What to Do about Facebook’s Changing News Feed Algorithm

If you’re active in the world of digital marketing, chances are you’ve heard about the latest changes Facebook is implementing in its News Feed algorithm. These major adjustments will affect any business or organization that publishes public content to Facebook, making it more difficult for some content to reach your fans. So what should you do?

First announced on January 11th, Facebook representatives said it will take months to fully implement these updates. In the meantime, advertising agencies and businesses should revise their online advertising strategies, especially those that pertain to Facebook. Read our tips on how to adapt your approach to digital marketing.

1. Continue Spending Advertising Dollars on Facebook

Most businesses already need to spend money to get their content to reach users on Facebook. Regarding Facebook’s upcoming changes, Mark Zuckerberg said users can expect to “see less public content like posts from businesses, brands, and media.”

Organic reach has been on the decline for businesses, and it shows no signs of making a comeback. Keep boosting posts and making Facebook ads, but keep an eye on the results as Facebook continues to make adjustments.

2. Craft Highly Relevant, Engaging Posts

This is another strategy many businesses are already employing. Users care most about content they find relevant and engaging, so make posts your fans want to see, interact with, and share. When you pay to boost these posts, be sure to advertise them to highly targeted audiences as well.

Next, you need to know what’s changing. According to Adam Mosseri, head of News Feed, Facebook is moving to “prioritize posts that spark conversations and meaningful interactions between people.” Just getting Likes probably won’t be enough anymore. It’s also critical you avoid engagement baiting shortcuts that try to trick users into commenting, sharing, tagging, or reacting to posts for disingenuous reasons, such as to vote on the answer to a question or win a contest. Instead, really work to create meaningful posts for your audience.

3. Use More Video and Influencer Marketing

We’ve known for awhile that video and influencer marketing are both great options for improving your marketing in 2018. Users prefer videos from businesses over emails, blogs, and various other forms of content, and influencers have a proven track record of gaining consumers’ trust.

Facebook confirmed the viability of these strategies when it announced its upcoming News Feed changes. Mosseri wrote, “Many creators who post videos on Facebook prompt discussion among their followers, as do posts from celebrities.” If you still haven’t incorporated video or influencer marketing into your advertising strategy, now is the time.

4. Prompt Your Fans to Choose “See First”

Back in 2015, Facebook launched its “See First” feature. For those who missed it, this feature allows users to select up to 30 people and Pages whose posts they want to see at the top of their News Feeds. As it becomes more and more difficult for businesses’ content to reach fans, this feature could become invaluable to any Page whose followers are willing to use it.

5. Make Use of Groups and Events

Groups and events won’t be right for every business on Facebook. Unlike your company’s Facebook Page, a Facebook Group focuses more on community, discussion, and interaction, while Facebook Events are centered around specific events. As Facebook rewards user engagement more and more highly, having a group with a robust community or events with interested, engaged attendees can only help your business. Read more about how to take advantage of Facebook Groups and Events to get started.

6. Don’t Rely Too Heavily on Facebook

Finally, one of the biggest lessons to learn from these latest changes to Facebook is to make sure your company can survive without it. Steps you can take include:

• Staying up to date on other social media platforms, such as Instagram, Snapchat, or whatever else might gain traction.
• Diversifying your referral traffic by emailing newsletters, posting on other social media platforms, and making sure you rank highly on Google.
• Paying attention to other marketing strategies, such as pay-per-click (PPC) marketing.

Need help preparing for Facebook’s latest changes? Contact Online Optimism now to improve your marketing strategies.