By now you’ve probably heard that in early January Mark Zuckerberg announced that they will be making major changes to what content will take priority in your Facebook News Feed. You’ve also probably heard that this is the “Death of small business on Facebook,” but seriously people, must we be so dramatic? Whether we realize it or not, Facebook is constantly making changes and updates to their algorithms to bring you tailored posts in your News Feed. This particular update will now allow multiple posts from the same source to appear in a row, content from friends to appear higher in the News Feed, and Stories about friends liking/commenting on posts will appear lower in the News Feed.
Okay…so that doesn’t seem so bad, right? So why is everyone freaking out? Well, if we are seeing more from our friends (yay!) that means we are seeing less from businesses. BUT, I am just going on record to say, that does not mean this is the end of small business on social media! It is still a powerful tool for businesses to engage their customers and advertise their products and services. So take a deep breath, realize it’s all going to be okay and that Facebook is not personally victimizing you and your business. They are a business too! A business, that just like you, wants to keep their users happy. Here are some things you can try, to stay relevant and alive in those News Feeds!
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5. Focus on Quality Content that Fosters Engagement.
- Facebook is really focusing on engagement. You know what your followers respond best to, so that is what you should be posting. And remember to follow up on your posts. Engagement is a two-way street! Respond to your followers’ comments with real, human responses.
4. Try Live Video
- Facebook has seen a lot of success with their Live video feature, and they are giving priority to this over other video posts. Give it a try!
3. Keep the Conversation on Facebook.
- Try to interact with and engage your customers right on Facebook in your posts instead of taking them to your website or blog.
2. Try Using Facebook Groups.
- Pages work as the official profile for brands and businesses, but Groups are a place for people to share their common interests and express their opinions. Groups are often formed around a common cause, issue or activity. As a business you can create groups that are relevant to you and your followers or you can join other groups and be a resource for people there. Simply type your keyword in the search bar and click the groups tab. Then join a group and start asking and answering questions and engaging with that community.
1. Create a paid strategy.
- Pay-to-play! Paid advertising on Facebook is alive and well, and you can specifically target your likely customers, people who have visited your website, or even your existing Facebook followers. Plus, you don’t have to spend a lot to get started! If you need help or don’t know where to start I know some local, Facebook-advertising experts that can help you (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).
The big thing to keep in mind is that Facebook wants to create a better user experience by building relationships and emphasizing engagement. We can do that by sharing our stories, connecting with our customers, and being passionate about our products — after all, isn’t that what we as small business owners are great at? Sounds to me like we have the upper hand. Channel that passion into your content and engage with your followers, and at the very least Facebook won’t bring death to your small business.