Photo via Pixabay under Creative Commons 0 license
If you use Facebook, you’ve most likely heard about the changes the social media giant has made to its News Feed algorithm, which has sent publishers and small businesses scrambling to navigate the new dangerous waters of engagement bait and decreasing business page visibility. Here are some guidelines to keep your Facebook marketing strategy relevant:
Keep Your Business Page
Although the new algorithm has made generating organic traffic for business pages practically obsolete, it is still important to post relevant content on a regular basis. These posts should always aim to garner attention from your target audience, making it more likely for users to follow your page, find your contact information, etc. But if pages are almost invisible in News Feeds, how can you reach your audience?
Encourage Comments and Conversation
It can be disheartening to see your page’s organic traffic drop, as many publishers are learning this past month, but there are still viable ways to reach customers and businesses without relying solely on paid advertising. In the new algorithm, content that fosters conversation and genuine user participation is rewarded with a higher visibility ranking than content that utilizes clickbait and engagement bait, or has no interaction at all.
- Videos—particularly live videos—have a markedly higher success rate of audience engagement than articles or photographs. Use them often!
- Facebook groups are also on the rise and give you a way to directly interact with potential customers. Use these communities to chat with your audience and link back to your page (in a genuine, relevant way).
- For small businesses and local events, utilize the Events feature. These events will pop up in local users’ News Feeds and, ideally, bring them to your page.
- Don’t forget to comment! If someone leaves a comment on one of your posts, or responds to you in a group, always comment back. Posts that display genuine conversations and community response will appear more often than any other content.
Refocus Your Ad Budget
Take your page budget and move it to boost your best posts. Folks who engage with your boosted posts can still reach your page through the post, so you’re still advertising your business. Even though the effect is less impactful than targeted campaigns of the past, you will still reach your audience and users can like your page through the boosted content.
No matter what strategies you choose for marketing your business, don’t be afraid to experiment! Social media platforms will continue to grow and change for the unforeseeable future, and no specific method will work for every business. Try out different social networks and use what works for you. As long as you are creating thoughtful, quality content on your website, blog, and social media outlets, your audience will continue to find your brand.