That’s right! The social media platform is the talk of the town because of recent changes intended to combat the negative backlash it’s received from users. On Jan. 11, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook is going back to its roots to focus more on friends and family.
Sorry brands (and marketers)!
The CEO clarified his position in a statement saying Facebook’s mission is to bring people closer together, but “posts from businesses, brands and media is crowding out the personal moments.” Our industry has called the update Facebook Zero (or the “Apocalypse”). Facebook realized the platform was becoming cluttered with public content that people really didn’t care about and even “fake news” was being shared in large quantities.
Facebook’s goal: Adam Mosseri (the company’s head of news feed) outlined the coming changes that “prioritize posts that spark conversations and meaningful interactions between people.” These updates will undoubtedly impact organic reach and cause a shift in strategies to account for these scientific-based algorithms; however, the core competencies of any good social strategy remain unchanged. Comments are more valuable than likes. Longer comments are valued more than shorter ones. Here are a few simple things you can do now to improve your chances with the updates:
1. Invest time in more Facebook groups.
2. Create live videos that inspire conversation.
3. Avoid “engagement-bait” such as asking people to “comment,” which is frowned upon by the new algorithm; however, encouraging people to select “See First” for your page in news feed preferences is OK.
4. Increase your ad spend.
Nothing about social media is an exact science, but it’s also not rocket science. A successful strategy is about building relationships just as with any sort of networking or marketing initiative.
Seek to create content that’s purposeful for your followers. Talk to them. Get to know them. And lastly, make sure your efforts are genuine and authentic.
Chris Herting is a digital and social media specialist at Gallinghouse Marketing + Creative. He has experience delivering innovative digital solutions for hundreds of brands, including the NFL’s Washington Redskins. Gallinghouse is located at 409 W. 21st Ave., Covington. For more information, call 985-893-7631 or visit gallinghouse.com.
