Facebook is an invaluable outlet for your brand. In fact, it has been named the “most important” social platform for marketers and it’s not hard to see why. As a website, it receives the 3rd most visits in the world. The social media platform boasts over 2 billion monthly active users, and over 1 billion daily active users. The site is a golden opportunity for businesses— but, in order to reap all the benefits— you need to excel within Facebook’s algorithms.
The following post explains the 2018 update to Facebook’s newsfeed algorithm, and how you can succeed, regardless of the changes.
What are the changes Facebook has made to its newsfeed algorithm?
In early 2018, Facebook announced that it was altering its newsfeed algorithm and would, “prioritize posts from friends and family over public content.” The update also prioritizes “posts that spark conversations and meaningful interactions between people.” Facebook now predicts which posts users will be most likely to engage with, and shows these posts higher on their feed. Essentially, users won’t get spammed as much with business-related content, and the content they do see will generally be of a higher quality. This update may seem daunting to marketers, but it’s still very possible for brands to excel within these new parameters.
What can I do to overcome this algorithm change?
While Facebook’s algorithm update may have caused a collective gasp across the marketing community, there’s still plenty that your brand can do to distinguish itself on the platform. Here are some suggestions, other than paying for Facebook ads (which is also a great option!).
- Share posts that start discussions:
With this new algorithm, “Pages making posts that people generally don’t react to or comment on could see the biggest decreases in distribution. Pages whose posts prompt conversations between friends will see less of an effect.” Therefore, it is essential for your brand to be posting timely, thought-provoking content that will urge users to engage, discuss and share with others. Create content that is useful to your audiences. Give them something of value, and steer clear of shameless self-promotion.
National Geographic do a great job when it comes to posting neat content. They consistently post interesting facts, strange phenomenon, unique historical events, breathtaking photos, and breaking developments regarding science and nature.
- Take advantage of Facebook groups:
Facebook groups are great ways to reach audiences that are genuinely interested in your brand. Invite users to join your group, and offer incentives to do so with special group-only promotions, company insights, and discussions. Once a user becomes a member of your group, they’ll be frequently notified of posts made to the group page, so your business will remain front-of-mind. Having a pool of dedicated followers to tailor your content to will make your job easier and more fruitful.
- Use video in your posts as much as possible:
Video is the best way to share your content on Facebook. Social videos earn 1200% more shares than images and text combined, and viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it via video, compared to 10% when they read it via text. Users love watching videos because they’re colorful and engaging— much more interesting to look at than plain old text! Work with your team to create professional-looking, stimulating videos that your users will be inspired to share with others.
Amazon’s marketing team know the value of a great video— and this is one of the reasons why they have over 29 million followers on Facebook alone! Scrolling through their page, users see a wide selection of videos to suit a variety of tastes. There are product videos, how-to videos, short previews of Amazon shows, humorous skits, videos featuring celebrities, and seasonally-inspired videos.
- Take advantage of Facebook Live:
The Facebook Live function allows you to send out a live broadcast to your followers. The element that makes this feature so appealing to audiences is that it’s “live.” Even though the recorded video is still available when the broadcast ends, users are three times more likely to watch it when its live— and these live shows are given priority on Facebook’s newsfeed. A whopping 64% of consumers will purchase a product after watching a branded social video. Use live video to introduce your business and the people that make it what it is, give your audience a peek the behind-the-scenes, introduce exciting new products, promote events, share company news, etc. You can even tailor your live streams so that they target specific audiences, which is fantastic for offering a more personalized approach.
- Ask your employees for referrals:
With Facebook’s algorithm update, it’s more important than ever to lean on your team. Use what you’ve already got to your advantage and ask your team members if they’d feel comfortable promoting your company on their personal pages. Assist your employees in creating a strategy for this, and motivate them by offering some sort of incentive for their help. Consumers are much more likely to buy a product if it has been recommended to them by a friend, so referrals from your employees are invaluable.
- Say goodbye to “Tag” or “Share” competitions: These types of competitions have always been discouraged by Facebook and now, they’ll be considered more “spammy” than ever. While you’re able to use “likes” and comments as voting mechanisms, you can’t ask people to tag themselves or others, or share your posts on their pages. If your brand wants to run a competition, which we highly recommend as a way to generate exposure, you should do so as according to Facebook’s terms and conditions.
- Ensure you’re promoting your Facebook page as much as possible: When users like your page, it makes your job as a marketer much simpler. You’ve already caught your fish, now you just have to keep it on the line, and reel it in. Having a large following is always a good thing, and it’s important to make sure you’re publicizing your social media pages at every opportunity— especially now that the algorithm has altered. Add links to your pages at the bottom of your emails and your business cards, include this information with the orders you send out, use your voicemail to remind people they can find you on Facebook, and be sure to advertise your platforms within your shop itself. Every little helps— and these are simple adjustments you can make that may end up being the difference between 50 followers or 5000.
How is your business faring with Facebook’s relatively new algorithm change? What adjustments have you had to make to thrive in this new landscape? For help with your website and marketing needs, contact Web Symphonies today!
Web Symphonies helps your business excel on Facebook and all of social media. Check out all of the services we offer here, and contact us at (704) 336-9113 today to learn more.
Guest Post by Ellan Dineen @ DesignWizard
