Now that I’ve reached a 1000 fans on my Facebook page, I thought it would be good to tell you how I did it.

There are probably a million ways to get to 1000 Facebook page likes, but some of them you want to stay away from. So first I’ll share a few tips on what not to do to get to 1000 Facebook likes.

1. Don’t pay to grow your likes

This might sound controversial and although Facebook allows you to target for specific demographics, I have found that it can be hit and miss and you don’t want to attract likers that are never going to engage with your content and are not genuinely interested in what you offer. I personally think that paying for likers is wasting your money.

2. Don’t go into it without a strategy

This tip is applicable to any marketing activity, but I wanted to make sure that I mentioned it. You want to have a strategy or a plan in place to grow your likes, even though some of them will be quite random, most of your likes should be the result of some sort of effort you have put in to increase your likes. I’ll chat about that next.

So, how DO you actually get to 1000 likes organically? There are many ways but I’ll tell you how I ended up with Facebook 1000 likes.

1. I told people

Sounds simple right? Yup, it’s how I started. I pretty much posted on my Facebook profile that I had started a Facebook page. This means that my first likers were pretty much friends and family but everyone has to start somewhere. The great thing is that a lot of them are still following my page and engage with my content, even though they sometimes are not my ideal target audience. I’m grateful for their support and engagement nonetheless, their engagement ensures that my Facebook posts keep showing up in people’s newsfeeds.

2. I added value

My Facebook page is a place where I share many things and one of them is adding value. I did this mostly through sharing my blog posts on Facebook. My blog (this one you’re reading right now) is usually full of tips, tricks, and other handy hints about social media and/or email marketing. On top of that, I post original content and spice it up a bit with other things my tribe likes such as the occasional laugh and inspirational quote. Offering value to my social media followers helped me grow my likes, albeit slowly.

3. Consistency

This is a BIG one. It’s important to consistently post on your page and not let it sit there empty. I made an effort to post at least daily (before I found out about scheduling tools) and sometimes multiple times per day. If you want to be seen, you have to show up consistently.

4. Buttons on my website and email newsletters

I added ‘LIKE’ or Facebook buttons to my website and email marketing. You want to make it easy for people to find your Facebook page, so add it to your blog sidebar and your website footer. Put it in the most obvious spots so people can follow you with one or two clicks.

5. Facebook Advertising

This is probably my biggest secret, especially because I told you not to buy likes. I didn’t actually use Facebook Advertising to grow my likes. I used it to grow my email list and as a result had people like my page. The great thing about this is that I spent money for one result and got another result as a byproduct, win right! The ads were very targeted, which means that those who now like me are genuine and are liking me for the right reasons.

That’s how I grew my likes to 1,000, well it’s that in a nutshell. Your growth will depend on your strategy, your business and you audience. Keep showing up consistently, deliver value and be original. You’ll get there soon!