A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Facebook started shaking things up. Maybe you’ve already heard rumblings of Facebook’s latest newsfeed revisions and we’re sensing that it’s becoming harder for everyone to keep up with the many changes that all these review sites keep throwing our way. WebPunch is here to help you nagivate these disturbances in the force.
“You can’t stop change any more than you can stop the suns from setting.” — Shmi Skywalker
On January 11, 2018, Mark Zuckerberg released a statement that said in part:
“But recently we’ve gotten feedback from our community that public content — posts from businesses, brands and media — is crowding out the personal moments that lead us to connect more with each other. As we roll this out, you’ll see less public content like posts from businesses, brands, and media.”
Now, if you use Facebook in your personal life, these changes are probably a welcome sight. You want to see how many trophies your cousin’s son has racked up, what your neighbor ate for dinner, and that funny cat video, not an ad for a business.
But Facebook’s statement may strike fear in the hearts of business owners everywhere.
“Fear is the path to the dark side.” — Yoda
Here’s what Adam Mosseri, Head of Facebook’s News Feed, had to say:
“As we make these updates, Pages may see their reach, video watch time and referral traffic decrease. The impact will vary from Page to Page, driven by factors including the type of content they produce and how people interact with it. Pages making posts that people generally don’t react to or comment on could see the biggest decreases in distribution. Pages whose posts prompt conversations between friends will see less of an effect.
Page posts that generate conversation between people will show higher in News Feed. For example, live videos often lead to discussion among viewers on Facebook – in fact, live videos on average get six times as many interactions as regular videos.”
How will you get your name out there? How will potential customers find you? What did you ever do to Mark Zuckerberg anyway?? Instead of following that path that leads to fear, let’s get proactive and come up with a plan.
- Create Posts that Create Conversation
Do a little research around what posts on your Facebook page have garnered the most attention and post more like them. Remember that the new algorithm rewards quality over quantity so take your time and make it shine.
We think that one of the most important things to remember when posting to Facebook is to keep it brief! People need to be able to get your message within the first couple of sentences and even that may be too long. Short and sweet is the rule of thumb here.
- Add Facebook Live Videos
If “live videos often lead to discussion among viewers on Facebook” why wouldn’t you create some awesome videos? For some great stats about video marketing and some easy ways to incorporate Facebook Live videos into your current marketing strategy, click here. Give your customers a behind-the-scenes look at your business and how you operate. Show them who you are, in real time!
“Remember: Your focus determines your reality.” — Qui-Gon Jinn
- Embrace Your Company’s Quirks
What are the things that make your company stand out? What is your brand’s “voice”? Open up the dialogue and really talk to your customer base. Authenticity is key. If one of Facebook’s goals is to “encourage meaningful interactions between people,” let’s have some meaningful interaction! Engage with your clients and give them a glimpse into who you are as a brand.
“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” — Yoda
- Diversify
Only a Sith Lord deals in absolutes.— Obi-Wan Kenobi
Keep Facebook for sure but keep your options open.
How about a Twitter page where you can cultivate a following? You have 280 characters to post the latest and greatest about your brand and what you have to offer.
From Twitter:
Twitter is where people come to discover what’s happening.
With over 500 million Tweets being sent each day, hundreds of millions of people are exploring links, articles, Retweets, Trends, and Moments to find out more about what’s new.
Whether you’re a CEO strengthening their personal brand, a retailer promoting new products, a mobile app company hoping to get downloads, or just a hustler who wants more followers and likes — Twitter’s unique discovery mindset allows businesses and brands to connect with a relevant, engaged audience.
Also consider Instagram where you can post photos – they’re worth a thousand words, after all, and our brains process images 60,000 times faster than text.
From Instagram:
Instagram is a place where visual expression from business inspires visible action from people around the world. People come to Instagram to be inspired and discover things they care about, and that includes content from brands and businesses.
- 25 Million+ business profiles worldwide.
- 2 Million+ advertisers worldwide use Instagram to share their stories and drive business results.
- 60% of people say they discover new products on Instagram.
- 200 Million+ Instagrammers visit at least one Business Profile daily.
- 80% Increase in time spent watching video on Instagram.
- ⅓ of the most viewed stories are from businesses.
- Consider Facebook Ads
If there are more than 2 billion monthly active users on Facebook, it stands to reason that some of your potential customers are on this platform. The question becomes, how do you ensure that they find your business?
Enter Facebook Ads: “Facebook ads are paid messages from businesses that are written in their voice and help reach the people who matter most to them.”
Looks like we need to get ourselves set up with an Instagram account and also get some Facebook Live videos filmed—stay tuned for that! We’ll get Matt into a Chewbacca costume or something, but shhh, don’t tell him. Oh! And we’ll have his little guy Mac dress up as Yoda!
We’re fun like that and also full of fabulous tips to make sure your company is fulfilling its destiny. May the Force be with you…
