In late 2013 and early 2014, Facebook presented great challenges to its business users. They’ve been well documented on the marketing blog circuit, and even Facebook themselves have weighed in on the issue. All chatter aside, the reality is that organic reach of Facebook business page posts has almost entirely disappeared. Unpaid posts enjoyed exposure until late fall 2013, but now they reach 2% of followers, maybe 5% on a lucky day. All predictions confirm that organic reach will be at 0% by the end of the year.
In the face of these rapid changes on a platform nearly everyone uses, marketers and business owners are forced to adapt. Understandably, they struggle with their options. Should they simply pay-for-play, back off on content production or possibly stop using the channel all together? Many have tried a combination of solutions, but in our experience, it’s possible to stay relevant on Facebook. All it takes is a bit of strategic thinking, and a willingness for marketers to stay quick on their feet–but what else is new?
Fans of your company are still very likely to seek out your Facebook page, so it’s important to keep regular content going rather than letting it die. But because you risk many posts never being seen, it’s wise to limit the time your content team puts into crafting Facebook posts. Consider quickly adapting content from other channels, shortening text or recycling old posts–all time-savers that will keep your work efficient and effective.
One of the best ways to battle the drop in organic reach is to focus on trending content. Logging in and sharing a trending post (especially if it’s visual) is one of the best ways to hop on the train of organic, and hopefully, viral, reach other accounts are achieving with what’s happening in news or culture.
You’ve heard it before and we’ll say it again: people love visuals. Facebook is no different. Photos and graphics elicit many more clicks, likes and engagements than simple text or links. Videos do well, too. In our experience, pairing visuals with trending themes is the way to go.
Even if you’re against paid promotion of social media posts, it’s something you should consider for Facebook. The audience is massive, and the platform’s targeting abilities are highly advanced and nuanced. You can reach very specific groups with your messaging, and Facebook even helps you choose which ones will be most responsive. The great thing is, it doesn’t cost much to get exposure. Even if you’re a small company, start with a minimal budget and watch how much engagement increases. From there, decide what works best for you, set a budget, and promote important and original content. After all, your company’s best work deserves to be seen.
(Click here to expand)
