Recently Facebook made some changes to their news feed algorithm. The usual justification for an algorithm update applies - to improve the relevancy of the results and deliver the most meaningful content to users. How the news feed works is well documented by Facebook, but this blog explores what this means for businesses who use Facebook as a social media marketing platform to communicate to their customers and prospects.
So what do the changes to the news feed mean for my company page?
If you manage your company page on Facebook, you will probably have noticed some drops in organic post engagement and post views. This is because the news feed now prioritises content that historically the user has regularly engaged with - a hamstring blow to your prospecting efforts. Consequently, content from a ‘liked’ company’s Facebook page will become a negligible presence if a user has not engaged or interacted with that page recently or selected to specifically receive notifications from your page.
What changes should I make to my Facebook page?
Data
The old proverb that 'knowledge is power' is never more true than online. We use a data and goal driven approach on organic posting which involves A/B testing posts to monitor performance and define what is an effective post for your page. Also try and determine the best time to post so that you get the most impact. This information is available to Page Managers on your Insights tab.
Content
The change to the Facebook newsfeed is in the same vein as Google's Panda algorithm which was designed to remove low quality content from search results. This means that Page Managers need to make sure that the content you post is good quality and likely to yield a good level of engagement.
Paid advertising
Speculators think reasoning behind this change to the algorithm is to encourage paid advertisin on the Facebook Exchange. By making it harder for organic content to reach beyond a strictly limited audience, it means that paid ads will almost certainly increase your reach as they are not governed by the same rules. We specialise in FBX advertising to people that are relevant and interested in your product or services. If you want to have a successful paid ads campaign on Facebook please get in touch with Ben at ben@barkweb.co.uk to discuss how we can improve your paid ad performance and turn social media into a key sales tool for your business.
Conclusion
If you have some resources in-house or budget got social media adspend then start some paid advertising, create quality content, and spend time understanding how your content performs and when to post. Facebook is THE social network but don't ignore other sites such as Google+ and LinkedIn which have a whole load of other benefits, so expand your social media presence across other platforms.
If you want advice on an effective social media strategy or help managing your digital campaigns, then contact us at enq@barkweb.co.uk or call 01323 735 800.