What to do about Facebook's News Feed Algorithm Changes

You may have heard that last year Facebook was testing a dual newsfeed, one that was speculated to entirely separate Business Page content from that of your friends and family. Now, a decision affecting all publishers has been announced but don’t panic; your content will not be eliminated from people’s News Feeds.

Facebook has stated that in the coming weeks it will be making changes to the algorithm that controls the quantity of business page content that reaches your customers. Its goal is to de-clutter the newsfeeds of Facebook customers and prioritise the posts of friends and family.

Why is Facebook making changes?

1. Facebook wants to keep its customers engaged with the content that creates ‘positive sentiment’

2. Facebook is appeasing the US Government by showing that it is acting on fake news, click bait and content that doesn’t uplift consumers

3. Smartphones offer a limited amount of space for content viewing and with more than 60% of users accessing the platform by smartphone, some content has to go

4. Facebook is gearing up to become a major digital TV destination so it can tap billions of dollars of TV ad revenue (and to gain more exclusive rights i.e. The Golden Globes Red Carpet Party)

What does this mean for your Page content?

Facebook says it will push content to the top that sparks conversations and ‘meaningful interactions’ between people - that means back-and-forth conversations.

So, if you and your team are not posting comments or engaging with your own Page content to help start the process of extending reach, you will likely begin to notice your reach will start to slip. Video content, the king of 2016/17, will not be exempt.

Can people still see your posts at the top of their News Feed?

Yes, but only if they select ‘See First’ in their News Feed preferences.

What content will receive priority in the News Feed?

Facebook remains more interested in video than other content but LIVE video that generates conversation will be given priority and appear towards the top of News Feeds. Local businesses that connect with community by posting relevant updates, creating events, or starting conversations about important issues will cut through.

‘Engagement Bait’ will be demoted

Don’t respond to these forthcoming changes by adopting a stance of ‘engagement bait’. This is publishing content that goads people into interacting with likes, shares, comments, and other actions. For example, “LIKE this if you’re an Aries!”

Posts using this tactic will be shown less in News Feed. Facebook says ‘we will roll out this Page-level demotion over the course of several weeks to give publishers time to adapt and avoid inadvertently using engagement bait in their posts.

People asking for help, advice, or recommendations, such as circulating a missing child report, raising money for a cause, or asking for travel tips, will not be adversely impacted by this update.

How will this impact Pages?

Publishers and other businesses that use engagement bait tactics in their posts should expect their reach on these posts to decrease. Meanwhile, Pages that repeatedly share engagement bait posts will see more significant drops in reach. Page Admins should continue to focus on posting relevant and meaningful stories that do not use engagement bait tactics.

What can businesses do maintain effectiveness?

1.    Encourage fans and followers to put your page on ‘See First’

2.    Use Facebook LIVE more often (6 times as many interactions)

3.    Use Groups and Events

4.    Ensure your content is highly relevant

5.    Integrate Messenger/bots

How did the stock market respond?