Facebook's growth has been growing at a rapid pace over the past decade.
With almost 3 billion users worldwide, it is an excellent social media platform for businesses to tap into. Facebook's algorithm constantly changing, and it can be challenging for businesses and their marketing efforts to keep up and see results.
However, with the right strategies and hacks, businesses can leverage Facebook's algorithm to their advantage.
In this post, we're going to help you understand the Facebook algorithm and share some hacks to help you boost your engagement and reach on the platform.
What Is The Facebook Algorithm?
At its core, the Facebook algorithm is a complex system that determines which content to show to users in their news feeds.
It uses various ranking signals, such as past behaviour and popular content, to determine what is most relevant and valuable to each user.
In simpler terms, the algorithm decides whether a post will appear at the top of your news feed or not.
How Does The Facebook Algorithm Work?
Although we don't know exactly how the Facebook algorithm selects what to show the public and what not to show them, we do know that, like all social media algorithms, one of its main objectives is to keep users scrolling so that they see more ads.
Meta laid out four steps that help figure out what content to show, what they know about each post, and how relevant it is for users. These questions at each step help decide the best stuff to display for everyone on Facebook.
1. Inventory: The inventory is a collection of posts shared by your friends and the Pages you follow. Depending on the surface you're using on Facebook (like Feed or Video), you'll see different types of posts.
2. Signals: Signals are data points that help Facebook decide if a post is relevant to you. These include posted stories, time during the day, the length of the post, and the type of media it contains.
3. Predictions: The algorithm uses signals to predict how likely you are to engage with a post, helping Meta determine if it might be meaningful to you. Predictions may include questions such as: How likely are you to comment on a story? Will you watch the video all the way to the end?
4. Score: Meta combines signals to create a relevancy score, which is basically a number that shows how interested Meta thinks people will be in that post.
Meta follows these four steps with every story, every comment, every post, and every click to keep users engaged for as long as possible.
This is why sometimes you may see posts from days ago or even weeks ago on your news feed – if Meta thinks you'll be interested in it, they will show it to you regardless of its date.
Facebook Algorithm Hacks
Now that you know a bit more about how Facebook's algorithm works, here are some Facebook algorithm hacks to help you make the most out of your experience on the platform.
Focus On Ads, Not Just Organic Content
With a large number of users on Facebook, organic content won't reach as many people as you might think.
Facebook admitted that organic reach is falling short and urges all marketers to buy ads.
Have you experienced a shortage in organic reach in the past few months, even years? This is why.
To reach a wide audience and get your business or brand in front of more people, invest in Facebook ads. They may be worth the money and effort.
Encourage Engagement
As mentioned earlier, engagement is a key factor in Facebook's algorithm.
So, it only makes sense to encourage your followers and friends to engage with your posts.
Ask questions, create polls, and start conversations – these are all great ways to increase engagement on your posts.
The more comments, likes/shares, and reactions your post receives, the higher its relevancy score will be and the more likely it will appear on people's news feeds.
Post at Peak Times
Timing is everything when it comes to social media algorithms.
Depending on your target audience, there are certain times of the day or days of the week when more people are likely to be active on Facebook.
According to some, the best times to post on Facebook are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 7:00 AM and 11:00 AM.
But, if your business sells sleeping pills or offers insomnia consulting services, you may want to experiment with posting at night when your target audience is more active.
Use Multimedia
Facebook's algorithm prioritises posts with multimedia content, such as videos and images. (With a key focus on SHORT CLIP VIDEOS)
So, whenever possible, include visuals in your posts.
Videos tend to perform the best, with more views and higher engagement rates than other types of content.
Make or Join Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are a great way to connect with like-minded individuals and potential customers.
Joining relevant groups and participating in discussions can help increase your reach on Facebook. For instance, you can join your neighbourhood Facebook group to ask for recommendations or advice related to your business.
You can also create your own Facebook group and invite your followers to join, creating an exclusive community for them to engage with your brand.
Do You Need Help?
If you're finding it challenging to navigate Facebook's algorithm or need assistance in crafting the perfect social media strategy, contact us today!
We offer social media marketing services and handle every aspect, from content creation to setting up ads and analysing your results.
Stop stressing about Facebook, and let us help you reach your target audience.