As a small business owner, I‘ve learned first-hand how valuable sharing posts can be for reaching new audiences and driving engagement on social media.
Whether you want to spread the word about your business or share an interesting article with friends, understanding how to share a post on Facebook is crucial.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll break down the step-by-step process for sharing posts, offer pro tips to extend your reach, and analyze how these practices impact small businesses.
The first step is locating the post you want to broadcast to your networks.
Here are three easy ways to discover share-worthy content:
Your News Feed – Scroll until you see an interesting post from connections.
Specific Profiles – Check Pages and people you follow for recent viral content.
Facebook Search – Search keywords for related updates from wider community.
For example, as a small business owner, I might check trending news sites for relevant articles to share or search "small business tips" to find motivational quotes to inspire my followers.
Once you locate something you want to share, click the "Share" button directly underneath.
On desktop, this is displayed as text that reads "Share":
On mobile, tap the upward arrow icon inside a box:
This opens up a sharing menu.
Step 3: Select Where to Post
Next, choose where you want to share the post. Options may include:
- Your Timeline
- A Friend‘s Timeline
- A Group
- An Event
- A Page (if you manage one)
For personal sharing, choose your timeline. For business owners, sharing to your Page to reach more potential customers.
Then customize the post further before you share.
Step 4: Personalize the Post (Optional)
Before broadcasting to your audience, you can add your own commentary.
Consider asking a thought-provoking question about the post topic or tying it back to your niche industry.
Some personalization adds unique value for your audience.
For businesses, this helps position your expertise around the shared content.
Once you‘ve chosen an audience and added commentary, click the "Share Now" button to publish the content instantly.
That‘s all it takes to effectively share a post on Facebook in just a few clicks!
Pro Tip: Tag Friends in Your Post
Now what about driving even more engagement?
Every small business owner wants their content visible to as many people as possible.
That‘s where tagging comes in handy.
Tagging allows you to notify specific friends about your post by linking directly to their profiles:
Start typing your friend‘s name and select them from the dropdown.
You can tag up to 50 friends per post!
Tagging is useful for:
- Alerting friends to content you know they would appreciate
- Increasing visibility as friends often share tagged posts
- Driving engagement rates by getting more reactions
Just be wary of over-tagging people not closely connected to the content.
Insights for Businesses on Post Sharing
Post sharing presents a major opportunity for small businesses to expand reach.
Let‘s analyze the impact when businesses leverage this tactic correctly.
Reach Beyond Your Existing Network
Every share has the potential to reach new networks.
That‘s because friends of those who interact with your post may also see it in their feeds.
In fact, friends and followers of people who like, comment on, or share your post can make up over 75% of its reach, according to Facebook:
This effect is amplified when sharing highly relevant and engaging content consistently over time.
Boost Credibility Through Content Associations
When strategically sharing posts from authority figures or reputable organizations, your own brand basks in that reflected expertise.
For example, if a popular business magazine publishes tips from esteemed entrepreneurs, sharing that bolsters your credibility by association.
This influence lending can inspire new site visitors to explore your page and ultimately convert to customers.
Increase Social Engagement Metrics
Post sharing also helps inflate those ever-important social media engagement metrics like reactions, comments, and shares.
These signals factor into Facebook‘s algorithm determining your content‘s visibility.
According to research from Convince&Convert, shared posts see:
- 2X more engagement than non-shared posts
- Far higher organic reach
These meaningful social interactions hint to Facebook that your content resonates with audiences, leading your page‘s future posts to appear more prominently in feeds.
Ultimately, this compounds to faster audience growth and increased conversion rates for your business.
Final Tips on Responsible Post Sharing
While sharing quality content has many advantages, always consider privacy and permissions before broadcasting someone else‘s creation.
Respect Original Privacy Settings
Pay attention to the audience selector on posts, which displays who can currently view it.
For example, a post limited to "Friends" can‘t be shared publicly without permission.
Credit Original Posters
When sharing directly to your page or profile, the original poster‘s name remains visibly attached.
Give proper attribution wherever possible.
Seek Consent Before Altering Reach
If you wish to share a post with a broader audience, request consent from the creator first.
Following these guidelines creates goodwill with others on the platform.
I hope this guide gave you an in-depth look at optimally sharing posts on Facebook! Let me know if you have any other questions.
){kind=link}