Mark Zuckerberg, the owner of the social networking site, Facebook, has recently announced a new Facebook algorithm. The changes to the news feed in 2018 is to help promote meaningful posts. It is designed to stop users being bombarded with content that is being passively consumed.
Change in Facebook Algorithm
Facebook users will now see fewer posts from businesses and brands. The majority of their feed will show posts from family and friends. More local news stories are also said to be shown more. The idea behind this is to increase user’s engagement with content posted on Facebook. Individuals are more likely to like, share or comment on a post from a family member or friend. As opposed to a brand they follow.
Affects Advertisers
Zuckerberg explains that he understands the time users spend on the social networking site will decrease. However, the time spent on there will be more valuable. This could be a downfall for brands and businesses who advertise on Facebook. The less time individuals are spending on there, will result in a smaller chance of them seeing and interacting with your content.
Response to Criticism
These changes seem to be a reaction to the amount of criticism Facebook has received in recent years. Such as influence in elections and communicating false information to the public. It was acknowledged that a high consumption of social media can be harmful to a person’s mental health.
The Affect On Businesses
Businesses will now have to invest in ads for them to appear on a user’s timeline. There will now be fewer opportunities to purchase ads. The cost to buy them will also increase. The new Facebook algorithm may mean that brands need to adapt their marketing strategy. For example, small businesses may want to start or continuing creating video content as this will stay higher in the news feed. You will need to make sure that the content you are posting is genuine and meaningful for the post to receive the most interaction. Making sure that all of the content you post is optimised for mobile. As there is a continuous increase in mobile users.
Conclusion
To conclude, the new Facebook algorithm may affect the way businesses market themselves on Facebook. Brands and businesses, especially smaller ones, will need to take into account the cost of paid ads. The amount you may be paying may not give your business the results you want. In this case, a new marketing strategy should be put into place, to try and create the highest level of engagement possible.
About Blackberry
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