As you may likely know, Facebook announced big changes to the News Feed. Reportedly, Facebook says we will now see more content now from friends and family, and less from brands and publishers organically. Facebook did not announce any effect to sponsored content on the News Feed, which is good news for advertisers!

The new algorithm favors content that draws thoughtful comments over posts that are popular and do not garner a strong reaction. The change demonstrates Facebook’s value of deep engagement rather than simple likes and passive scrolling. In doing so, we will see more opinions and content from the communities we belong to on the platform. 

So what does this mean for you as a brand?

It means that we should be thinking about content that drives engagements, conversations, and comments to drive reach and visibility. However, Facebook also announced they are de-prioritizing content that asks audiences to comment or like content, thus, content moving forward must connect to the right audience, at the right time to get those valuable comments!

This news encourages publishers to post more valuable content to the platform. By showing more comments, the community can able to see what is upsetting or inspiring people on the platform and decide to engage. 

We recommend brands launch Facebook Groups to ignite vibrant communities as the new algorithm is in favor of group interactions.

How Does This Update Affect Other Features?

Video content will likely decrease in the News Feed. In certain situations, videos elicit fewer comments, meaning publisher content will appear lower in your feed as you scroll.

Paid efforts remain the same, and Facebook has been a “pay to play” network for quite some years now due to the minimal organic reach. Now more than ever, paid efforts are crucial for a brand to connect and grow communities. We recommend that every piece of Facebook content has paid support behind it, especially for brands with low followings.

Overall, these changes are aimed to bring Facebook back to its mission,  to bring people closer together. At Socialfly, we value our community and their commentary! 

How do you feel about the new update? Tweet us @socialfly and share your thoughts!