Startup Guides > 3 Tips For Using Promoted Posts To Get Customers Excited

As a business owner, startup entrepreneur, or marketing manager, how do you reach potential customers during these abnormal times? Are you willing to pay so your posts reach more eyes? Perhaps you should be.

One of the newest 40Billion features, called Promoted Posts, allows businesses to pay from $20 to $999 so that more visitors and contacts see their posts on computers and mobile devices for up to one year.

Using a regular whiteboard post on 40Billion.com can be effective for ramping up engagement, but with Promoted Posts, 40Billion is taking the idea one step further.

The problem is that many regular posts go unseen, and only a small percentage of a user's contacts see a given post; though it varies depending on how engaged your contacts are. You can look at the bottom of any recent post on your profile page to see the number of views. If your numbers are consistently low, Promoted Posts can help.


On average, Promoted Posts garner 18 times more views and more engaged users. Here are 3 tips to test-drive the new feature and make sure your investment is well spent:

1) Don't confuse Promoted Post with sales pitch.

Just because you paid for it, don't expect visitors to be any more receptive to hard sales tactics. Users visit 40Billion to learn and share information. They may connect with you and share an interest in business or entrepreneurship topics, but they don't necessarily want product pitches.

Think about ways to genuinely engage them, just as you do every time you write a regular post. What do they care about? Here are a few ideas:

- Promote discounts, deals, or special/exclusive offers. These drive traffic back to your store or site, leading to sales.

- Collect leads with giveaways or contests. Send visitors to download something free or enter a contest in exchange for their contact information.

2) Create your Promoted Post with a kid in mind.

As you probably already know, many regular posts go unseen. Usually, the problem isn't that no one paid to promote the post. It's that no one wants to engage with the content.

Before you post, think about how a younger version of your target audience - such as a precocious 5th-grader - would respond to the content in your post. If a kid would not be excited about your post, then grown-ups probably won't be excited about it either.

No matter how good the offer or content is, it's up to you to make sure visitors are inspired to take action on it with clicks, reposts, and comments. Here are some suggestions:

- Use a clear, strong call to action.

"Click repost if you agree!" and "Share this deal with a friend!" These simple phrases make all the difference in influencing visitors to act, as well as increasing the chances their contacts will see your post, too.

- Include a photo or video.

Add a funny or helpful photo and/or video to your post. Preferably, both a photo and video that you would share with your friends or coworkers.

- Don't forget to add the link.

If you need to direct visitors beyond 40Billion to a special webpage, YouTube video, crowdfunding campaign, webinar, online class, blog post, or survey, then include the link (URL) and clear instructions in your post.

3) Compare Promoted Posts to each other.

You can create multiple Promoted Posts with different text or links. Which posts work best? Maybe those with a question? Funny posts or serious posts? Posts with shortened or complete links? And are your views increasing over time?

Be prepared to try different combinations and vary your messages until you find the one that works best.

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