Here’s what you need to know about the latest changes to Facebook’s newsfeed algorithm.
Embracing change is not something people readily do, as we saw from the panic that Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement in January struck among news media establishments and businesses alike. However, once the dust settles, these changes may not be as dire to your practice’s social media presence as the alarmists would like you to think. As your aesthetic marketing specialists, we’re here to explain why.
What’s different.
There are a few reasons Facebook has decided to prioritize posts from your friends and family over news articles and advertisements:
- The spread of fake news during the recent U.S. election made it clear that Facebook is not just a passive medium through which people share content. This has most likely spurred Facebook to dial back on the volume of news content in its users feeds.
- Facebook’s ability to target specific demographics with unrivaled detail led to a boon in their advertising revenues in recent years. This has meant that sponsored ads have dominated the newsfeed, making it difficult for organic posts and content from people you are connected to, to compete.
- There has been a slight decrease in the amount of time people are spending on Facebook, and this has most likely fuelled Zuckerberg’s mission to revitalize Facebook as a social network, rather than a news resource.
What this means to your practice.
Quality over quantity.
A big part of adapting to this new landscape is to create quality content that tells your brand story and engages your audience. 2018 will be about quality over quantity.
At Victory Media, we often emphasize paying attention to engagement over vanity metrics such as the number of followers your account has. If those followers are not made up of your ideal patient, then your marketing efforts are essentially for naught.
Create custom content.
The data doesn’t lie. We know that audiences crave learning about you and your team. Custom content consistently outperform other posts. Creating a stockpile of custom photographs with the help of a professional photographer, or empowering your team to create boomerangs, videos and photographs of their day-to-day, is a recipe for pure social media success.
Allocate an advertising budget.
Your organic reach will be affected by Facebook’s new policy. Therefore, having an advertising budget is necessary. That said, you don’t have to break the bank. Facebook advertising is still affordable when compared with traditional advertising methods.
It’s important to be strategic and boost posts that you would like to see reach more people. Our team can also work with you to create an advertising campaign to promote special focuses or events you have planned in your marketing calendar.
Take away.
The nature of social media is that it is ever-changing; those who adapt to these changes will reap the rewards. Thankfully, when you work with us, you don’t have to keep abreast of all these changes – that’s what we’re here for! In addition to staying in the know, our team keeps a very close eye on how your channels are performing in order to create and enact effective strategies that will engage your audience and yield quality leads. Contact us to learn more about our social media management services.
