 shares. And there are no Holiister clothes in the picture!

Hollister sells beachwear. And develops relationships with customers

Here are a few things to keep in mind when using this tactic.

Ask customers open-ended questions

Questions will help you get comments from users, which is a much more valuable "currency" than likes. Ask, for example, "What does a spring vacation mean to you?" Most people will definitely remember some vacation-related story and will be happy to share it.

Let the image "breathe"

The central object in the example image is the beach. It literally beckons you to the sun and warm sand. There are such obligatory things as a lifeguard tower, hotels and palm trees. The Hollister logo is displayed on a large sandy expanse. This creates a whole aura.

Brevity is the sister of talent. Put simple text on a picture

Good things are often combined, for example, "Hot Sun, Warm Sand. Spring vacation". Potential buyers may not be on vacation at the moment, but they are clearly nostalgic about their last vacation or dreaming of a planned trip to a resort. So use a few short and pithy phrases to convey pleasant moments.

In short, remember that not every post you make has to be about your product. Take time to be creative!

Always be in the know

Something is always happening in the world, from sports competitions to reality shows. Use the tactic of "stolen news" - somehow link a popular event to the brand you are advertising.

At the end of one of the seasons of American Idol, AT&T asked viewers which contestant they voted for. The post received more than 26,500 likes, more than 1,000 reposts and more than 15,000 comments.

The AT&T brand took advantage of the popularity of American Idol among social media users and used it to remind them of themselves. And here's what you need to keep in mind if you're going to do the same.

Don't ask - guide

You want people to share their opinions in the comments. But it shouldn't end there. Offer users a link to a website where they can actually vote for the contestant. You don't need to constantly monitor the comments, users will do everything for you.

Questions should be appropriate to the place and time

Don't post questions about a competition or TV show during or before it airs. Alternatively, you can post an hour or two before the event, but you need to prepare your audience for it, otherwise users will not notice your post.

You are not in charge here

When asking users who was their favorite in a particular competition or TV show, try not to remind them of yourself with your logo or company information. People remember that this is your page and that you are interested in their opinion - that's enough. Just focus on the event and be a kind of mediator in the sea of general enthusiasm.

The conclusion is obvious - follow what is happening in sports, culture, and social life. Look for things that can be used to promote your brand and make them part of your social strategy.