Facebook pages come in all manner of different shapes and sizes. Many are pretty lame, gaining very few likes and with hardly anyone talking about them. Obviously the subject of the page is the most important aspect - if it already has a sizable community then it will likely be doing well - but there are ways anyone can improve the popularity of their Facebook page, regardless of who or what their page is about.

There are several key areas to focus on when trying to improve your page's popularity on Facebook. All of which are dealt with below. These are all common sense ideas that most people should have figured out for themselves already, but it's surprising how many miss these core tenets and then struggle to understand why their Facebook page is listing badly and at risk of sinking under a mire of mediocrity.

Basics

First Impressions Count

It may be an old adage but it's also a truism. Especially when the vastly-populated and fast-moving Web is involved. You have to grab people's attention within an instant. In a practical sense this means making your Facebook page sparkle. Have an eye-catching banner installed at the top of your page with a memorable logo accompanying it.

Have a short and snappy 'About' section that will draw any random visitor to explore further. And have a variety of content posted recently to assure people this isn't a dead or dying page.

Be Your Own Grammar Nazi

I cannot overstate the importance of correct spelling and grammar when you're presenting content to the world. If your Facebook page is littered with typos and poor grammatical choices then people will immediately be put off from reading the posts or engaging with the administrator.

What's more you'll likely have to field comments from people picking you up on your mistakes. It's better to take your time and write highly-readable, error-free updates.

Content

Exclusive To Facebook

A Facebook page is unlikely to be the only presence you have on the Web. But in order to make your Facebook page more popular you should maintain a steady stream of content that is exclusive to Facebook. This can be anything as long as it hasn't previously appeared anywhere else online. Think of it as a secret track at the end of a CD or an extra hidden away on a DVD.

Whatever form it takes it will give people a specific reason to visit your Facebook page.

Cross-Posting Is Forbidden

You're also likely to have other social networking accounts aside from Facebook. Twitter and Google+ are givens, and you may be on LinkedIn or MySpace too depending on the nature of your business or interest. As previously noted it isn't a good idea to cross-post from one social network to the other.

It may seem to be the easy option in order to save time and energy, but it's also doing a disservice to those on the social network that are second or third in the chain.

Engagement

Always Invite Responses

You may have noticed that many of the articles here on MakeUseOf end with a question or an invitation to respond to what you have just read. This is because we want to know what our readers think of the content, and an engaged reader is one more likely to return at a later date.

Facebook pages are no different, so rather than making a statement, turn a status update into a question. Or simply sign off with "What do you think?"

Listen & Reply To Comments

It's no good inviting responses unless you're willing to listen and reply to the comments that are made as a result. Keep a close eye on what is being said and respond to people's comments in a timely fashion. The more people you have visiting your page the more comments you'll have to respond to, but it's this ongoing conversation that will keep people engaged and coming back for more. Being constantly ignored soon grows tiresome.

Variety

A Selection Of Media

I love words. They have the power to spark countless emotions, to inspire people, and to change the world. But on their own their power is limited, especially when you're trying to grab someone's attention and hold it for more than a few seconds. Which is why different media are important tools for those with Facebook pages.

Post photos, videos, quotes, and cartoons. Mix it up rather than try to get your message out there with nothing but lengthy walls of text.

Captions, Jokes, & Riddles

Taking that a step further means you can truly explore the full range of different media at your disposal. Rather than a dry, unfunny status update, try turning it into a joke. Or post a photograph and invite people to suggest what is being said or done in it.

Even riddles can be used, posted in place of a straightforward status update as a kind of teaser, with your increasingly-engaged audience informed they'll have to glean the relevant information from the seemingly-unintelligible text.

Consistency

Update At Regular Intervals

Consistency would seem to be at odds with variety, but it's about leaving yourself scope to maneuver within a set framework. Consistency means updating your Facebook page at regular intervals. This doesn't mean on the hour every hour, or once a day at the exact same time, but following a pattern that means your fans will know roughly when to expect new content. How often you post wholly depends on the nature of your page.

Speak With One Clear Voice

Another way to ensure consistency is to speak with one clear voice. Many of the biggest social networking accounts - for celebrities or politicians - are run by multiple people, and try as they might it's impossible to mask the many voices that emerge. As long as you can cope on your own then adopt one voice and use it consistently in all your various Facebook page tasks. This will help assure people they're not talking to a faceless entity that may as well be a bot.

Conclusions

If you follow these basic rules your page will stand a much better chance of gaining in popularity than it did previously. I've avoided recommending any scammy or spammy behavior on purpose, as while these kinds of sneaky strategies may pay off in the short term they will only damage your page's reputation in the longterm. And when your reputation takes a battering so does your popularity.

We value your contributions to each article here at MakeUseOf, so please feel free to leave a comment related to the subject matter at hand. Do you agree with these basic ways of improving your Facebook page's popularity or do you have better advice you'd be willing to share with other readers? Is there a particular Facebook page - other than MakeUseOf - that you particularly enjoy or value?

Image Credits: Johannes Fuchs, Kris Hoet, Josh Lowe, Brett Jordan