Facebook announced they’re changing their news feed, and now the sky is falling. Or is it?
Let’s start with the facts.
Facebook wants to prioritize person-to-person interaction. This new update will favor posts from people over those from brands and publishers.
Posts that spark human conversations will also be prioritized. This is interesting because Facebook used to favor posts that people hovered over even if they didn’t like or comment on them. Now – posts require comments and conversation to earn expanded reach.
Yes, the days of your audience seeing your every post organically are likely gone. But you probably already knew that. So, what’s a brand to do?
Quality is King
Remember that time when your marketing agency (maybe it was us) told you your brand needs to post five to seven times per week on Facebook to get noticed? This is no longer the case.
Posting content that gets two likes and zero comments five times a week will get you nowhere. In fact – it will get you punished. One or two great posts per week is better than five mediocre ones. And Facebook now thinks a great post is one that sparks a conversation – so make sure what you have to say is interesting and interactive.
A warning: Engagement bait posts like “comment for a chance to win blah blah blah” are all but gone. Facebook knows these posts game the system and filters them out.
Facebook Advertising is Alive and Well
Facebook did not mention that advertising will be affected by this change. If you’re running Facebook ads that work, keep running them. Though we do expect Facebook ad spend become more competitive and start to resemble Google.
In fact, advertising might be more important than ever. Since Facebook now prioritizes human-created content, brands may have to pay to be seen. This isn’t a huge shift from the status quo as Facebook has been moving this way for years.
Note: Be strategic with your ads just as you are with your posts. Promoting every post on Facebook probably isn’t necessary. But promoting your best posts is a great way to stay in front of your audience.
Leverage Influencers and User-Generated Content
Ok – if organic posts from pages are likely dead, how can brands disseminate their content on Facebook? People of course! Influencers have always enjoyed more organic reach than brands and the new update is no different. Partnering with bloggers and celebrities to share your content is a great way to earn thousands of impressions.
And don’t forget about user-generated content. It has the potential to be the most powerful Facebook content in the new news feed.
Facebook Groups?
You know – like the group you have with your high school friends except for your brand. Now – if your posts regularly receive little to no engagement, we don’t recommend creating a group. But if your brand has an engaged following, a group is perfect for you. They’re great for starting conversations and giving you insight into your audience.
Groups give your audience a free space to build a community around your brand’s values, content and products. As long as your business has a dedicated following and interesting things to say, groups can work for you.
Don’t Panic
Facebook makes changes all the time. Sure, their recent announcement means things will be different, but a well-thought-out strategy is all you need to come out on top—no matter what industry you’re in.
No, the sky isn’t falling. It’s changing, but change can be good. Want to learn more or need some help developing your Facebook strategy? The Karcher Group is here to help. Contact us today to get started.
