5 Tempting techniques to get more clicks on your Facebook post links

The holy grail of social media is getting potential customers off the platform and onto webpages where cash can be spent. This is exactly why it’s worth spending some quality time perfecting your strategy for posts with links attached to them. By publishing a post with a link, your social media turns its back on vanity metrics and creates potential for driving real business growth, increasing sales and boosting customer loyalty. 

In this article, we’re looking at the key ways 5 giant brands secure clicks on the links in their Facebook posts, with the hope that you’ll snatch up these secrets for your own business success. Whether you’re struggling to get your links noticed, craft captivating copy or ignite your inspiration, our aim is to get you more link clicks in a matter of moments.

1. Emphasise with emojis

When you want someone to take a specific action, it’s best to make it obvious. However, links can be little things that may be easily overlooked. That’s why the addition of a relevant emoji, placed next to the link, can stop it slipping out of focus.

This example by Nintendo Switch starts with a question which invites comments on the post. However, this post is ultimately aiming to get clicks on the link as the rest of the copy, the imagery and the link all lead in the same direction - towards getting the click. The simple addition of a pointing emoji captures the eye within the copy, making it harder to miss the link in the text.

You could use an arrow, a pointing hand or an emoji relevant to your branding, topic or niche. You could choose to add an emoji before, after or either side of the link to make it really stand out against your other text. 

2. Tempt with a teaser 

Like a blurb on the back of a book or the opening riff of a powerful anthem, Facebook posts can be used to grab attention, while the link can offer up more information. Using the post as a teaser, while leaving the juicy details for the end destination, provides plenty of incentive to get lots of clicks on your next post.

This example by Amazon.co.uk unites a text overview and a snappy video to gain interest in the topic. Just like getting invested in a movie plot, the viewer is compelled to click the link for the full story. This gets viewers off the Facebook page and onto the website where interested parties can be wooed by the brand, its ethos and its positive work within the wider community.  

3. Showcase something special

A sure-fire way to get clicks on a link is to share something that’s super special and wildly relevant. Having a strong knowledge of your audience, their preferences and their reasons for following you on Facebook is a crucial first step in this process. No matter what your business is selling, there will be something that gets your community going. Creating a post specifically to showcase this is more likely to get you clicks than sharing the expected.

This example by Barnes & Noble showcases a beautifully illustrated New York Times bestseller. This much-loved series of novels got a makeover and the fans were here for it. This Facebook post was perfectly positioned to turn heads (and pages) for this brand. The choice of a well-known classic, the stunning redesign and the promise of more never-before-seen images beyond the link click is a trilogy of triumphs.

4. Ditch lengthy links

Links come in various lengths but it turns out that when wanting to get clicks, size really does matter. According to AdGuard, shortened URLs are more likely to get clicked, they help maintain brand professionalism, help get around character limits and are more visually appealing than their lengthy counterparts. They can also protect against malicious links, as many link shorteners scan for malware, suspicious sites and viruses. In turn, this can increase brand trust and gain additional link clicks, as viewers can carry on with confidence.

Check out this example by beauty brand Sephora. This Facebook post sticks to the KISS principle (Keep It Short and Simple). While this technique oozes class by not giving too much away, it also provides clear communication which is critical for getting the results you’re looking for. The KISS principle is also worth applying to many other areas in business, marketing, social media and displaying links. To grab hold of attention, keep it and direct it to the place of your choice, avoid making things complicated for the end user. The clearer, the better.

There are plenty of URL shorteners to choose from including: Bitly, TinyURL, Rebrandly, T2M, Shorte.st, Sniply, YOURLS and Polr. Some allow you to include your brand name in the short URL for increased confidence for the clicker.

5. Craft captivating copy 

Ultimately, when it comes to getting clicks on your Facebook links, you’ve got to give the viewer a good enough reason to stop scrolling and start clicking. This starts with grabbing attention, continues with providing an incentive and ends with the payoff - the click. Whether you choose to share a sale, an exciting new product, a story or something entirely different, crafting copy that captures and holds attention long enough to warrant a click is a skill you need within your team.

This example by Pets at Home showcases some text techniques that are a real treat. The opening is bold, in uppercase, surrounded by emojis to make the viewer stop mid-scroll. This is immediately followed up by the incentive - the reason the viewer should click the link. There is also a time limit which is a powerful scarcity tactic - ideal for creating FOMO. The final line is the call to action, which directs viewers to the link. All the above is rolling in puns and accompanied by an image that echoes the copy.

Think of ways you could grab attention, create an incentive and follow up with a call to action. This three-step technique is a tried and tested way of gaining link clicks with a simple format that works wonders.

We hope you noticed…

In all the examples above, there are some running themes to take note of. These best practices form a solid base to build upon to get the clicks you deserve.

Always add imagery

Firstly, every brand added media to their Facebook post. Imagery is known to capture attention and it is widely reported that posts with imagery get more clicks than those without. Whether you opt for a video or a photo depends on the theme of your post, but if you go without either you’d be missing a trick.

Messaging leads towards the click

Make sure the messaging in your post and media leads towards the click. In all the examples in this article, the clear focus of each post is to direct viewers towards clicking the link. Some brands chose a more direct approach while others were more subtle, but none of the posts went off on tangents or pushed more than one agenda.

Never add more than 1 link

There’s a reason none of the brands above added more than 1 link to their Facebook post. Having a singular goal makes everything clearer for the end user and therefore makes the click more inviting. Psychologist Barry Schwartz suggests that consumers prefer fewer choices and that more choices often leads to more indecision. Business.com notes that ‘brands with simpler offerings are rewarded with more customers and increased loyalty across all business industries’. 

Did you know: you can now track your Facebook link clicks with Minter.io - the social media analytics tool for businesses online. With multiple KPIs, metrics and graphs ready to skyrocket your success, there’s a reason so many businesses trust Minter.io - try it today!