On January 11, Facebook announced that the news feed we all enjoy would change to prioritize content from friends, family and groups.
Your Facebook business page content just got less organic reach—again.
What’s Facebook Looking For? More Meaningful Conversation.
According to Mark Zuckerberg, “You’ll see less public content like posts from businesses, brands, and media. The public content you see more will be held to the same standard—it should encourage meaningful interactions between people.”
In essence, Facebook is returning to its Social Network roots.
We’ll see less link-bait, political-driven, news media content. Instead, expect to see more personal content—new babies, puppies, graduations and other topics that generate engagement.
What does this Mean for Your Facebook Business Page?
As mentioned above, your already low organic reach will decrease further. Many businesses report only a 2% organic reach already. Going lower than that could be catastrophic for most small businesses—well, it’s already pretty bad.
Well, Should Businesses Just Abandon Facebook?
Not at all. A business Facebook page is still free and, in this day and age, it’s expected from consumers just as much as a website. Plus, Facebook will be continuing to strengthen its local business presence, review encouragement and online shopping platform.
Facebook isn’t abandoning businesses. You shouldn’t either. After all, your customers will still be there.
Okay, What Should Businesses Do on Facebook?
While the exact impact on business page content will not be known for a month or so, businesses should plan on updating their social media strategy to align with Facebook’s new direction.
Create Engaging, Quality Content
Actually, this should have always been a business strategy. Your content should focus on creating a conversation amongst friends and family.
- Write posts that are timely and relevant
- Ask questions
We believe local businesses will have an easier time than larger brands in generating organic engagement. Local businesses can piggyback on local events and interests.
Engage Local Clients
Now’s the time to generate local client testimonials and case studies. Encourage favorite customers to take photos or selfies in your store. If you’re a service company, give your satisfied customers an opportunity to share their story with your business on Facebook.
Go Live
Facebook favors live videos. Especially since live videos get six times more interactions than regular videos. Use that to your advantage.
For ideas on creative live Facebook videos, review our article: Ways to Use Facebook Live Videos for Your Business
Get With a Group
Facebook Groups are all about engagement and a perfect fit for businesses with expertise in group topics.
For ideas on using Facebook Groups for your business, review our article: Use Facebook Groups to Promote Your Expertise
Increase Your Ad Budget
Since organic reach will decrease, it’s assumed Facebook ad costs will increase. That means your business will need to spend more money if you desire to continue generating leads and customers from Facebook.
However, this would be an excellent opportunity to hone your audience targeting skills. Facebook offers a wealth of data to help businesses locate their target audience. For more information on using Facebook marketing resources, read our article: Why Many Small Businesses Should Market On Facebook
Reach Out For Assistance
Social media will remain an important part of your business marketing efforts. A marketing virtual assistant can help you develop content and target the right audience. Give us a call at (904) 429-4588 to learn more about how we can help you market your business.