How to Step up Your Content and Beat the Facebook Algorithm
Picture this: you upload a post on Facebook and you hit the refresh button about 20 times within the first 10 minutes of it being uploaded, just waiting for the “likes” to roll in…and nothing!
You might ask yourself:
- Why is my content not getting any likes, comments or shares?
- Am I posting the wrong content?
- Is it the wrong time to be posting?
As of late 2019, average reach for Facebook posts was down by 2.2%, meaning that brands could reasonably expect their posts to be seen by about 5.5% of their Page’s followers. Big brands with massive follower counts can expect even lower averages. (Source: Hootsuite) Of course, now that we are in a new decade, there comes new algorithm rules.
It’s no surprise that Facebook is continually collecting data points (ranking signals) about user’s behaviour, what type of content they like and share, how often they like posts from specific people and more.
There are three important ranking signals to be aware of:
- Who a user typically interacts with
- The type of media in the post
- The popularity of the post
So, how can we crush the algorithm and give our content the exposure it deserves?
1. Create opportunity for meaningful conversation and discussion
This requires you to create content that is genuine, interesting or even funny.
Here is a short list of some content ideas to get you started:
- Faq’s and tips
- Behind the scenes
- Meet the team
- Seasonal content
- Sneak peaks
- Quotes
- YOU – storytelling
2. Post when your target audience is online
The great thing about Facebook for business, is the free Facebook Page Insights tool where you can see when your audience is online, what type of content does well and much more. Once you have a good understanding of when your audience is online, you can schedule your content around that time frame.
3. Make video content a priority in your strategy
Now more than ever, Facebook algorithm prioritizes Facebook videos whether it’s a live video or a video uploaded directly into Facebook. Videos that receive a high ranking are those that users find genuinely interesting and that receive the most likes, comments and shares. Your audience should come to know you, your brand, your team, etc. You might even consider live streaming company events, behind the scenes of client spotlights.
Tip: Facebook live videos average 6 times more engagement than other video content.
4. Consistency is key
Posting frequency is a ranking signal for the Facebook algorithm and that is why it’s important to have consistent (and valuable) content. A social media strategy and calendar is highly encouraged for business owners, in fact, you can you Facebook’s scheduling tools to pre-schedule your content for months in advance. AMAZING
5. Leverage Facebook Groups
If you do not have a Facebook Group for your business, it might be time to consider creating one. If you would like to read more about them, head over to our blog “Facebook groups vs. business pages – which one is right for you?” . Moreover, the benefits of a Facebook group include higher engagement, direct communication, heightened brand awareness, and increased dialogue. In addition, users in the group get notified where there is a post, whereas an organic post might never show up in their newsfeed.
Facebook will continue to update their algorithm and ranking factors to improve the experience they offer users. Focus on being creative and continue to review your Facebook insights. Learn what your audience likes, what their interests are and use this information to be unique and engaging. Start a conversation, always reply to any comments and talk to your audience. If you would like help creating an optimal Facebook strategy contact us to book a one on one meeting!