Isn’t that just the age old question?! Just as we think we’ve cracked it on Facebook with increased engagement and likes and defeated the algorithm…it announces changes once again.
This time, Mark Zuckerberg shared that the newsfeed algorithm would be updated to prioritise content created by our friends and family over business pages and the media, to focus on ‘meaningful social interactions’.
In an age where we spend at least 35 minutes a day on Facebook, this can be seen as a positive development. In Zuckerberg’s own statement about the change, he commented on how it would benefit people’s well-being.
For Facebook business page users however, it’s concerning that spend is likely to increase – we’re going to have to spend more to maintain and increase results – and our posts are to be filtered out so, potentially, Karen can share what she’s having for tea*.
So, what can we do to make sure our pages and posts are still visible to our audiences?
As with any social media changes, there’ll be a process of trial and error, but we recommend bearing the below in mind.
Don’t engagement bait
We all know about clickbait, but did you know, as of late 2017, Facebook began demoting posts which were ‘baiting’ engagement? Page posts demanding users to ‘LIKE if…’, ‘VOTE to see…’ or ‘SHARE now…’ were seen as less ‘authentic’ by Facebook and so began the process of rolling them out of newsfeeds.
Instead of demanding an (questionably, useless) action from the public, why not describe the post you’re sharing and explain why it would be useful to your audience. e.g. ‘Here are our 5 top tips on making sure you get your tax return completed in time’ instead of ‘LIKE if you agree tax return is the worst time of year!’
Ask questions
Don’t forget, at the root of Facebook, is social interaction and the art of (online) conversation. Ask your audience questions instead of telling them things. If you’re an interior designer, share different projects and ask for their feedback or favourite colour picks – one simple question can start an engaging conversation in the comments; one that you should get involved in, alongside your audience. No matter how big or small your page is (and let’s be honest, that’s entirely relative), Facebook users will always get a little thrill to see the ‘official’ page replying to their comment and joining in the conversation.
Experiment with spend
You may or may not already be advertising on Facebook. With spend starting from as little as £3 and objectives ranging from ‘generate post engagements’ to ‘get more event attendees,’ Facebook has worked hard to ensure advertising is as approachable as possible. With the changes announced this month, it’s likely spending the same amount you always have, won’t generate the results you’re used to. Experiment with spend, objectives and target demographic and see what works for you – perhaps where previously a generic ad aimed at many helped you increase figures, a lower-cost ad targeting a niche group of people will drive more results.
What do you think about the changes to Facebook’s newsfeed? If you’re concerned about pulling together a 2018 strategy with the new algorithm in mind, you can speak to us about bespoke training.
*Disclaimer: we don’t have anything against Karens sharing their tea** on Facebook.
**Tea is dinner for anyone south of Sheffield.
Image sourced from Pixabay.