Have you heard the news that’s been rocking the social media marketing world? Facebook is, in a sense, making a move that brings it back to its original form. Your news feed will be shifting away from seeing posts from advertisers and returning its focus to your friends and family. According to Facebook, the order of your news feed will prioritize the following content:
- Friends, family and groups
- Content from brands
- News
See what Mark Zuckerberg had to say:
What Does This Mean for Advertisers?
As a marketer or social media professional, this can be concerning. Facebook continues to be a pay-to-play world, and this algorithm update could potentially make a dent in your brand’s wallet. You may be asking yourself, “why is Facebook making this change?”
Well, the answer is simple. For one, users are over-saturated with content from different brands, no matter if it’s a clothing brand toting their big sale or a non-profit asking for money. Secondly, Facebook is challenging users to create more unique content and generate meaningful interactions with followers.
So how can your brand do this? While at this time, no one is entirely sure what the total impact of this news feed algorithm update will be, there are ways your brand can still continue reaching your audience. Follow our tops tips to make sure your brand survives Facebook’s new update!
Tip 1: Post Content that Prompts Comments
According to Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg, a meaningful interactions means plenty of comments and reactions on your content. According to Zuckerberg, “Pages making posts that people don’t react to or comment on could see the biggest decrease in distribution.”
What does this mean you should do? Don’t just post to post on Facebook. Create content that resonates with your followers that encourages them to comment or generates conversations. Ask questions or write about relevant topics that you know intrigue your followers.
That Being Said…
Don’t use “engagement-bait” by asking your users to comment or share your post. Users find this spammy. Additionally, Facebook recognizes posts asking for engagement, and will continue to demote these posts in a user’s news feed.
Tip 2: Don’t Be Afraid to Utilize Facebook Live
Have you been shying away from Facebook live videos? Go ahead and give it a try! Facebook Lives can be utilized for a variety of things, for example:
- If you own a retail shop, demonstrating a product’s uses or sharing the latest trends
- Are you a nonprofit? Use live to to talk about an upcoming event
- Behind-the-scenes of a video or photo shoot
- If you’re a realtor, give a tour of one of your listings
You see, no matter what industry you’re in, Facebook Live can work for you! Video is going to remain a big player in Facebook’s algorithms, so don’t be afraid to give it a try. Plus, once a Facebook Live video is finished, it can be saved to your profile to live on as video content.
Here’s an example of a live video from KS95 during their You Laugh, You Lose segment:
Tip 3: If You Have an Ad Budget, Increase It
Remember when we mentioned that Facebook was a pay-to-play world? Well, that’s not going to change (ever). Organic reach has been steadily declining for years now, so it’s time to brush up on your Facebook ad skills. Take the time to build custom and lookalike audiences and A/B test creative and copy to see what resonates with your followers. By taking these steps, you can help your advertising dollars go a little bit farther.
Get Help From The Experts
At Hubbard Interactive, our team of skilled social media marketers are ready to take on Facebook’s latest algorithm update. As a Facebook Blueprint certified agency, we can help elevate your brand’s social media presence across all channels.
Interested in learning more about how we can help you? Take a peek at our services.