It’s Facebook Friday — each week we’ll offer one tip for leveraging Facebook to increase customer awareness of and engagement with your brand or business. This week we’ll discuss strategies for Liking and tagging other brands’ Facebook Pages with your own, and the reasons why that can benefit you.

It wasn’t even that long ago that Facebook added the ability to Like and tag other Facebook Pages on yours, and at first glance it seems a risky proposition with little reward. Why would you essentially put a link to another Page on your own, giving those precious new visitors to your Page somewhere to exit to before they Like you?

It turns out that it’s not that simple. When you Like another Page, you’re building a relationship with that brand. It’s the first step that could eventually lead to shared marketing strategies that cross-pollenate your customers.

Thanks to the activity log in the new Facebook Timeline activity panel for Pages, that brand’s social media manager will see that you Liked the Page and possibly like you back. Some of that brand’s customers might then discover you through its Page.

Liking other Pages also shows visitors what your values and interests are — and it shows them that you share theirs. Like Pages you know they might enjoy also, and they’ll instantly get what you’re all about.

You should also find organic opportunities to tag other Pages in your updates by preceding their names with @ symbols. This is an even more effective method of cross-promotion, because depending how those Pages have their Timelines configured, your post may appear on their Pages, not just yours.

It’s all about building a community, and no brand is an island. Make the statement that you’re willing to engage with other brands, and they (and their customers) might be willing to engage with you.

Was this tip helpful? Do you have any more ideas for getting the most out of Facebook? Let us know in the comments!

[Via: Inside Facebook]