If you’ve had a brand page on Facebook for awhile, you’ve probably noticed some changes relating to your post reach. While rumors have spread relating to brands losing non-active followers and other issues, one rumor that has proven to be true relates to the reach of each post.
When content is shared on Facebook through a brand page, the number of people reached is displayed at the bottom. For many marketers, this number has been falling quickly, with no rhyme or reason. Yes, information is available relating to new layouts, adjustments in what’s displayed in newsfeeds and other releases, however, organic reach remains an issue. Check out these five methods for outsmarting Facebook’s organic reach issues while better connecting with your audience.
The Issue
Lately, brands have seen their reaches cut in half for posts published on their pages. If you’re unsure of how to measure this, log into your page and check out the “people reached” message at the bottom of each post. In the example below, the reach is 3,104.
The problem occurs when the same brands see a decrease, sometimes into the single digits, without doing anything differently.
This drop in reach indicates a problem – it proves that certain posts are not being displayed to brand followers. While it is something to overcome, a few steps can ensure that your brand’s reach stays high and that your posts are displayed to your followers.
1. Think About Your Schedule
Just because something is written at a certain time doesn’t mean it has to be shared at that time.
Hundreds of studies exist that demonstrate the most active times for individuals to be on social media sites. However, just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s effective. TrackMaven recently found that while Mondays-Fridays are the most popular times for professionals to put work in on social media, higher interaction levels happen on the weekends. In fact, posts on Sundays are 25% more effective than those posted at the height of the workweek. Evenings are generally more effective than during the day. Runner’s World Magazine found this, and as such, posts just as heavily on weekends as during the week to keep interactions high at all times. When do you post?
2. Show Some Personality
Excitement is contagious. This is especially true online. Punctuation conveys emotion, which allows for engagement and connection across the board.
Posts with exclamation points receive engagement levels 2.7 times higher than those without. While they’re not commonly used, they may increase interest and overall attraction.
3. Use Images
This is becoming less of a secret as time passes, however, it’s still important to note. Facebook posts that include images are promoted more heavily to followers on Facebook than those without images. Make it a company standard that your posts are accompanied by images – stock photos, infographics, memes, featured images or anything that helps get your message across.
How much more effective are images? Posts with images receive levels of interaction that are 37% higher than standard text posts. The VF Outlet found this to be true and regularly incorporates images into their Facebook posts.
4. Go Long
In social media, shorter is better, right? That may not be true according to the latest research. According to Forbes.com, Facebook posts that are 70-79 words in length have an average of 3.42 interactions. When that is increased to 80-89 words, the interaction level average jumps to 6.19.
Longer posts might be a better way to introduce linked material and to attract the attention of your target audience than shorter posts.
5. Don’t Forget About Hashtags
Hashtags are relatively new for Facebook. Since they are available, the time to start using them is now. Some experts estimate that brands that use hashtags in their Facebook posts see engagement levels that are 60% higher than posts without them.
It’s important not to go overboard – one or two is effective at increasing engagement levels, but those levels start to decrease when three or more are used in a single post. Starbucks is a well-known brand that has been using hashtags on Facebook for some time now with noticeable results.
Hashtags drive search traffic while increasing attention overall.
Facebook’s organic post reach issues don’t have to drag down your social marketing scheme. By incorporating the five small changes listed above, you’ll start to see an increase in no time.
