Will the New Facebook Algorithm Change Everything for Branded Content?

Did you catch wind of “Mobilegeddon,” Google’s major algorithm update that shook the marketing world? Believe it or not, the search engine giant’s big update might not be the algorithm update your business should worry about.

Around the same time, Facebook made a few major algorithm changes. These updates have the potential to change the publishing landscape for brands.

If you use Facebook to promote your business (which you should be!), you’ll want to listen up!

The Algorithm Updates

Facebook’s algorithm seems to put the social network back closer towards its roots. The changes center on a person’s friends, pushing branded content lower in the News Feed (if it’s shown at all).

Here are the three core updates:

1.Facebook will show multiple posts in a row from the same person/source.

2.Content posted by friends gets priority.

3.More content posted directly from friends will be shown, and there will be less posts about what other content your friends have liked or commented on.

What This Means For You

As a business, this could spell trouble. Many Facebook pages are already reporting significantly lower organic reach in the Facebook News Feed. The new update implies an increased decline in reach.

It’s not all doom and gloom in Facebook marketing. There are a few things you can do to keep your page appearing in front of your target audience.

Keep your loyal fans engaged

Engagement has never been more important than it is now. Although the friends of your followers won’t see “Joe liked this page” or “Michelle commented on this post,” your posts will still appear in the News Feed to people engaged with your brand.

Focus on the type of content you’re providing. Does it solicit a response without overtly asking for one? Get your fans talking so that your messages continue to get seen and read.

Get your fans to share more

This is a tough one. Facebook shuns pages that ask for a share outright. Still, the more your followers share your posts, the more their friends will see it, getting your page more exposure. Post content that encourages sharing – content that is valuable and also worth sharing to others – like this one:

To encourage sharing, focus on your visual content. Humorous posts, quotables, and other forms of branded content created with an intent to get shared is key.

Pay your way into the News Feed

For years, brands have known that Facebook was going to harness their advertising platform by requiring brands to pay their way in front of a crowd. Although they haven’t gone full swing in this direction, the new algorithm certainly encourages advertisers to pay to get in front of an audience. But, rather than using the “Boost Post” button for an easy set of untargeted likes, get creative. Use things such as Facebook Unpublished Posts to market your material.

Source:http://www.business2community.com/facebook/will-new-facebook-algorithm-change-everything-branded-content-01253928