Facebook’s Algorithm is changing … again.
Mark Zuckerberg has dropped another bombshell.
“You’ll see less 
public content like posts from businesses, brands and media. And the public content you see more will be held to the same standard – it should encourage meaningful interactions between people.” – the Founder and CEO of Facebook, January 11th2018.
So, you’ll probably see more posts about your Great Aunt’s trip to Tesco or status updates from that long-distance cousin you never see. But Zuckerberg sees this as a move in the right direction, making Facebook “good for people’s well-being.”
A quick reminder – Facebook’s news feed algorithm determines whether your followers see the content you post from your business page.
It was already near impossible to reach your target market organically, but over the next few months as Facebook’s changes come in to operation, businesses will likely see a big drop in their organic reach.
But don’t panic, Digital Marketers. Just up your game a notch ….
Your followers need a call-to-action
In a nutshell, you need to trigger a response from your posts. “Meaningful interactions” translates as likes, comments and shares.
Directly telling your audience to “LIKE AND COMMENT ON MY POST” isn’t a clever hack around Facebook’s Algorithm. It’s spam. And VERY annoying. Facebook is one step ahead of you anyway, “Using engagement-bait to goad people into commenting on posts is not a meaningful interaction, and we will continue to demote these posts in News Feed.”
You need to create engaging content that allows your followers to share their thoughts and opinions. Ask questions and post content that users will truly be interested in.
Get involved!
Jump in to conversations on your post when appropriate. Whenever you have a new comment, your post will be bumped up other’s news feeds. And the same applies to you. Comment back to your follows, show you appreciate their contributions and more and more people will see your post.
Be original
It won’t work in your favour if you share other’s content. If most of your posts are just shares, its likely when you post organically they won’t rank highly.
I think it’s a shame – I for one quiet like it when people share funny videos and content I wouldn’t otherwise see.
Show your brand’s human side
Let your personality shine through. Let your followers know the people behind your brand. Facebook, and its users, want to connect. Keep your follows entertained.
Use captivating headlines
Facebook classes ‘see more’ clicks as engagement too. So, if your post is lengthy enough to require ‘see more’ your opening few words need to be intriguing. Grasp your follower’s attention!
Use Facebook Live Videos
Zuckerberg, “live videos often lead to discussion among viewers on Facebook – in fact, live videos on average get six times as many interactions as regular videos”
All videos are still favoured in the new algorithm update, but live videos even more so. Remember, Zuckerberg wants ‘meaningful interactions’ and live videos tend to generate a lot of interest and involvement from followers.
Paid Advertisements
As I’ve already said, organic reach is declining, and it will probably decline even further as time passes. We recommend investing more money in to Facebook Paid Ads. I’ve previously discussed their benefits, you can read all about it in my Beginners Guide to Facebook Paid Ads.
Our Final Word…
It seems less is more in this case. Remember, Facebook will evaluate all your content as a whole so, those un-inspiring, un-engaging generic posts won’t be doing you any favours. They’ll impact your Quality Score negatively, so you should delete them ASAP. Just make sure your content is valuable and engaging, then the new algorithm is nothing to worry about.
About the author:
Marie Harwood is a Digital Marketing Assistant at Different Gravy Digital, Hale, Cheshire.
Different Gravy Digital are a full service Digital Marketing Agency operating in the Hospitality & Leisure, Financial Services, Legal & Property sectors. Products and services range from; 3D & 360° Tours, Website Design & Build, Social Media, Video Production, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Content Creation, Email Marketing, Online Feedback / Review Systems and Paid Advertising (Google, Bing and Social Media).
Contact Details:
marie@differentgravydigital.co.uk
0161 706 0004
120a Ashley Road, Hale, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 2UN