WARNING! This is not a post about the Facebook privacy issues currently in the news. Maybe I'll weigh in someday in the future, if I calm down. This post is about recent changes Facebook's made that are now a bit under the radar, yet important to consider.
You may or may not have noticed it but Facebook recently implemented a good number of changes to its algorithm. According to Mark Zuckerberg himself, the changes were made primarily to focus on its users’ happiness and overall well-being. The goal is to make the time you spend on Facebook meaningful. The changes were also made in response to the results of academic studies and Facebook's own research. The studies and research emphasize the positive effects of social media when users are actively engaged as opposed to when they are just passive consumers of the social platform.
While all this may sound very promising, the changes have specific implications to your efforts to market your business on Facebook. Here are three of significant you should be aware of:
Less Public Content Is Being Shown
Posts and videos from publishers and businesses are being shown less. For brands and publishers, this is certainly a huge challenge. Adam Mosseri, head of Facebook’s News Feed Team, has expressed that more posts are going to be shown from family and friends, and we'll see less public content or posts and videos from businesses. Unless users opt-in to see your business page and corresponding posts (using the “See First” option), they won’t easily be able to see your content. They have to go to the News Feed options to prioritize those pages whose videos and posts they want to “See First” in their News Feed. Also, those posts that their connections on Facebook engage in will rise to the top of the rankings. Highly interactive posts and conversations that stem from live videos, private groups, or celebrity posts will likewise be very visible on News Feed.
Reach, Video Watch Time And Referral Traffic To Pages Is Decreasing
Because there is a move toward more human to human interactions on Facebook, your Facebook pages’ organic reach is expected to drop dramatically. As such, users are going to see less content from your page even if they follow it. This is a big change from the previous practice where the total time spent and number of people directly sharing the posts were the ones being prioritized. Facebook still does value content from pages but your page's reach will shrink. Instead, content consumed directly from your page will be pitted against content users and their friends engaged with (which will rise). The same is going to be true for public videos that usually do not spark much conversation. Users will see less public video content on their News Feed.
Posts Are Being Ranked Differently
Facebook is now giving priority to “posts that spark conversations and meaningful interactions between people,” according to Facebook. It has designed its new ranking to allow posts, photos, and videos from family and friends to appear first. Specifically, posts encouraging lively comments and conversations will be seen more. Facebook believes when people interact with fellow humans more, they get to spend more time on the Facebook platform and that time is more meaningful. Mr. Mosseri says Facebook is going to predict the kind of posts users are likely to interact with based on what their friends react to, comment on and share.
Here are six things you can do now to improve your chances of being seen on Facebook
Post Less Frequently
Post less frequently and always quality content (I know that's gonna be hard, but it may be necessary). Facebook is encouraging business owners to continue posting but to make sure to post high quality engaging content that elicits meaningful interactions. He said if your page's posts do not receive many likes, comments, or shares, you will also see a decrease in distribution.
Create Content That Stimulates Conversation
High quality content will result in comments that stimulate conversations between readers. This type of content is now a News Feed priority in Facebook. Be very clear thoug: engagement-bait tactics are not going to work because only those considered to be meaningful interactions that prompt fans to contribute to the discussion will be placed on top. Pages that use such tactics will suffer from a demotion in the News Feed. What will also rank higher is the content from groups and communities. Facebook groups tend to encourage a lot of interaction and they will receive better distribution when it comes to the News Feed. Mosseri added that long comments will weigh better than short ones. This is meant to de-value the comments we see from trolls who visit your page and comment, “Interesting” or something mundane and meaningless.
Jump Into Live Video Now
Why? It leads to 6x the interactions according to Facebook. Live videos, Zuckerberg contends, lead to more discussions and get as much as six times more interactions in comparison to recorded videos. Keep in mind though, many people will want to watch the replay of your live video. So, don't get discouraged it you only have a few people watching you live. It is imperative that you invest in hosting live Facebook videos to take advantage of the current algorithm. In particular, your community will appreciate having dialogue via live shows where you can have an open conversation with them. Facebook has now made it easier and you just have to cast that fear of going live aside and push the damn button!
Don't Ask For Comments In Your Posts
Again, engagement bait will be demoted in the News Feed. With the current algorithm, you may think you will need to literally ask for engagement from your audience - saying things such as, “comment if you love peanut butter!” This is not the right tactic (Frankly, it has never really worked). In the first place, it’s going to be spammy and your audience won’t like it. Secondly, Facebook will also tag it as engagement bait that won’t elicit meaningful interactions so these posts are going to be demoted in News Feed.
Start Using Facebook Ads
Like it or not, this will be the only sure-fire way to drive people to your Facebook page. The News Feed on Facebook is “Main Street” and the only way to reach people for sure is to use Facebook ads. Be strategic about what you post because now, you are going to pay for the advertising. Because organic reach is being throttled, you need to boost your posts and create ads if you are to reach your audience and prompt engagement. Consider increasing your budget and learn how to target the right audience to make it worth it. Study how you run successful ad campaigns on Facebook.
Learn About Messenger Chatbots
Bots may allow you to nurture leads and sell. Social media messaging is a current business trend because consumers are using Facebook Messenger for their questions and concerns. Facebook messenger chatbots are very helpful in this case as they can help with immediate responses to basic and frequently asked questions. It is also your first-line customer service touch. This can be especially useful for complaints your customers expect timely responses for. Chatbots can take care of repetitive tasks that usually take up your time.
As a whole, the changes Facebook implemented will require some adjustments to your digital marketing strategy. If you need some help, or just want to talk it through, contact us. Listen to my podcast on this topic for additional information!
