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More than 1400 nominations came in from our contest.
Our panel of Facebook experts carefully reviewed the nominees and finalists, analyzing their landing pages, engagement, reader involvement and creative use of promotions (among other things).
None of these businesses have huge budgets, yet they have all achieved amazing success. The following are the winners of Social Media Examiner’s Top 10 Small Business Facebook Pages for 2011:
#1: Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel is an Australian travel agency specializing in creating unique travel adventures.
Fans: 79,018
What the judges liked:
- Great description of company philosophy on Info page
- Appealing use of “photo of the day”
- Keeps customers returning through mystery trips (“surprise and delight” element) and an interactive game
- Creates customer community on Meet Others page
#2: Easy Lunch Boxes
Easy Lunch Boxes makes healthy, green lunch boxes and containers.
Fans: 11,606
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What the judges liked:
- Fabulous branding on welcome page, also making clear the incentives for liking the page
- Creative use of Photos tab
- Excellent responsiveness to each individual commenter
- Shares good content for moms/people raising families
#3: SnapRetail
SnapRetail is an online marketing agency for retail stores.
Fans: 3,455
What the judges liked:
- Good use of quotes, links and personal stories in posts
- Keeps it personal through photo uploads and allowing employees to reveal their identities
- “Snappy Hour” is a great way to increase conversation, involvement and answer social media marketing questions
- Welcome tab has a good video and integration with other social media platforms
#4: Garden Quest
Garden Quest is an innovative Facebook gardening game that requires knowledge of gardening to win.
Fans: 56,719
What the judges liked:
- Effective pre-launch page and campaign – good buzz created
- Smart use of incentives for liking the page
- Fantastic interaction on the wall (getting fans to post pictures, etc.)
- Effective job of marketing its unique 3D gaming experience
#5: Arizona Pro DJs
Arizona Pro DJs is a teen entertainment company based in Scottsdale, AZ.
Fans: 10,261
What the judges liked:
- Vibrant graphics appeal to the right demographic
- Good use of prizes for liking the page
- Great enforcement of spamming policies
- Excellent engagement practices of posting photos and music asking for feedback
#6: Dog Training Ireland
Dog Training Ireland are dog trainers and behavior specialists based in Blanchardstown, Ireland.
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What the judges liked:
- Tons of helpful info on Info tab (might never have to visit website)
- Good use of Facebook for customer service (e.g., taking reservations)
- Fun video under About Us
- Great practice of posting pictures of dogs available for adoption
#7: New Jersey Family
New Jersey Family is a magazine and resource for New Jersey kids, parents and families.
Fans: 2,515
What the judges liked:
- Great use of the avatar and photo strip
- Outstanding family-oriented content (recipes, trip ideas, free advice)
- Good customer engagement
- Fun use of Questions tab
#8: Obeo
Obeo is a creator of online interactive visual experiences for realtors.
Fans: 2,378
What the judges liked:
- Good use of incentives to like the page for Facebook exclusive promotions
- Variety in posts (blogs, pictures, trivia, links)
- Nice presentation of video and virtual staging on Welcome tab
- Smart balance of content on YouTube tab – informational and inspirational
#9: Piggies & Paws
Piggies & Paws are creators of custom art from children’s hand- and footprints.
Fans: 5,961
What the judges liked:
- Fun and engaging Welcome tab (good use of Fan of the Week in avatar)
- Find an Artist Near You tab is helpful to fans wanting to host a party
- Posts are audience-appropriate
- Consistently responsive to fan posts
#10: Brasserie Sixty6
Brasserie Sixty6 is a modern European restaurant in Dublin, Ireland.
Fans: 4,730
What the judges liked:
- Excellent use of apps for displaying menu, reviews and reservations
- Strong call to action for joining mailing list
- Good use of videos
- Engagement on wall is personable and consistent
Congratulations to the winners. Be sure to check out these amazing pages!
The Prizes
Each of our winners receives the following:
A free pass to Facebook Success Summit 2011: Each company wins a pass to attend the web’s largest online Facebook marketing conference.
The badge of distinction: If you’re a winner, you can post the image you see here on your blog or Facebook page and please link back to this page.
A special thanks to our judges—Mari Smith (co-author, Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day), Dave Kerpen (author, Likeable Social Media) and Michael Stelzner (author, Launch)—for their participation!
What do you think? Share your comments in the box below.
