Facebook is going back to its roots! Well, sort of.
Just last week, Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, announced some major changes that this social media behemoth will be rolling out this year. See his official statement here.
As we hinted above, Facebook is returning to its metaphorical “roots,” i.e. connecting people to “faces” as opposed to “places.” This means that new algorithm changes will prioritize posts from families and friends, while essentially “burying” posts from companies and brands.
And all of the business world’s people said, “Ouch.”
But, guess what? These changes don’t have to mean doom and gloom for your business! Today, we’re letting you in on everything you need to know about these algorithm changes and how your business can still leverage Facebook as a powerful marketing platform.
DO: Know Your Target Persona.
Ultimately, Facebook’s goal in all of this is to bring authentic connection to its users’ newsfeeds. This new algorithm will determine which posts will bring this type of connection based on users’ interests and previous interactions.
Clearly, this is good news for families and close friends who are hoping that their favorite people will see their posts; but, how can your business know what types of posts will show up in your followers’ newsfeeds because of their potential to produce some sort of connection? The answer is simple: by knowing your target persona!
A business’ target persona represents the typical type of person who has proven to take an interest in their products and services. All of your business’ posts should be created with this persona in mind. Ask yourself questions like, “Would our average customer genuinely enjoy seeing this in their newsfeed,” “Would this post connect with our target persona and cause them to react in some way,” and “Would this post produce meaningful conversation?” Posts that spark discussions will rank higher and will appear in more newsfeeds.
Remember: social media is not the place to post with a “Sell, sell, sell!” mindset. Rather, we would challenge you to think in terms of, “Connect, connect, connect!”
DON’T: Bait Your Followers.
Facebook’s new algorithm is cracking down like never before on posts that bait users into taking an action for a business’ purposes. Phrases like, “Comment to win” and “Share this post to enter” will be flagged as “engagement bait,” penalized by being ranked extremely low, and in turn, these posts will not appear in most newsfeeds. Social contests are still possible, but be careful to avoid obvious clickbait phrases such as these.
DO: Go live.
It’s no secret that Facebook’s current algorithm already prioritizes videos, but did you know that live videos receive six times the engagement of non-live videos? If your business does not already use this feature, then it is time to start! Keep in mind that Facebook live videos should be at least five to 15 minutes long to obtain maximum engagement.
DON’T: Get caught up in meaningless metrics.
Don’t waste time analyzing and dissecting useless social metrics. Likes are too passive of a metric to put much weight in their meaning. Even shares are becoming less meaningful in light of Facebook’s newest algorithm. Since the new “name of the game” is all about genuine connections, comments are the most telling metric to pay attention to. Comments are personal and show that your post generated meaningful conversation, which should be the ultimate goal of all of your business’ social posts.
DO: Spend “Zuck Bucks.”
“Zuck bucks” are the currency of Facebook (basically any dime that your business puts behind its social posts). Because of this new algorithm, boosting your posts will bring your business more benefits than ever before! While organic reach on Facebook is great, it is becoming increasingly challenging to obtain. If your business has never tried sponsoring its posts, then now is certainly the time to try it out.
Take into consideration that boosted posts are capable of being highly targeted. Your business can tailor the settings of each sponsored post to reach certain demographic groups, zip codes, and even users with specific interests. This type of targeting is sure to get your business’ posts noticed by the right social media users.
DON’T: Expect instant results.
Keep in mind that this process will most likely take some experimenting. Be patient if certain posts tank and do not perform the way that you thought they would. Learn from those instances and be willing to try new things!
While Facebook’s newest changes may cause initial discomfort, it is important to adjust accordingly and proceed without being overly phased by it all. Change is simply the way of the digital world! If your business is concerned by Facebook’s newest algorithm, feel free to contact us. At Zimmer, we are proud to provide quality social media services that include identifying your business’ target persona and crafting the posts that are sure to get you noticed.
Image credit: thepitcher.org