Marketing on Facebook has been, until recently, pretty straightforward… select your objective, create a campaign, load the creative elements, set your budget, dates and target audience, and push ‘go’.
Facebook did all the rest. But now they’ve changed things…
What is the latest algorithm update?
Simply put, Facebook has reduced and limited the number of ‘marketing’ or ‘commercial’ posts appearing in user’s newsfeeds, in favour of prioritising more engaging content from users’ connections.
And why the change?
Facebook recognised that user happiness was being negatively affected by the increasing bombardment of non-engaging content – but let’s face it, if your content is getting no engagement anyway, then your strategy really needs a shake-up!
The change mirrors similar efforts by Google, who rewired their algorithms to recognise quality content more easily, and organically push this sort of result to the top of a Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
So what does this mean?
Effectively, it means that – like Google – Facebook is forcing businesses to create more valuable, applicable and user-friendly content that not only catches a targeted user’s eye, but more often than not helps them in some way…
Specifically, your marketing content will now need to be:
- In-tune with what people are finding engaging – video is top of the pile for now, and Facebook Live is the most engaging medium.
- Intuitive to your audience’s needs – sounds simple, but you really need to research exactly what it is your target audience needs help with, and fill that gap.
- Responsive – if your target audience has needs, create content that specifically deals with those, and give something away for nothing. Users are far more likely to engage further with your product or service if they feel it serves every aspect of their needs.
Make organic reach count
In the previous model, adding budget to pretty much any post increased reach, although not necessarily engagement.
In the current model, to get good reach means having great content first. And once you see organic reach growth, then you’re able to put money behind these campaigns to much more effect.
Ultimately, although the algorithmic changes will put marketers under pressure to buck up their game, the net result for those who do so, and for the audience who will be exposed to the results, will be a positive one.
For advice on all your digital marketing needs, contact Realnet today on +44 1223 55 08 00.