Last month Mark Zuckerberg announced updates to the Facebook News Feed algorithm that will affect public content – posts by brand, business and media pages. The new algorithm gives priority to content from personal Facebook pages over content published by public Facebook pages.
Why is the Facebook News Feed Algorithm Changing?
Facebook has come under fire in the past for promoting too much public content and monetizing its News Feed. After the Fake News debacle of 2016, the social media site attempted to start better controlling posts. Throughout 2017 Facebook made several changes to it’s News Feed to reduce click bait and bait and switch posting.
This latest update comes as no surprise to industry analysts. It is the next logical step to systematically deliver content that Facebook users want to interact with. And at the end of the day, that’s Facebook’s bread and butter. If users begin to drift away to other social media platforms, Facebook’s advertising will take a hit. This preservation of News Feed content is aimed at keeping users happy, and using the Facebook network.
What Do These Facebook News Feed Updates Mean for My Page?
These algorithm updates are Facebook’s way of trying to keep content marketers honest. Facebook users want to engage with interesting, informative, and entertaining posts. In the words of Facebook, the new algorithm will prioritize “meaningful social interactions” over “relevant content.” So the posts that get the most likes, shares and comments are going to get priority in the Facebook News Feed.
Now that Facebook is giving posts priority based on engagement, it makes more sense than ever to boost your content to target likes, comments and shares. For brands with an established Facebook presence, it’s not a bad idea to continue boosting posts to ensure they reach your fan base and target audience. For new, less established brands, the time couldn’t be better to get a Facebook advertising strategy in place.
How Can I Avoid Penalization?
Create great content! Content that your target audience wants to share organically without share bait messaging is the key to performing well under the new Facebook News Feed algorithm. Yes, it takes some skill and energy to curate and create meaningful content, but that’s where Top Shelf can help! Our team helps brands tell their story in a way that builds relationships with their followers and target audience.
In Summary
- If your page uses “engagement bait” tactics including share or like requests, your reach may be penalized. This means that your posts may not show up in your fan base’s News Feed.
- Facebook is using this as a way to keep content marketing focused on providing value to viewers, by rewarding brands that publish great content with more visibility in the Facebook News Feed
- Brands that aren’t already implementing a Facebook advertising strategy should consider developing one to ensure their posts make it into their fan base’s News Feed
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