Likes, comments and shares.Three actions that all Facebook page owners crave.To date, you’ve tweaked, modified and fine-tuned your page, but to no avail. Comments remain non- existent and likes are few and far between.You need to connect the dots on the content that your fans crave and gain a better understanding into what drives them to take action. The problem is that you’re weary, frustrated and ready to call it quits.

4 Simple Facebook Engagement Tips

1. Don't Quit, Hit Reset

Before you throw in the towel and chuck all of the hard work you’ve put into your page, hit the reset button. There is always time to reinvent your strategy and start over. But it doesn’t happen overnight.Breaking through the barriers that separate you from your fans will only happen once you have a grasp on a few key essentials.The first step is to better understand what encompasses an appealing post.

2. Key Characteristics of Engaging Content:

• Unique and "on-brand"
• Short, sweet and to the point
• Lively, upbeat and enjoyable
• Entertaining and engaging
• Informative and knowledgeable
• Hyper local and educational

Next, you want to open the door to great conversation.

3. Key Characteristics of Great Conversation Starters:

• Direct
• Stimulating
• Inclusive
• Clear and Concise
• Evokes emotion
• Accommodates a multitude of answers

4. Get the Party Started

In order to pull your fans out of the shadows and into the party, you need to ask questions that encourage interaction. Below are a few ideas to get the dialogue started:

• Open ended questions
• This or that questions
• Yes or no
• True or false
• Fill in the blank
• Questions that allow for a quick and easy answer

Skittles does a great job with that last point. You will often see a short question that allows for an easy response.

Additional examples of engaging conversation starters:

Summer or Fall?My perfect romantic evening would include ____________We love busy mornings! What's your most productive time of day?

And finally...

Know When to Post

Now that you recognize the fundamental components of an effective Facebook post, it is important that you study your results. In order to ensure that you achieve your goals, you must consistently monitor the actions of your Facebook fans. Through Facebook insights you can analyze:

• The number of likes, comments and shares you receive on each post
• The number of fans talking about your page which translates into your overall page engagement
• The location and time zone of your fans
• The demographics of your fans
• What third party page or application is driving fans to your page

While tracking your results, make certain that you are meeting your specific goals. For example, if your goal was to build your subscriber list, track and measure whether your efforts are helping you achieve that goal. The purpose is to define your goals and then break them down into trackable and measurable objectives. If your goal is to send traffic to your website sales or landing page, take a look at your click through rate and determine how many of those clicks are actually converting.

Getting Started

If you're stumped on where to begin, consider visiting the Facebook pages of key competitors. Read through various posts to better understand their strategy and then analyze what is working and why. You will also want to create a Facebook marketing plan that helps you meet these main objectives:

• Maximize your results by monitoring when your fans are online
• Know where your fans hangout so you can promote and advertise your page
• Create new and deepen past relationships that will become a marketing extension of your brand
• Network with other industry professionals that will help spread the word about your page
• Consistently post valuable content that brings your fans back day after day
• Monitor and analyze your results to adjust efforts and encourage growth and continued success

Creating a successful Facebook fan page is work, but it should also be a lot of fun!

What type of engaging content are you creating on your page? I'd love to hear your tips in the comments below!