Jive Communications is a Vancouver public relations firm

Advertising, status updates, friend requests, event postings, fan page requests, these are all your competition for space in the Facebook world. With all that information going around, how can you ensure that your fan page is not only seen and joined, but also remembered?

Facebook can be a great way to engage your consumers, or potential consumers, but if it isn’t properly utilized, you’ll just get lost in cyber space. To maximize your social media optimization, here’s ten steps that you can follow to ensure your page doesn’t go unnoticed.

1. Separate yourself.

People are so overly stimulated by advertising and the media in general, that they have nearly become de-sensitized to it all. If you are going to put the effort into creating a Facebook fan page, you must go the extra mile to really be noticed, ensure that you aren’t lost in the gravity of it all.

Invest time and energy into differentiating yourself from the rest. Engage, engage, and engage. Make the user want to return, check photos, updates, and most importantly, interact in discussions. Make them joining your fan page a worthwhile experience.

2. Use a landing page to draw in new users

There are different tools that Facebook has created for you to tailor your landing page to potential fans. Do not have them land on your wall, it doesn’t necessarily represent your brand or message accurately, considering anyone can post anything on it. Rather, use the design and imagery to draw them in, spike their curiosity and make them want to see more.  Remember, you are trying to stand out.

3. Give aways

Initially, the faithful followers of your brand or company will join your group out of pure recognition. However, if you want to expand your following, people need a little more enticement. Give something back to the community or your niche market and create buzz immediately. Create contests that will generate interaction, making them work for their prize.

4. Use photos and imagery

Facebook is far and away the largest photo-sharing site on the web today. Utilize that. Images create brand recognition and trust in establishing your brand.

5. Tag fans in your pictures

If you’ve got pictures of fans at events, and within the community, tagging them is a great way to ensure they re-visit your site. Tell fans to regularly check in and tag themselves. This is a great way to engage the community.

If you want to incorporate a nice social ‘hook’ to your page, allow fans to upload their own photos. Have a specific album they can upload to, have snapshots of them using your product, or having some sort of association with your brand. By doing this you are keeping your brand top of mind for consumers.

6. Contests

If contests are done properly, they can be great marketing tools and incentives for fans to return to the page. Everyone loves something free; find a unique way to promote yourself.

7. Utilize social media

There are applications that can link your fan page to other social media applications. Tweets for example can appear on your fan page if you spend the time to properly connect the two. This will create a bridge to get your fans to join more than one outlet.

8. Acknowledge your fans when they join

If you have the time, it is important to thank the fans for joining. Send them a coupon if possible, encouraging them to visit your venue. Where the web is so incredibly saturated, fans will appreciate you taking the time to recognize them instead of regarding them as simply a number.

9. Write for your appropriate audience

Facebook is no longer just an outlet for teenagers and college students. In 2009, the fastest growing demographic on Facebook was ages 55 +. The largest demographic on Facebook is ages 35-54 overall. Be aware of your target audience and tailor your style to them. Do not dumb your posts down if you are targeting a more mature audience, they will grow tired and move on.

10. Repetition

Repetition is huge when you are trying to develop a following. Often a fan page will be created, guns a-blazing, and once they develop a following, fall off the radar. Facebook pages have unique discussions and very high interaction rates if used properly, often more so than other social networks such as twitter. Post content that is of value to your community. Share photos of community events; have followers take part in contests, be creative when coming up with your interaction tools. You must stay on top of this outlet -no one will re-visit your site if you post once every three months. There are far too many companies with interesting content for followers to waste their time on a stagnant page.

Creating a Facebook fan page is an on-going job. Drawing people in is the first step, but engaging them enough to make them return is a battle all on it’s own. Be sensitive to important areas that don’t get touched upon by most. Don’t limit yourself to the mundane ‘washing my hair, lol’ comments. Use thought and substance when posting, your fans will appreciate it.