For businesses, it’s easy to post to Facebook. What’s not easy is getting those posts to show up on followers’ newsfeeds so they actually see them. We’re all familiar with Facebook, and most of us use it on a daily basis, but many people don’t fully understand the way in which we see and consume Facebook content. Everything is based on “reach,” which is the number of times content appears on individual News Feeds and is seen by an end user. You might assume that once you post something to Facebook, it automatically appears on the News Feeds of all your friends (or followers, if you’re a business), but that’s far from how it actually works. Simply put, there’s way too much content being posted at any point in the day for all of it to be made available via News Feed to all friends/subscribers. Reach is something that is earned, and the more reach, the more visible and effective your message becomes.
Alright, so now we know what reach is, but how do we get more of it? You can pay to get more reach by sponsoring a post, but of course, that costs money (this is known as paid reach). Organic reach (which is the amount of reach content receives without being paid for) is determined by a certain algorithm implemented by Facebook. Before we get too science-y, let’s just say there are certain things Facebook likes and dislikes that will determine how much reach your posts get. No one outside of Facebook knows the exact ins and outs of the Facebook algorithm, but there are ‘rules’ that are known among the social media-savvy. We’ll leave the in-depth analysis to our social team, but here are a few easy ways to improve the amount of reach your Facebook posts are receiving:
- Post engaging content. This one is simple and applies all across the board. Put thought into your content and post things that your followers will enjoy seeing. The more likes, comments, and shares (known as engagement) a post gets, the more reach it is given. Facebook also tracks what kind of posts individual users engage with, and then fills their News Feed with similar content. If you find yourself posting “just to post,” you’re hurting yourself in the long run. If you don’t have enough engaging material to share, remember that sometimes, less is more.
- Upload original content directly to Facebook. This is something to keep in mind if your business has multiple social media accounts. It’s easy to upload a video to Youtube and then share the link to Facebook, but this second-hand sharing is actually hurting your reach. If possible, upload media directly to facebook, not by sharing links.
- Include pictures. Facebook posts that include an image get an average of 2 to 3 times more reach. Note that any images included in a post should be relevant to the written content (duh) and of good quality. Also, avoid posting photos with tons of text on the image itself.
- Post at strategic times. Many sources will tell you that the 3 to 4 o’clock hour during the afternoon is the best time to post, but really it depends on your audience. Some experts recommend posting during times when more people are online, and others recommend posting when your competitors aren’t. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy here. Experiment with posting times, figure out at what times you’re getting the most engagement, and tweak your posting schedule accordingly to gain more reach.
- Post consistently. Do you ever visit a brand’s Facebook and notice they haven’t posted anything in six months? What kind of impression does that give you about the brand? Facebook encourages consistent posting and consistent messaging to familiarize your business with consumers. The more consistent you are, the more reach your posts will get.
- Avoid promotional phrases. Using phrases that directly ask for engagement or purchasing will kill your reach. Avoid telling followers to “share,” “like,” “comment below,” “buy now,” etc.
- Use Facebook Insights. There is a tool available for Facebook business pages called “Page Insights” that provides all kinds of relevant data about your posts. Use it to learn about your audience and how they are engaging with your page. (It’s free, so take advantage of it).
There are several additional ways to increase Facebook reach, but these are just some of the basic recommendations that anyone can implement. The complexities of social media are easily overlooked because we all man our own personal accounts, but business accounts must be managed differently in order to be successful. If you’re not familiar with social media marketing, don’t try to run your business’s Facebook page on your own. For effective social media strategy and campaigning, contact your marketing superheroes at Transformation!