A Facebook “fan gate” is like a velvet rope that keeps out those who are not fans from a special area on your company’s Facebook Page. This off-limits area could feature special content and offers, and visitors must become “fans” in order to gain access.

As we’ve written before, having a Facebook Page and growing your Facebook fan base has many advantages, such as letting you play a greater role in online discussions about your company, keeping fans up-to-date, maintaining your relationship with them.

One of the main goals of your Facebook Page should be to convert visitors to fans. Each Page includes a call to action that prompts visitors to “like” your Page. A fan gate can strengthen a call to action by giving the visitor a specific reason to like.

For instance, we designed a Facebook fan gate for Sportball Québec, a non-competitive sports instruction company, that requires visitors to “like” their page in order to get a complimentary class.

Offering a special offer for fans only will help draw in fans. Some popular incentives include coupons and downloadable content such as mp3s, videos, and e-books. Consider the incentive part of the overall user experience you’re trying to create.

Once visitors click the “Like” button, you’ll have the opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with customers who will be able to see posts from your Facebook Page when they access their Facebook timeline. A fan gate may be the way your visitors become fans, but it’s up to you to keep them fans, so keep them interested with regular, engaging and useful content.

Need help creating and managing a Facebook Page, or building a fan gate? Kobayashi Online is here to help your company make the most of its presence on Facebook and other social networks!