Anyone notice how Facebook is making it more difficult for brands to reach their fans organically? Recently, brands began seeing a drastic change in the organic reach of their posts from a result of the latest change in Facebook’s algorithm. Facebook’s algorithm uses a large number of factors to generate which posts should be shown to which users. The algorithm now has over 900 factors contributing to the process but some of the important the factors still remain the same, such as the relationship or interaction between the person or page that created the Facebook post, image or video.
Other factors would include how many of the user’s friends interacted with the post and/or how popular the post became on Facebook overall. With the new algorithm change, posts are now reaching a much smaller audience, but the demographic these posts are reaching are more inclined to engaged.
Remember to continue creating interesting content your audience would engage in; content that entertains and captures the users attention. High engagement from your followers plays a large part in boosting visibility of each Facebook post.
The image above shows the difference in engagement from December 2013 until the end of January 2014. The number of engaged users in the month of January was significantly different from the previous month; dropping 38%.
Another way to boost visibility, attract more Facebook fans, and get higher engagement is from Facebook Advertising. It’s clear Facebook uses these algorithm updates to force admins and owners into using the advertising services and spend more money. In fact, it may not be long until this social media platform is no longer “free.”
Keep in mind when trying to build your fan base you should focus on building a core group of supporters. More fans does not mean more engagement. Instead, focus on engagement with your most active users. Engaging with your most loyal fans will not only help them to keep up with your brand, but their activity will also make your content more visible.
