That Facebook, eh? They’re always keeping us marketers on our toes by tinkering around with their algorithms and causing us to switch up our approach to get the results we want. And they’ve only gone and done it again in a move to give posts by users’ friends and family a higher priority in the news feed.
The world’s leading social network made the adjustment due to concerns expressed by its users that they were missing out on ‘important updates’ from people they care about as content from brands and the media took precedence in their feeds – possibly due to the steady rise in professionals publishing to the network as well as the increasing frequency of posts.
However, the platform was quick to comment that they would not be distinguishing the type of content that could be shared or posted by friends and family. So, for example, whether a friend posts a picture of their new baby or shares an interesting piece of content from one of their favourite brands, both will be recognised as ‘friend content’.
In fact, the company’s vice president of product management Adam Mosseri told the BBC: “it is possible that some publishers may see a small but noticeable drop in reach but I don’t think this will be a very big change.”
Although Facebook’s chopping and changing may be exasperating to some brands, we prefer to think of it as a challenge. After all, it’s always worth bearing in mind that as a publisher, your incentives and motivations are not necessarily always going to line up with that of the social network. The content marketers who prove the most successful are always going to be those that have the ability to roll with the times and use their creativity to succeed in the ever-evolving world of social.
So, how can we, as content creators, navigate this new landscape? It all comes down to what a good content marketer should prioritise anyway – careful consideration about just what it is that will truly engage and build a relationship with their audience as opposed to simply getting a click or a view on a post.
In order to get your content prioritised in the news feed, you want to develop posts offering enough value to your audience that they feel compelled to share. Ultimately, you want your content to be of tip-top quality and on the sort of topics that get people talking and having meaningful conversations.
Quality over quantity has always been the name of our game at M2 Bespoke – it’s the only way to ensure your goals line up with those of the social networks. Facebook might prioritise offering the most valuable experience to their users, and your content will be more likely to see the light of day if you put that same ethos at the centre of what you produce.
But of course, words are wind and to put these ideas into action takes time – something the average SME can be very short of. Sometimes it’s easier to leave the content creation and social planning to the experts, so that you can focus on running your business.
If you need assistance with your content – contact us today.