Facebook is getting ready to make another news feed change … again!
The social networking site wants to make its content more relevant to users. So Facebook is changing the algorithm to make sure you see more posts from your family and friends.
Sounds great, right?
Yes, unless you’re a business owner with a Facebook page who a) doesn’t get a lot of engagement or b) doesn’t want to spend money on advertising.
If that’s the case, you’re in for a whole lot of hurt because your fans may see fewer updates from you unless you do something about it. That something could be to share your posts on your personal timeline or in a Facebook group, or shell out some cash for advertising.
The free ride is over folks. So get over it!
Business owners have been spoiled for years now. Yes, I’m talking about myself too! But remember folks, Facebook has the right to make money, just like any other business. And the way they can do that is to encourage users to spend money on advertising. You can’t begrudge them for that.
You just have to be more creative about dealing with this change. Here are a few suggestions on how to do that without breaking the bank!
Facebook Posting Strategies for Business Page Owners
1. Post engaging content on your business page. You have been doing that already, right? Now, keep doing it! Share interesting, funny, thought-provoking articles, photos and videos that encourage your fans to like, comment and share. The more engagement your posts get, the more visibility they will have in the news feed, and the cycle repeats.
Here’s an example of a post from one of my clients that got excellent engagement without boosting! š
2. Share your business page posts on your personal timeline. Chances are, you have more friends and/or followers than you do fans, so share content that will be relevant to them.
3. Participate in Facebook groups. I don’t mean to simply spam them with repeated sales messages. If you’re going to do that, spend money on advertising. I mean participate by commenting on other group member posts, sharing group members’ posts (where permitted) and posting your own useful content. Remember – this is a social networking site. Take the time to build relationships. The money will follow.
4. Post business-related content on your personal timeline. Not all the time, mind you, but you can aim for an 80/20 split. By that I mean, 80 percent of your posts can be strictly personal and 20 percent can be about your business. This advice works best for coaches, speakers, authors and some direct marketers. I’m thinking Mary Kay folks or people who sell health products. But even a dentist can share some dental advice on his personal profile from to time. Your friends should know what you do for a living, and those who may not will get an education.
What are you thoughts on this update? I’d love to know how it may affect the way you use Facebook. Please feel free to leave a comment below. Iām excited to continue the conversation with you.
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