By Bob Speyer, Web Success Team

Everyone wants to increase their social media followers quickly. Here’s a novel way to broaden your reach through a Facebook Fan Exchange championed by online marketer Michelle Hummel. It’s simple, innovative and most importantly stays true to the Social Media Mantra, “Give to Get.” Michele has used LinkedIn to promote this marketing concept. In only four months, Michelle has gone from 60 Facebook friends to just under 2,000 fans by promoting the Facebook Fan Exchange through 5 to 7 select LinkedIn groups.

How It Works: I Become a Fan, You Become a Fan

The strategy is very simple. First you join a LinkedIn Discussion Group, for example: Innovative Marketing, PR, Sales, Word-of-Mouth & Buzz Innovators. Of course, the more groups you join and implement this strategy, the more fans you will corral. Then you follow these simple instructions:

1. Explain your Facebook Fan Exchange strategy to benefit all group members.
2. Post your Fan Page url for other members to become a fan.
3. When anyone replies that they have become your fan, then you become a fan of their page.
4. Become a fan of everyone that is listed, and post a reply to each person that you have become a fan of.
5. Log in everyday to add more fans.

“I invite you to my fan page”: https://www.facebook.com/WebSuccessTeam

Be Active, Be Helpful, and Most Importantly, Engage Your New Fans

By using this same invitational post with several LinkedIn groups that you find relevant to your business, you will reach likeminded business owners that are interested in supporting each other. Then step back and watch the fans in daily. Because the whole process requires an honor system for everyone to “like” each other, Michelle is now in the process of developing an application that is verifiable and reciprocal.

One critic of this strategy to garnering fans felt that if the audience is not engaged, they won’t react and posts won’t show (other than hoping that friends of fans will see the posts). Michelle went on to state that it was an opportunity to broaden your fan base and build relationships. LinkedIn is about social networking, so why not do it on Facebook as well. This strategy gives you the ability to develop dialogues with your business contacts, get to know their business and help each other out by referrals.

Let’s continue Michelle’s Facebook Fan Exchange strategy and post your Facebook page here and follow Michelle’s page at https://www.facebook.com/WebMediaExpert

About the Author: Bob Speyer is an online marketer, social media strategist and co-founder of the Web Success Team. Bob develops effective marketing strategies to help companies increase brand awareness and target more customers for their products and services. His articles are intended to educate as well as inform readers of the latest tools and techniques of online marketing. You can follow Bob on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.