When Facebook first launched its News Feed feature it was met with a lot of backlash. Fast forward almost a decade, Facebook is now the most popular billboard for billions of people and millions of businesses on the internet. Brands are using social media in a way that is unique to any other form of advertising because of seamless integration into Facebook’s News Feed. This unique live stream of status updates uses an automated software intended to engage the user in a more personal experience. It also allows Facebook to monetize its users by selling the personal demographic and psychographic targeting information gleaned to advertisers.
Facebook’s Newest News Feed Change
Facebook is yet again changing how the News Feed works by altering its algorithm. They want it to be even more personalized and individualized to give users exactly what they want to see. Chris Cox Facebook’s Chief Product Officer comments on the goal for News Feed:
“If you could rate everything that happened on Earth today that was published anywhere by any of your friends, any of your family, any news source…and then pick the 10 that were the most meaningful to know today, that would be a really cool service for us to build. That is really what we aspire to have News Feed become.”
So it seems as though Facebook wants to be my, yours and everyone else’s one-stop-shop for all of the information we’re looking for. From scanning your friend’s wedding photos to finding a reputable HVAC company in your area to trending world news, Facebook wants you to have it all. How are they going to do this?
News Feed Limitations
Since 2011 Facebook began limiting what appeared on its users’ News Feed based off of what they wanted to see. For example, if you were clicking on a lot of pictures then there would be more photo posts on your News Feed; viewing only a small portion of what is actually available. But, Facebook still wants you to view ads from the company’s two million+ advertisers, so that is added to the equation as well.
Why this Matters to Your Social Media Marketing
This trend in Facebook’s user experience customization is an important one to follow. A business’s online presence has never been more important. Facebook utilizes an extremely complex algorithm to decide what users see. At this point, only the tiniest percentage of your brand’s Facebook posts are actually reaching any of your followers. Unless you are A) consistently creating amazing content and posts that people are engaging with (liking, clicking, sharing, commenting) or B) advertising on Facebook, your message is likely destined to only be seen by your most devout fans.
How CMDS can Help
Most small businesses do not have the manpower to track Facebook’s every move. Thankfully our marketing professionals at CMDS do! It’s our job to stay completely up to date with the latest and greatest social media marketing and content strategies, opportunities and trends – and to put them to work for our clients. At CMDS, we make it our mission to help you connect with your current and prospective customers in a personal, relatable and engaging way, so that your brand and your customer’s brand loyalty continues to grow. Contact CMDS today to learn more about what you can be doing to maximize your social media presence and make sure that your message is reaching – and impacting – your ideal customers. Call 732-706-5555 to get started.