Facebook’s algorithm has changed over the years and it’s great to get your head around the changes and the way it works now, so that you can understand how to run your facebook business page. This article will explain how you can adapt your Facebook marketing strategy by looking at the changes that Mark Zuckerberg has implemented into the platform.
Algorithm explained
Let’s start by understanding the algorithm. Facebook’s algorithm has changed to keep more people on its platform, so that you’re seeing ads and engaging with the content. Its revenue is 99% from advertisements and the goal is to keep users scrolling to see them. It does this by sorting through posts and pushing out the content that it thinks will make you stay. Therefore, if you have liked multiple posts from a page or person, that person’s new posts will most likely come up straight away to keep you entertained.
Facebook also pushes the post that gets a lot of engagement (likes, comments, shares) from others, as it has to be proven to keep people on the app. For instance, if you posted a photo, it would firstly appear on around 50 timelines. Providing it got a lot of engagement from those 50 people, it would be pushed out to another 50. If they engaged with it then they’d carry on pushing it out, but if not then it would stop there. If everyone is scrolling past the post, Facebook would be thinking that it’s not that exciting or engaging and would not show it to other users. To sum up, the algorithm favours the content that keeps users on the platform.
How to use Facebook marketing to your advantage:
Here are a few tips that will have the engagement levels working in your favour.
Start a conversation and engage in groups
Starting a conversation in a group can get you noticed quickly and can start to improve the algorithm. As Mark Zuckerberg said, he wants to prioritise communities and groups on Facebook. Think about if your post will start a conversation. Supposing you were a fitness company, you could ask “Has anyone got any meal prep ideas that they’d recommend?”. The comments from posts like this will gain traction and lead to users being exposed to your content more and more as you post. You could join relevant groups or even start your own, you’ll get more exposure in a group compared to anywhere else on Facebook.
Avoid using links and use videos instead
As we know, Facebook’s algorithm goal is to keep users scrolling on their platform for as long as possible. This is why posts that contain links do not get favoured over posts without them. Links take you away from the platform which then stops you from seeing ads, and so doesn’t make Facebook any revenue. Video, however, is favoured (without a link) and will boost your engagement. The same goes for live video in a group; users will get a notification and will be more likely to click on the link. This is bearing in mind you have connected with the group previously. Adapt your Facebook marketing strategy with more video content and you will start to notice results.
Use your profile
Now, this may seem unusual, however using your personal profile will be more beneficial than using your business page. Facebook prioritises posts from your friends and also makes it a lot easier to direct-message each other. Although you should still have your business profile on Facebook, as it’s where your reviews come in, where your ads run and it’s just overall social proof. You should use your profile to network and post in groups (if you’re comfortable with it) to be seen more by others.
What not to do
Do not act like a bot and spam other people’s posts with likes. Facebook will recognise this and have your account down as a bot account. Instead, read the post and add a comment, that shows you have read and understood their points.
Supposing you want to post a quote or something similar that you find on google, take the time to either rewrite it or change it to your branding to fit the theme of your company. Simply taking it and re-posting it can come across as spam to Facebook.
Avoid fishing for engagement and using terms such as “Tag a friend”, “Follow for more” or “comment below”. Facebook will limit the number of people that see your posts. Instead, use variations of the same language such as “share the love”. The new algorithm is trying to promote genuine conversation, which is important to understand.
Conclusion
To sum up, ensure users are staying on Facebook as that’s how the algorithm will work in your favour. Connect with users in a group setting, share videos more and utilise your profile! If you have any questions on how you can boost your Facebook marketing strategy you can contact the team here. We’ll more than happy to answer any questions that you have.
