Before you start running ads for your products or services, you need to make sure your Facebook page is worth following.

In other words, when people click on a link to your business page, they shouldn’t be subjected to a series of sales-oriented posts. Instead, they should find a carefully curated mix of content that tells a bigger story about your brand.

To make sure your Facebook page is optimized for new visitors, follow the three steps below.

1. Use the 80/20 rule.

You may have heard of the Pareto principle, which states that 80 percent of results come from 20 percent of causes. When it comes to social media marketing, the 80/20 rule means focusing more on offering value and building relationships than on promoting products. In other words:

• Reserve 20 percent of your posts to promote what you sell.
• For the other 80 percent, share content that supports your brand but doesn’t relate directly to what you sell.

In other words, you want to use your Facebook page to build trust and establish your expertise without constantly hitting your visitors over the head with sales pitches. You might share informative blogs, behind the scenes videos, or even Q&As with your customers.

There are countless examples of valuable content you might post that will endear you to your audience. But, whichever kinds of content you choose, the ultimate goal is to work 80% of the time to grow positive feelings around you and your business. That way, the people who come across your page will be far more receptive to the 20% of posts that relate directly to your product or service.

2. Take advantage of Social Media Shares.

Need help finding great content to add to your page? ReminderMedia customers have access to a simple, yet effective tool that makes offering value a breeze.

The Social Media Shares section of your account interface allows you to easily share content from American Lifestyle or Start Healthy magazine with your followers on social media.

This means rather than constantly trying to create new content for your Facebook followers, you can mix in articles and recipes from your magazine of choice—providing compelling content that your site’s visitors will really appreciate.

For a brief video that will show you how to use ReminderMedia’s Social Media Shares feature, click here.

When you’re linking to this content, be sure to write some copy that will inject your personality into the post. For example, you could say, “This recipe looks great! I’m thinking about making some of these for our employee appreciation BBQ this summer.”

With this copy, you’ve piqued the interest of your reader in multiple ways. First of all, you’ve made them want to check out the recipe. But you’ve also made a connection in their mind between this recipe and your business, while also letting them know how much you value your employees.

Though you shouldn’t reference your business directly in everything you post, it’s important to find creative ways to engage in brand storytelling on Facebook. This builds trust and makes people more likely to turn to you when they’re ready to buy.

3. Encourage reviews and testimonials.

Simply put: there’s no underestimating the power of an online review. A survey from BrightLocal found that 88 percent of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation from a friend.

That means when people are considering buying from you, it’s pretty likely they’ll want to see how other people feel about your business. Rather than leaving this up to chance, you’ll want to get ahead of the game and encourage your satisfied customers to give testimonials.

Download a PDF sample of American Lifestyle to stay in touch with past clients.

When a new lead looks up your Facebook page and sees tons of positive recommendations from people you’ve worked with in the past, they’ll be far more likely to want to do business with you.

Of course, since your clients will be doing you a favor, it goes without saying that you’ll want to make things as easy as possible for them. Check out this video to learn everything you need to know about leaving a recommendation on Facebook, so that you can share that information with your clients.

Once you’ve gotten into a routine of filling your Facebook page with great content, you’ll be ready to take your social media efforts to the next level by running ads and attracting new leads.