Facebook Helps Users Know What To Expect From Your Page

Facebook has been trialing a new feature with a portion of users, sharing how many posts a day each Page publishes within search results.

Source: Greg Baroth & Matt Navarra

It’s likely the new feature has been designed to help users know what to expect from a Page before liking it, reducing the chances that someone will like a Page and frequently scroll past or ignore content, therefore also making it easier for a Page to appear higher in the news feed by getting a better organic engagement.

A lot has changed since Facebook started experimenting with the algorithm in 2007, and most recently, their attempt to crack down on engagement baiting. But in particular, the algorithm has had an effect on what brands’ posting schedule needs to look like to see an optimum reach. Previously, posting at the right time was enough to get you at the top of the news feed. Whereas now, the placement of a post in the news feed is influenced by a long list of factors, including the relationship between the user and your Page, and how others have engaged with the content. With the change, Facebook has advised that Pages should now post more content, as you cannot guarantee that any of these posts will be seen, but there’s no need to worry about losing Likes from it, as the algorithm will prevent your content from appearing too much to any user.

Published as part of their Facebook for Journalists certificate program, Facebook stated that Pages should now: “Post frequently - Don't worry about over-posting. The goal of News Feed is to show each person the most relevant story, so not all of your posts are guaranteed to show in their Feeds.”

Facebook also mentioned in the course that some Pages post up to 80 times a day, and see good metrics from this. This of course will depend on the nature of your brand or business, but it goes to show that over-posting should no longer be a worry. With more and more stringent factors taking effect on the news feed, you’ll be lucky to have more than 5% of your audience see your posts. So in short: post, post, post.

Your own data from Facebook Insights will show you how well your posts are performing, and therefore how often you should be sharing content for your audience. With the new update, you can also monitor how often your competitors are posting, and use this as a factor to decide how often to post too.

Still struggling to know how much to post? Addled by the algorithm? Get in touch to book your Boffin Bulb, where we can help your business anywhere from social media training, to full social media management.

Facebook Cracks Down On 'Engagement Baiting'

Facebook have announced their latest algorithm tweak, targeting Pages that ‘bait for engagement’, so Pages that ask for likes, comments, tags and shares on posts in order to boost their reach - that’s right LADbible, we’re talking about you.

Facebook explained in a blog post:

“People have told us that they dislike spammy posts on Facebook that goad them into interacting with likes, shares, comments, and other actions. For example, “LIKE this if you’re an Aries!” This tactic, known as “engagement bait,” seeks to take advantage of our News Feed algorithm by boosting engagement in order to get greater reach. So, starting this week, we will begin demoting individual posts from people and Pages that use engagement bait.”

The update will take effect on pages that use captions like ‘share for your chance to win’, tag a friend that does this’, and ‘like if you agree’. Pages that use phrases similar to this will see a reduced reach over the coming weeks.

Facebook bought in a similar update in 2014, stating that the newsfeed will show fewer posts that explicitly ask for likes, comments, and shares. However, since then, many Pages have implemented the tactic further into their social media strategy as a way to increase reach and engagement - and Facebook does not like cheaters.

However, not all posts that ask for interaction are viewed as engagement bait: for example, posts that show a missing child report or ask for donations to a cause won't be subjected to the latest update. Facebook considers those interactions as "authentic engagement", and they will not see a lower reach.

So with the list of what-not-to-post-on-Facebook getting longer, what can you do to ensure you’re not penalised by the algorithm? Well firstly, try to avoid asking or trying to force artificial engagement, focus instead on promoting meaningful conversations that your followers will want to engage with, without being asked. Focus on your audience and who you want to reach, Facebook will look at signals such as how close a person is to the Page posting, stories they’d want to share to their friends, and videos they’d spend time watching, to decide how high up a post comes in their newsfeed.

You can have a deeper look into your audience and their demographics on the Insights tool. And lastly, create content your audience will find interesting and meaningful. For example, instead of reposting an article, why not write it up on your blog? Or even try posting one of your own infographics instead of a huge chunk of text.

Or you know, give us a call.

New Poll Presentation Options Come To Facebook

Interactive polls have proven popular on Facebook by brands and social media marketers after the rise of Facebook Live.

And with the higher reach through Facebook Live, and a higher engagement by encouraging people to use Reactions in order to vote, it was a win-win all round. Until Facebook released a new set of rules, banning static, animated, or looping images, and live-stream polls.

So to replace this, Facebook have upgraded their poll feature. Users can now add photos and gifs to poll options! This comes just a month after the success of the launch of Instagram polls.

With brands and Pages finding it harder to see a high organic reach, it’s important to always make the most of relevant Facebook updates to standout within the Newsfeed. Polls are a great way to create a discussion, encourage engagement from fans, and even to do a bit of market research!

Do polls already form a place in your social media marketing strategy? Or will you be trialling the new feature? Join the discussion on Twitter @digitalboffins.